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Children and Young PeopleLeadership

What the Data Tells Us: Building Confident Leaders and More Active Schools

By 30 October 2025April 23rd, 2026No Comments
As part of the Ready Set Move Active Schools programme, we asked the Middle Leaders to reflect on their confidence, leadership and teaching practice via surveys before and after taking part in the programme. The results are clear:
When you invest in people, you unlock meaningful change across schools.

Growing confidence to lead change

One of the strongest findings from the surveys was the shift in leadership confidence.

Before the programme, Middle Leaders rated their confidence to lead physical activity change across their school at an average of 6.2 out of 10.By the end of the programme, this had increased to 9 out of 10.

• 94% of middle leaders reported increased confidence to lead change
• Some cohorts saw confidence rise from 55% to 88%, and 68% to 97%

This represents a significant change in how the Middle Leaders see themselves – directly impacting their confidence in sharing their learning and championing change in others.

Turning confidence into action

This growth in confidence translated into changes in practice.

  • 100% of Middle Leaders reported improvements in their teaching practice
  • 31 out of 35 leaders reported significant increases in opportunities for movement during the school day
  • all 31 Middle Leaders rated this impact at 8+ out of 10

This shows that leaders weren’t just learning new ideas, they were applying them in real classrooms in meaningful ways.

A programme that delivers real value

Middle Leaders were clear about the impact the programme had on their development:

  • 83% rated the programme 10 out of 10 for its value
  • 29 out of 35 gave it the highest possible score for supporting their personal and professional growth

This reflects the programme’s ability to combine practical strategies and real-world application in a way that feels meaningful and relevant to schools.

 

What we’re learning

Taken together, the findings highlight three key learnings:
1. Confidence is a critical lever for change
When Middle Leaders feel confident, they are more able to support and influence colleagues, challenge thinking and lead whole-school approaches.
2. Practical tools drive behaviour change
Providing simple, adaptable strategies helps leaders turn ideas into action, embedding movement into everyday teaching.
3. Leadership development creates lasting impact
By investing in people, the programme is equipping leaders with the skills and belief to continue driving change beyond the programme.
Through Ready Set Move, Middle Leaders are not only changing their own practice, but influencing how movement is embedded across their schools – creating more active, engaging and inclusive learning environments for children.