05/04/2026
Many children are trying their absolute best at school, but it can still feel harder than it should.
Sometimes the reason isn’t obvious.
A large study of primary school children in Northern Ireland found that over a third of P5 children and almost half of P2 children had retained primitive reflexes. These are early movement patterns that should usually integrate in infancy, but can sometimes remain active.
If reflexes are still present, children may have to work harder to sit still, focus, coordinate their movements or process information. That extra effort can make reading, writing and concentrating far more tiring than we realise.
In the same study, children who followed the INPP daily movement programme showed clear improvements in balance, coordination and cognitive development – all important foundations for learning.
For parents, this is reassuring. Struggles at school are not always about effort, behaviour or intelligence. Sometimes they are linked to physical development that simply needs support.
Research by Brainbox Research Ltd, Northern Ireland
INPP programme referenced by INPP
