School Reports & Programme Evidence

A controlled study assessing the impact of the INPP Schools Programme on neuromotor maturity and educational achievement. All 40 children were assessed for signs of neuromotor immaturity and educational attainment at the outset using SATs data.

The experimental group (N = 17) completed the INPP movement programme. The comparison group (N = 23) did not. Results demonstrated a significantly greater decrease in neuromotor immaturity scores in the experimental group, alongside measurable improvements in reading attainment.

Following a refresher training course, staff screened all junior children and ran the programme in groups of six to eight across all four year groups. Progress was measured in sub-levels of attainment between Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

When neuromotor scores were mapped against National Curriculum attainment measures, a clear pattern emerged. All pupils scoring below age-related expectations in reading at the end of Year 2 showed neuromotor immaturity scores of 30% or above. The lower the NC level, the higher the average neuromotor immaturity score. Children achieving above the national average showed considerably lower neuromotor scores, though some still presented with elevated scores.

The school made the decision to implement the fifteen-minute daily programme with the whole class, progressing only when all pupils had mastered each movement in sequence.

Six children from Years 3 and 4 with concerns around reading, writing, spelling, and concentration participated in a daily fifteen-minute INPP exercise programme. Reading ages were assessed at the start, after three terms, and at the end of the four-term programme using the Salford Reading Test.

Key outcomes

• 67% of the group made reading progress of more than 24 months over 14 months
• 33% made an average reading age gain of 19.5 months
• The whole group made an average gain of 26 months in reading age across four terms
• A strong correlation was found between reduction in neuromotor score and improvement in educational attainment

A pilot programme across eight primary schools in one of the most deprived electoral wards in England. Two members of staff from each school were trained by an INPP Consultant. Groups of approximately eight children aged three to nine participated in each school, with the programme running for a minimum of three days per week across the school year.

Outcomes reported

• Measurable decrease in abnormally retained reflexes across the programme group
• Improvements in coordination reported in all schools, with specific examples noted
• Increases in children's self-esteem and social confidence observed by staff and parents
• In 74% of cases, children's mental age on the Goodenough Draw-a-Man test caught up with or surpassed their chronological age by the end of the programme

A controlled study of 672 P2 and P5 children across seven Northern Ireland primary schools. In each school, one P5 class completed the INPP exercises and a comparison class did not. Two P2 classes in each school also participated to assess the predictive value of neuromotor scores at baseline.

Key findings

• 35% of P5 children and 48% of P2 children showed elevated levels of retained reflexes at the first assessment
• Elevated levels of retained reflexes correlated significantly with poor educational achievement at baseline
• Children who completed the exercise programme showed a statistically significant greater decrease in retained reflexes than the comparison group
• The exercise group showed a highly significant improvement in balance and coordination, and a small but statistically significant increase in a measure of cognitive development
• For children with high levels of retained reflexes and a reading age below their chronological age, those who completed the programme made greater progress in reading than those who did not
• Neuromotor scores at baseline predicted poorer reading and literacy outcomes at the end of the study

A study of 114 Key Stage 1 children to investigate whether neuromotor immaturity acted as a barrier to attainment in core subjects. Assessments covered balance, crawling, finger-thumb opposition, and primitive reflex retention.

The data strongly supported a link between neuromotor delay and below-expected attainment at Key Stage 1. Previous experience and research supported the finding that the INPP exercise programme can lift this barrier, enabling children to accelerate their progress toward expected attainment levels.

A review of children's progress conducted by two early years consultants trained in the INPP Screening Test. Initial screening was carried out in October 2007 and follow-up in July 2008, before the children transitioned to Year 1.

Programme outcomes

• Overall progress of 214 points in reflex scores across the group (from 326 to 112 points)
• Significant improvement in crossing the midline, a skill that directly impacts reading and writing
• Significant improvement in the Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR)
• Of the 12 children identified for the programme, all were in the lowest performing two groups academically at the start of the year; only five remained in the lowest performing 20% by the end of the reception year
• Individual case studies documented notable progress in children receiving free school meals, including children who became the highest academic achievers in their class by the end of the year

Practitioners and parents uniformly commented on improvements in children's confidence, self-esteem, and engagement. Children enjoyed discussing the exercises and their growing ability to control their movements.

A comparative study across five schools using the INPP developmental movement programme alongside the Activate comparison programme. Schools included mainstream first schools and a special school with pupils aged 5–17.

Statistical results

• A correlation between behaviour and retention of infant reflexes was established
• Reduced retained reflex scores between first and second assessment in the 3–6 age group
• Greater reduction in reflex scores in the INPP group than the Activate group between assessments
• Greater improvement in balance error scores in the INPP group
• The INPP group entered with higher levels of reflex retention and achieved lower levels by the second assessment

St Margaret Mary RC School implemented the INPP programme as a whole-class approach from Year 3, with a modified version for younger children. At any one time, three classes follow the programme simultaneously, with all teaching and support staff trained and committed to its delivery.

The school has observed dramatic rises in reading scores and standardised neurological development measures, including the Draw-a-Person test. Some results were published in The Well Balanced Child (Hawthorn Press).

A study of 198 children found that approximately 40% showed signs of neuromotor delay. Among children performing below age expectations in core subjects, this figure rose to 75%, with 85% of poor readers, 67% of those with writing difficulties, and 75% of those struggling in maths showing signs of neuromotor delay. The presence of three specific primitive reflexes was significantly more common among poor readers.

Of 75 children across three schools who undertook the movement programme, 70% made a year or more of progress in core subjects over the course of the programme year. The study noted that a more precise assessment of neuromotor profiles could further improve targeting of the programme.

87 pupils from two private schools in Moscow were assessed using the INPP developmental screening test at the start of their first year of school. Results showed that approximately 40% of children met the criterion for neuromotor immaturity, with significantly higher rates among boys (60%) than girls (27.5%). The findings were consistent with rates reported in European school studies, suggesting that neuromotor immaturity at school entry is a widespread phenomenon.

The authors recommended the introduction of routine neuromotor screening and developmental movement programmes in Russian schools.

A study investigating the relationship between retained primitive reflexes and academic achievement in children with learning disorders aged 6–10, conducted in Vlora, Albania. The study aimed to test whether retained reflexes predict poor educational outcomes, and whether a motor intervention programme based on the INPP method could reduce reflex retention and improve academic results.

Three hypotheses were tested: that children with learning disorders would show higher rates of retained reflexes; that reflexes could be reduced through a structured motor intervention; and that children whose reflexes were addressed through movement would show improvements in reading, writing, mathematics, and behaviour. All three hypotheses were supported by the data.

A class teacher's account of implementing the INPP programme with 21 children aged 8–9 in a mainstream Budapest school. The teacher was struck by the level of retained reflexes found in children who appeared to be coping well academically, and by the compensatory mechanisms they had developed · including unusual pencil grip, body positioning, and mouth movements during writing tasks.

The programme, which the class called their "slow gym," introduced children to a new way of moving and attending. Changes in posture, body control, and approach to written tasks were observed over the course of the programme.