Barriers to using yoga and mindfulness in the Key Stage 1 classroom: perspectives of educators working in faith and non-faith state schools across North East England

Benefits of yoga and mindfulness for school-age children are well documented, but the extent to which educators deliver such activities within schools is unknown. An online survey of teachers’ use of yoga/mindfulness in the Key Stage 1 (KS1) classroom was sent to all mainstream state infant, first,...

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Main Authors: Katie Wilkin, Claire Thornton, Georgia Allen-Baker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Cogent Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2445974
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author Katie Wilkin
Claire Thornton
Georgia Allen-Baker
author_facet Katie Wilkin
Claire Thornton
Georgia Allen-Baker
author_sort Katie Wilkin
collection DOAJ
description Benefits of yoga and mindfulness for school-age children are well documented, but the extent to which educators deliver such activities within schools is unknown. An online survey of teachers’ use of yoga/mindfulness in the Key Stage 1 (KS1) classroom was sent to all mainstream state infant, first, and primary schools in the North East Mayoral Combined Authority. Responses from 143 participants show that KS1 teachers in Faith (Catholic and Church of England) schools are equally likely to use classroom-based yoga/mindfulness as teachers in non-Faith schools (Fisher’s Exact Test, two-tailed p = 0.452). Also, teachers in Faith and non-Faith schools perceive similar barriers to delivering these activities. However, teachers aware of research into the benefits of yoga/mindfulness for school-age children identify fewer barriers (mean= 1.55, SD= 1.21) than those unaware of such research (mean= 2.02, SD= 1.05); t(111) = -0.219, p = 0.031 (two-tailed). This is the first study demonstrating that KS1 teachers in Faith and non-Faith state schools in North East England perceive similar barriers to delivering classroom-based yoga/mindfulness, and that these activities are taking place across the region with equal frequency within state Faith and non-Faith KS1 classrooms.
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spelling doaj-art-915b811d0d424ff9b6e10d4e8a797b0c2024-12-25T17:39:13ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Education2331-186X2025-12-0112110.1080/2331186X.2024.2445974Barriers to using yoga and mindfulness in the Key Stage 1 classroom: perspectives of educators working in faith and non-faith state schools across North East EnglandKatie Wilkin0Claire Thornton1Georgia Allen-Baker2Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UKFaculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UKFaculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UKBenefits of yoga and mindfulness for school-age children are well documented, but the extent to which educators deliver such activities within schools is unknown. An online survey of teachers’ use of yoga/mindfulness in the Key Stage 1 (KS1) classroom was sent to all mainstream state infant, first, and primary schools in the North East Mayoral Combined Authority. Responses from 143 participants show that KS1 teachers in Faith (Catholic and Church of England) schools are equally likely to use classroom-based yoga/mindfulness as teachers in non-Faith schools (Fisher’s Exact Test, two-tailed p = 0.452). Also, teachers in Faith and non-Faith schools perceive similar barriers to delivering these activities. However, teachers aware of research into the benefits of yoga/mindfulness for school-age children identify fewer barriers (mean= 1.55, SD= 1.21) than those unaware of such research (mean= 2.02, SD= 1.05); t(111) = -0.219, p = 0.031 (two-tailed). This is the first study demonstrating that KS1 teachers in Faith and non-Faith state schools in North East England perceive similar barriers to delivering classroom-based yoga/mindfulness, and that these activities are taking place across the region with equal frequency within state Faith and non-Faith KS1 classrooms.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2445974Yogamindfulnessprimary schoolbarriersfaithChildhood
spellingShingle Katie Wilkin
Claire Thornton
Georgia Allen-Baker
Barriers to using yoga and mindfulness in the Key Stage 1 classroom: perspectives of educators working in faith and non-faith state schools across North East England
Cogent Education
Yoga
mindfulness
primary school
barriers
faith
Childhood
title Barriers to using yoga and mindfulness in the Key Stage 1 classroom: perspectives of educators working in faith and non-faith state schools across North East England
title_full Barriers to using yoga and mindfulness in the Key Stage 1 classroom: perspectives of educators working in faith and non-faith state schools across North East England
title_fullStr Barriers to using yoga and mindfulness in the Key Stage 1 classroom: perspectives of educators working in faith and non-faith state schools across North East England
title_full_unstemmed Barriers to using yoga and mindfulness in the Key Stage 1 classroom: perspectives of educators working in faith and non-faith state schools across North East England
title_short Barriers to using yoga and mindfulness in the Key Stage 1 classroom: perspectives of educators working in faith and non-faith state schools across North East England
title_sort barriers to using yoga and mindfulness in the key stage 1 classroom perspectives of educators working in faith and non faith state schools across north east england
topic Yoga
mindfulness
primary school
barriers
faith
Childhood
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2445974
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