Strengthening an active school day: The role of add-in components in education outside the classroom

Background

Schools are key settings for promoting children’s physical activity (PA), health and well-being, yet interventions often fail when framed as ‘add-on’ to educational goals. ‘Add-in’ approaches embed health-promoting activities within everyday teaching. Education outside the classroom (EOtC) exemplifies this by relocating curriculum-based teaching to outdoor and urban settings. This study examines whether EOtC enhances PA during the school day and identifies key implementation conditions.

Methods

The study draws on the Danish MOVEOUT project, combining a cluster-randomized controlled trial, day-level measurements, and implementation-focused qualitative data. Intervention teachers implemented EOtC over one school year (intended 5 hours/week). The sample comprised pupils aged 10-15 years, split into 10 intervention (n=147) and 14 control classes (n=200). Quantitative process evaluation assessed PA during school time in 33 EOtC and 145 classroom sessions while interviews with nine intervention group teachers examined implementation conditions.

Results

EOtC increased PA during school hours and was positively associated with intrinsic motivation. Light- and moderate-to-vigorous PA was increased by 9.1% and 20.4% during the school week. Movement was generated through transport and embodied learning in outdoor environments, supporting motivation, engagement, and subject-specific learning. The achieved implementation dose (∼3 hours/week above control group) was lower than intended limiting the contrast between groups.

Conclusions

EOtC highlights the potential of ‘add-in’ approaches to enhance PA without displacing curriculum time, yet this potential is conditional rather than inherent. Effects appear to depend on teacher capacity and of the pedagogical reflections, suggesting that impact relies on alignment with everyday teaching practices. Future strategies should prioritise sustained implementation and integration into routine teaching to ensure lasting effects.

Key messages

• Add-in approaches strengthen school-based physical activity by integrating movement into curriculum time.

• EOtC increased physical activity during school hours, however, implementation depends on dose, quality, and teacher support.