The research team at JU:MP have finished a mammoth task collecting data from 1459 children in 37 schools across Yorkshire so that the programme's effectiveness can be measured.

Since July 2020, the team have been recruiting and visiting schools from both the JU:MP area and across Yorkshire in order to collect important data that helps JU:MP to evaluate how effective the programme is in terms of increasing physical activity levels of 5-14 year olds, at a neighbourhood level. Measurements taken from the children at school include their height and weight. Physical activity levels will be measured over a period of 7 days through the wearing of an accelerometer and teachers and parents have been completing questionnaires that look at lifestyle factors of the children, which will also contribute to the overall evaluation of JU:MPs effectiveness.

Here are some stats:

• 37 primary schools recruited (17 JU:MP intervention schools, 20 'control' schools across Yorkshire from Sheffield, to Pontefract, Batley, Cornholme)
• 30 classes (mixture of year 1, 2 and 3 children) of children worked with
• 90 teachers worked with
• 93 recruitment assemblies attended, to speak directly to the children about the study (mixture of whole school, class, and virtual assemblies)
• 1459 children recruited (opt in parental consent, child assent)
• 1459 children measured in school and fitted with an accelerometer
• 1459 gift bags made up and handed out to all children as a thank you!

The team will be visiting the same schools in 2 year's time to look at what the changes are to the child's physical activity levels. These will be checked against the children's physical activity levels who are within the JU:MP area. Only then will the team fully realise the extent to which the JU:MP programme has impacted on children.