Table 3 Proposed changes to the Action 3:30 leaders’ manual and training programme based on process evaluation findings

TA, CFG

Reduce the amount of content in each session

TAs: Children would become agitated when having to regularly change activities; CFG: More time should be given to one activity so it can be played properly.

• Amend individual session plans by reducing number of activities and allowing time for children to experience and master tasks as well as making them more difficult

TA

Improve the clarity of the session plans

Some TAs found some sessions hard to understand. A DVD/video of activities could be a helpful resource.

• Review sessions plans for clarity

• Produce a DVD of activities or series of online videos that TAs can refer to.

CFG

Changes to specific activities

1) Exclusion games (e.g. dodge ball) can be boring. Children wanted activities to reflect the nature of the sports they were based on, and seemed to value these more as “sports that you would really do”

1) Include options for TAs to utilise to keep all children involved in an activity (instead of sitting out)-cover this more in training.

2) Include athletics activities that the children can relate to & avoid activities such as running laps.

Source

Improvement

Reason for improvement

Action required

TA & CFG

More behaviour management training

TA: Dealing with bad behaviour was disruptive to club but the training didn’t cover enough on behaviour management

• There should be less practical & more time allocated to behaviour management & for TAs to share ideas.

TA

Training could allow time for TAs to share ideas

Instead of mostly practical based training, scheduling time for TAs to share their ideas on running the club would be helpful.

• TAs may want to seek an agreed behaviour policy with school, so they can act confidently.

CFG

Adapt activities to make them more challenging

Games should be made more challenging to keep them exciting to the children (add new rules & twists).

• More training on adapting games to make them more challenging

CFG

TAs should get involved with activities (if possible)

Some children said they liked it when TAs joined in with them; this made the games more enjoyable.

• Encourage TAs to join in with activities as a strategy to aid enjoyment and understanding

CFG

Consider children’s opinions & activity choices & make sure decisions are fair.

Children said that not everyone was listened to when children were given choice over activities or when offering rule changes to games.

• Training should include ways of making sure that everyone gets a fair say in the activities