A one day course for: class teachers, PE co-ordinators, Learning Mentors, classroom support staff and after school care staff to learn how to use the SIMPLE movement programme.

After the five hour training, participants will understand the basic neurology surrounding primitive reflexes and will be able to teach the SIMPLE programme during PE lessons and after school clubs.

This movement programme releases learning “Blocks” by stimulating postural reflexes and thereby helping to integrate retained primitive reflexes.

Movement programmes researched in West Yorkshire have shown improvements in:

Primitive reflexes are autonomic responses with which babies are born. These are necessary in the early stages of life and should become inhibited when they are no longer required. If, for some reason, these are not integrated they can block learning, causing stress to the mind body system which can also impact on behaviour.

The SIMPLE programme stimulates postural reflexes through specific movements and encourages the development of more mature patterns of responses thereby suppressing underlying primitive reflex activity.

The programme also helps balance, co-ordination and sensory integration. Research carried out in a school in West Yorkshire showed that children completing the SIMPLE movement programme improved short-term memory and working memory, as well as non-verbal intelligence. The SIMPLE programme is unique as it can be run as a PE lesson for the whole class enhancing learning for all stages of development. It can also be used with small groups and covers both indoor and outdoor PE.

Contact Child Centre:

The course is delivered by:

Dr. Alweena Zairi, an experienced, PE trained, teacher, educational therapist, kinesiologist and researcher. Alweena developed the SIMPLE programme for schools in conjunction with Jane Lloyd. Alweena also works with individual children, either in schools or privately. Her research has convinced her of the vital importance of movement as the foundation of all learning. She is now sharing her findings and programme with other schools.

Elizabeth Moody; former headteacher of Headfield Junior School, West Yorkshire, says: Children noticed improvements in their concentration in lessons. This was also observed by teachers and parents. Improvements in behaviour and self-confidence and self-esteem in the pupils were also very apparent as their fine and gross motor skills developed. This powerful programme used no special or expensive materials and could easily form the basis of a PE or PSE syllabus and would be useful with all children from 6 to 12 years. It constitutes a new and different approach to children’s learning rather than the pervading “more of the same” approach. Mrs Zairi’s pioneering work with underachieving, indeed ALL children, needs serious consideration. This project is excellent.