Published research into the use of the INPP Programme in Schools

"An evaluation of the pilot INPP movement programme in Primary Schools in the North Eastern Education and Library Board, Northern Ireland". 2004 prepared by Fiona Fylan, Brain Box Research Ltd for the North Eastern Education and Library Board.

Executive Summary:

"The INPP exercise programme aims to enhance learning by reducing abnormally retained reflexes, thought to interfere with development. The aim of the research is to determine whether retained reflexes predict poor educational progress and to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme by measuring the educational progress associated with undertaking the prescribed exercises. The programme is evaluated for children who have high levels of retained reflexes and who are underachieving educationally (the criteria for which the programme was designed), and also for all children, regardless of their reflex or educational scores.

Measures of retained reflexes, balance, educational ability and concentration/coordination were made in a controlled study of P5 children in seven Northern Ireland primary schools at the start (September 2003) and end (June 2004) of the school year. In each school one P5 class undertook the exercises and the other did not. Two P2 classes in each school also participated in the research. None of the P2 classes undertook the exercises, and the extent to which the presence of retained reflexes at the start of the school year can predict educational progress at the end of the year was assessed. A total of 672 P2 and P5 children participated in the research. The following conclusions were drawn.

• 35% of P5 children and 48% of P2 children showed elevated levels of retained reflexes at the first assessment.
• 15% (49) of P5 children had a reading age below their chronological age. Of these, 28 also had elevated levels of retained reflexes.
• Elevated levels of retained reflexes are correlated with poor educational achievement at baseline.
• Children who undertook the exercise programme showed a statistically significant greater decrease in retained reflexes than children who did not undertake the exercises.
• Children who undertook the exercise programme showed a highly significant improvement in balance and coordination, and a small but statistically significant increase in a measure of cognitive development over children who did not undertake the exercises. No difference was found in reading, handwriting or spelling in children who were already achieving at or near their chronological age, but for children with high levels of retained reflexes and a reading age below their chronological age, those who undertook the the exercise programme made greater progress.
• Retained reflexes are correlated with poor cognitive development, poor balance and teacher assessment of poor concentration/coordination in P2 children. Neurological scores and teacher assessment at baseline predicted poorer reading and literacy scores at the end of the study.

Releasing Educational Potential Through Movement: A Summary of Individual Studies Carried Out Using the INPP Test Battery and Developmental Exercise Programme for use in Schools with Children with Special Needs Sally Goddard Blythe

Extract:

This paper provides a summary of findings from a series of independent studies that have been undertaken separately. The studies used a specific developmental test battery*/the Institute forNeuro-Physiological Psychology (INPP) Developmental Test Battery for use in schools with children with special educational needs*/with a total of 810 children, the object being to assess whether neurological dysfunction was a significant factor underlying academic achievement. All children were tested using the INPP Developmental Test Battery together with additional standard educational measures to assess drawing and reading at the beginning and end of the programme.

View Full Article