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Table 2 Perceived factors hindering implementation and sustainability of healthy lifestyle programmes at the primary schools

From: Effective implementation of primary school-based healthy lifestyle programmes: a qualitative study of views of school staff

 

Illustrative quotations

Factors hindering implementation

 Time constraintsIV

“We get asked to do a lot of things, just the opportunity to do them when we have to focus on driving progress and attainment as a priority” (Programme coordinator, school 9, FDE)

“The food tasting was supposed to be 10 minutes but that was one of the challenges in that it impacted quite heavily on lesson time in the morning …” (Head teacher, school 9, FDE)

“We didn’t do a fruit platter today because we didn’t have time … we were coming in early to get all the fruit prepared (for the programme), as well as the usual meals and salads” (Catering manager, school 11, FDE)

 Timing of implementationa

“… I think because we got it (PhunkyFoods programme) in the middle of the year, it was hard to implement it. It would have been better to have it now to look at it, ready for September” (Programme coordinator, school 1, PFS)

 Training and technical supportV

“… I mean it would just be different for us if we had more training on it, if we were more aware of it, because obviously time wise when you’re planning lessons, you don’t have hours to kind of sit and go through things” (Year 1 teacher, school 1, PFS)

“We tried to get them in (programme support team), and then they said they would come in, and then it was time of when they could come in, and who was going to be here to let them in. So then we waited and waited and in the end the teaching assistant and I did it” (Year 2 teacher, school 2, PFS)

 Availability and quality of resources (personnel and facilities)IV

“Lots of children wanted to do it (cooking club), but we could only choose 12 children due to limited staffing” (Programme coordinator, school 11, FDE)

“We were involved with Focus on Food. They provide a cooking bus which, children go onto the bus and cook. We were meant to be one of the school’s to use it, but couldn’t get the bus up to our school” (Reception teacher, school 6, PFS)

“We would like to start a cooking club but we don’t have the space” (Head teacher, school 2, PFS). “We don’t have many after school activities due to space restrictions” (Year 2 teacher, school 2, PFS)

 FundingI

“Cost is a huge issue around delivering it, we need funding to deliver them” (Head teacher, school 12, FDE)

 Teacher characteristics (engagement, perceived need for and benefit of innovation and skill proficiency)II

“Well I think initially, you know, obviously like any new initiative, the staff are probably a little bit concerned that it’s another job that’s been added on top of already what they’re doing” (Head teacher, school 2, PFS)

“… with the Phunkyfoods thing, there are so many kind of food initiatives out there, I’m using some of the Food for Life things as well because that was more appropriate” (Year 1 teacher, school 1, PFS)

“We haven’t really looked at the physical ones (programme resources) because we tend to have quite good PE curriculum” (Programme coordinator, school 1, PFS)

“… No specific training for staff to deliver the sports programmes. Staff are just expected to run these programmes in school” (Year 4 teacher, school 5, PFS)

“There might be some training implications with current staff needing training to deliver new cooking activities in the curriculum” (Head teacher, school 6, PFS)

 Effective leadershipIV

“… the lead role went on maternity leave and there’s an awful lot of change going on at the moment and it’s (the PhunkyFoods programme) taken more of a side line” (Year 4 teacher, school 5, PFS)

“It’s kind of because it’s not statutory we’ve not been told you need to use this for anything, it’s kind of dip in when you want, maybe there’s some things there, I mean we don’t have to use it, so it’s left up to us” (Year 1 teacher, school 1, PFS)

 Parent participation and supportIV

“When we put on workshops, parent participation is poor, we have tried incentives but it is still limited” (Head teacher, school 8, PFS)

“They (parents) wanted their pack lunch policy to suit their children’s likes and dislikes, it isn’t necessarily in line with what we would like … it’s been very hard” (Food technology coordinator, school 13, FDE)

“The more vulnerable children have parents that are not able to let their children attend sports clubs for socioeconomic reasons” (Head teacher, school 7, PFS)

Factors hindering sustainability

 Funding

“I was ordering fruit (for the programme), that was just too expensive to continue. I’ve tried to cut back on that, it’s like your strawberries, your blueberries, your blackberries, my manager was like you need to get your stock down” (Catering manager, school 11, FDE)

 Staff capacity and support

“We have stopped the PhunkyFoods club this term because they do the drama club now instead. There was only one teacher available to run it” (Programme coordinator, school 1, PFS)

“… if we had more staff, it (cooking club) could be more of a regular thing” (Programme coordinator, school 11 FDE)

  1. Superscript roman numerals refer to categories within the Durlak and Dupre model of factors affecting implementation [26]:
  2. I Community Level Factors
  3. II Provider Characteristics
  4. III Characteristics of the Innovation
  5. IV Factors Relevant to the Prevention Delivery System: Organisational Capacity
  6. V Factors Related to the Prevention Support System
  7. a Factors influencing implementation not identified in the model by Durlak and Dupre [26]