For Schools & Educators

Ten minutes a day.
A difference that lasts
a lifetime.

The INPP Developmental Movement Programme — an evidence-based whole-class approach to building the physical foundations for learning.

Pauline Shannon National Principal · INPP UK
www.inpp.uk/inppforschools
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The context

You have noticed it
in your classroom.

The child who cannot sit still despite wanting to. The one whose handwriting doesn't reflect what they clearly understand. The one overwhelmed by noise. These are not behaviour problems. They may have a neuromotor explanation.

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Children start school without the physical foundations needed for academic learning
35–48%
Of children assessed in UK primary schools show elevated levels of retained primitive reflexes
75–85%
Of children performing below age-related expectations also show signs of neuromotor delay
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Understanding the method

What is a primitive reflex?

Every child is born with primitive reflexes — automatic movement responses that support survival and early development. Under typical conditions, they integrate in the first year of life, making way for voluntary movement and learning.

When they persist beyond infancy, they may place a quiet but significant load on the developing nervous system, interfering with the child's ability to focus, sit still, write, and process information.

What this looks like in school

Signs a teacher may notice

  • Difficulty sitting still or maintaining upright posture
  • Awkward pencil grip and inconsistent handwriting
  • Difficulty tracking text across a line or page
  • Poor concentration and easily distracted
  • Difficulty with coordination and physical education
  • Emotional sensitivity and difficulty managing transitions
  • Reading below expected level despite clear intelligence
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The INPP Schools Programme

Simple to implement.
Evidence-based throughout.

The INPP Developmental Movement Programme gives teachers a structured, practical tool to address neuromotor immaturity at a whole-class level — within the normal school day, with no specialist equipment.

01
One day of training
Attend the INPP One-Day Teachers Course. No neuroscience background required.
02
Screen your class
Use the INPP screening tool to assess neuromotor readiness. Around 15 minutes per child.
03
Ten minutes, every day
Lead a structured whole-class movement routine — fits naturally into morning registration.
04
Measure the difference
Re-screen at year end. Evidence consistently shows significant reductions in retained reflexes and gains in attainment.
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Case Study 1 · Controlled Study

North Eastern Education & Library Board, Northern Ireland

7 primary schools · 2003–2004 · 672 children assessed · control group included

48%
Of P2 children showed elevated retained primitive reflexes at the start of the study
Significant
Greater reduction in retained reflexes in programme group vs control, with gains in balance, coordination, and reading

Key finding

"Children with high levels of retained reflexes and a reading age below their chronological age who completed the programme made greater progress in reading than those who did not."

NEELB Report, 2004

This controlled study — among the most rigorous of its kind — established that neuromotor immaturity predicts poorer literacy outcomes, and that the INPP programme produces measurable improvement even in comparison with a control group receiving no intervention.

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Case Study 2 · Handwriting & Attainment

John Stainer Community School
What the data showed teachers.

100%
Of children below age-related expectations in reading also showed neuromotor immaturity scores of 30% or above
Direct
Link identified between retained grasp reflexes and handwriting difficulty — grip, letter formation, and writing stamina
Whole
Class programme adopted — reaching children who would never have been individually identified for specialist support

The school mapped neuromotor scores against National Curriculum attainment and found a clear pattern: the lower the attainment level, the higher the neuromotor immaturity score. The connection between retained grasp reflexes and handwriting difficulty became immediately visible to teachers.

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What your school can expect

The benefits are consistent
across every school setting.

Reading & Literacy
Retained reflexes disrupt eye tracking and text decoding. Multiple studies show measurable reading age gains over the programme year.
Handwriting
Grasp reflexes affect pencil grip and letter formation. Children often find writing less effortful as neuromotor maturity develops.
Concentration
When the nervous system is managing unintegrated reflexes, fewer resources are available for learning. As this resolves, focus improves.
Behaviour & Regulation
Neuromotor immaturity often presents as restlessness. Addressing the underlying cause leads to calmer, more settled classrooms.
Confidence
Children who have found school consistently difficult often carry anxiety about their abilities. As skills improve, confidence follows visibly.
Whole-Class Impact
Every child benefits, including those who might never be formally identified for support through existing SEN processes.
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Getting started

The One-Day
Teachers Course

Everything you need to implement the programme confidently — in one day. Suitable for teachers, SENCOs, teaching assistants, and educational psychologists.

Course fee
£250 + VAT
Training manual from Wiley (£68.95) required separately

What the day covers

Morning
Foundations of neuromotor development
Understanding primitive reflexes; identifying neuromotor immaturity in the classroom; training in the INPP Screening Test for children aged 4–7.
Afternoon
Practical application & programme delivery
Hands-on practice with INPP screening; group participation in the movement programme; guidance on delivering it in your classroom throughout the year.

Available at locations across the UK throughout the year. In-school training for groups also available.

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The evidence base

Fifty years of research.
A consistent finding.

Northern Ireland · 2004
672 children · 7 schools · controlled study · statistically significant reductions in retained reflexes and improvements in reading
Goddard Blythe · 2005
Child Care in Practice · peer-reviewed · summary of individual studies using the INPP Test Battery
Goddard Blythe et al. · 2021
Education 3-13 · peer-reviewed · neuromotor readiness for school · UK primary schools · start and end of Year 1
10+ UK School Reports
Atkinson Road · Brailsford · John Stainer · St John's Reading · Kingstanding · North Tyneside · Northumberland and more
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INPP UK · For Schools

Ready to find out more?
We would be glad to hear from you.

Pauline Shannon · National Principal · INPP UK info@inpp.uk  ·  www.inpp.uk/inppforschools
Full details, case studies, research and training dates on our website
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