Feasibility of embedding stage appropriate High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) encompassing syllabus linked mathematics content within the school week for students in Early Stage 1 to Stage 3 (6-12 years).

Making Maths a HIIT at School is an eight-week physically active mathematics intervention. This is a pilot study using a convenience sample suitable for testing the feasibility of the program for use in the whole school (across K-6). There will be a control school. This will be a whole of school approach with all eligible participants completing baseline assessments and follow-up measures conducted immediate post-intervention. The Intervention School will receive (3x 10 minutes per week) Mathematics sessions facilitated by UoN Researchers for the first 4 weeks (with teachers observing and researchers available pre and post each session to answer any questions/discuss content of the sessions) that incorporate HIIT and then 4 weeks with teachers running the sessions either in the school playground or in the school hall (weather dependent). The UoN researchers administering the intervention all have PhDs in Education and experience running programs involving children and physical activity. The program will focus on children’s individual mathematics skills. This will involve children being active whilst learning their multiplication tables, counting in patterns, adding numbers and subtracting numbers. Example physical activities include skipping, shuttle runs, frog jumps and some game based activities such as 'rob the nest'. The sessions will run at the start of the school day on a Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Given this is a whole of school approach with significant teacher involvement, the activities will be adapted to suit the needs of the students. This could include the make-up of the groups for activities, such as the size of groups if rotating through activity 'stations', also age range will be a consideration, The mathematical content/language used will be, where possible, consistent with the the mathematical content/language being covered in-class in the respective year level.. Some basic sports equipment will be supplied to the school for use in the program, including such things as skipping ropes, numbered bean bags, agility ladders and cones. Random fidelity checks will be performed by the research team to assess program adherence. Teachers will not be provided with the days that fidelity checks are to be performed but were aware that a member of the research team would be attending the sessions on at least 2 occasions during weeks 5-8.