About
I am an Associate Professor in Physical Activity and Health. I am the lead within the School of Sport and Exercise Science on motor competency, physical literacy and physical activity of children. I am also a BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist - Physiology Research route.
My primary research interests are within the area of motor competence in children and physical activity across the lifespan. I completed my PhD in this area and researched Physical Activity and Fundamental Movement Skills of British Preschool Children. I was first to perform research into calibrating the GENEActiv accelerometers for use with preschool children. I also performed research to determine the physical activity levels of preschool children during the week and weekend days, whilst determining their fundamental movement skills (FMS). I have also worked on a project across primary schools in Warwickshire where we assessed the children's FMS, anthropometric measures and other variables to monitor them in relation to the FMS requirements of the national curriculum. I was involved with colleagues from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales in creating the first national expert statement on ‘Motor competence amongst children in the United Kingdom and Ireland’, on behalf of the International Motor Development Research Consortium. This research is imperative in supporting the importance of physical activity and motor competence for children and aligns to the UoD Biomedical theme through observing children’s movement and helping to prevent poor health. My research has provided evidence that motor competence proficiency is not at an adequate level in children within English schools. Therefore, providing key evidence for the National Curriculum to focus more on motor competence in children in the UK. I am currently working on a motor competence review with colleagues from England, Ireland, Scotland, Portugal, Australia, Belgium and I view these key collaborations as imperative to further progress the field of motor competence for the health and wellbeing of children worldwide.
Child of the North report: An evidence-based approach to supporting children in the pre-school years. I contributed to this report which is aimed at policy makers. It was launched 4th October 2024. pre school report co-authored with external colleagues and Natalie Weir (PhD student) and Dr Jack Parker from the University of Derby. The report makes a series of proposals to tackle the high number of children starting school not ‘school ready’, and the crisis in early years and childcare provision - particularly in disadvantaged areas. It is the ninth in a series of monthly Child of the North/Centre for Young Lives reports being published during 2024 to support the Government in its ambitious vision for children and to show how putting the interests and life chances of children at the heart of policy making and delivery is crucial to Britain’s future success.
Furthermore, I have a great passion for research, and this covers any aspect of physical activity, for example, working with children and adults across the lifespan and more recently I completed work for Public Health England (now UK Health Security Agency and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities) on ‘Addressing and understanding inequalities in physical activity’. I am currently involved with research with Professor Mark Faghy and his team from the University of Derby in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), this is exploring key reflections, learning and future recommendations from the COVID-19 rehabilitation response from policy makers in the WHO European region. Finally, my research seeks to explore intervention design and assess the impact and implementation of physical activity and motor competence interventions.
I was invited to join the Editorial Board of Children Pediatric Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Section on behalf of the Editor-in-Chief. I am also a Guest Editor with Professor Andy Pringle in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH). The Special Issue is titled: 'How Sport and Physical Activity Contribute to Healthy Lifestyle and Physical Fitness?' Previously I was also a Guest Editor (12/09/2023 - 10/01/2025) for the Special Issue "Sedentary Behavior and Too Little Exercise - Linked to Childhood Health for Children - "Children | Special Issue : Sedentary Behavior and Too Little Exercise - Linked to Childhood Health (mdpi.com)
I was part of the Conference Committee that organised the sold-out 6th Nature Connections Conference: Developments in Research and Practice at the Silk Mill, Derby (24th to 25th June2024). I chaired Session 3 which was ‘Children, Young People and Education’. The conference is attended by academics from numerous national and international universities but also individuals/representatives from RSPB, Natural England, The Wildlife Trusts, NHS, Learning Outside the Classroom, Farms for City Children, Forestry England and many more organisations. (In Derby Daily – 09/07/2024). We are currently organising this year’s Nature Connections Conference for Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th June 2025.
As part of my role, I have previously been involved with the 'Derby A City on the Move' project. This project was funded by Sport England and aimed to encourage inactive people in Derby to take part in sport. The project involved a variety of partnerships working together to ensure this project was successful, including the University of Derby, Derby City Council, Sporting Futures, Derby County Community Trust, Derby College and Derby City Council - Livewell.
Professional interests
I have previously worked in further education for 11 years, teaching sport and exercise science and fitness courses. I worked up to the position of Curriculum Manager whilst also studying part-time for my PhD. I then changed further education institutions, teaching on a Foundation Degree programme in Sports Science for Coaching and Performance. I have gained different qualifications in my career, ranging from the 'CYQ Gym Instructor and Personal Training' qualifications to the 'CYQ Assessors Award - Assessing in the Active Leisure Sector' and 'Leading the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice'. These qualifications have ensured I am vocationally current and have allowed me to pass on my knowledge to students.
I really enjoy working with PhD students and currently have five who are researching in the area of motor competency, FMS, physical literacy and physical activity. I have two PhD completions (one as Director of Studies and one Supervisor) and 3 MSc completions. Currently I have five PhD students, three for which I am the Director of Studies for and two Supervisor, one MPhil student and one MSc student. I am always open for contact from individuals interested in pursuing a PhD. One of my current PhD students Natalie Weir won the 3MT presentation for the College of Science and Engineering, the University of Derby 3MT winner award and people’s choice award with her work titled: ‘Nurturing movement and physical literacy in the early years’. She then went to represent the University of Derby at the National 3MT event (September 2024). Similarly, a PhD student who has now graduated Dr Alex Dobell was the second-place runner-up in the College of Science and Engineering 3MT competition for her presentation on ‘Increasing Physical Activity and Fundamental Movement Skills in Early Childhood by using School Based Interventions’ (April 2022).
My research on Direct parent engagement to improve fundamental movement skills in children: A systematic Review with Robert Flynn and Professor Andy Pringle won the BASES Sport and Exercise Science 5 Slides in 5 Minutes Free Communication Presentation Award (17/11/2023).
International experience
I am currently working on a two papers in collaboration with colleagues from England, Ireland, Scotland, Belgium, Australia, Italy and Portugal on a motor competency paper on typically developing children and a second on children with neurodevelopmental disorders. This is in addition to the work published on: Motor Competence Among Children in the United Kingdom and Ireland: An Expert Statement on Behalf of the International Motor Development Research Consortium.
Teaching responsibilities
My teaching responsibilities include:
- Foundational Movement Skills (Level 4)
- Professional Placement 1 (Level 4, Module Leader)
- Principles of Physical Activity, Nutrition and Health (Level 4)
- Physical Activity and Health (Level 5, Module Leader)
- Biomedical Implications of Exercise, Activity and Health (Level 6, Module Leader)
- Independent Study for Sport and Exercise (Level 6)
- Advanced Clinical Exercise Physiology (Level 7)
- Global Physical Activity and Public Health (Level 7)
- Independent Research in Sport and Exercise Science (Level 7)
- Psychology of Exercise and Physical Activity (Level 7)
Additional interests and activities
I love road cycling and walking in the great outdoors, they are a great passion of mine.