Q&A

Corefulness is a series of simple and practical video-based exercise programmes which mature essential movement skills in children, helping to break down barriers to learning, optimise potential and fulfil learning goals. It has been designed to improve children’s readiness to learn and is a programme to assist teachers and benefit all their pupils.

The Corefulness® Nursery programme consists of:

1. Corefulness® Classroom: Children watch and follow short videos of exercises which last 4 minutes. These videos are watched twice a day, five days a week.
2. Corefulness® Big Moves: Children watch and follow short videos of exercises which last 5 minutes. These videos are watched three times a week.

The Corefulness® Primary school programme consists of:

• Corefulness® Classroom: Children watch and follow short videos of exercises which last 4 minutes. These videos are watched twice a day, five days a week.
• Corefulness® Big Moves: Children watch and follow short videos of exercises which last 5 minutes. These videos are watched three times a week.
• Corefulness®  PE warm-up exercises: videos of the exercises are available for teachers to watch and learn correct technique, a quick reference list is provided and the teachers will then teach the children the warmup exercises at the start of their PE or games session.
• Corefulness® Running: teachers watch the videos and teach the children correct running style to maximise speed and efficiency and minimise injury. 

• There is a staff induction video on the Nursery and Primary School programme page.
• There is no introductory video for nursery, Yr R or KS1 children.
• There is an important introductory video for KS2. Children should watch the video 3 times before starting the classroom programme to Iearn about important core stability muscles. 

• Corefulness® Classroom: the programmes are about 4 minutes long and are repeated twice a day
• Corefulness® Big Moves: the programme is 5 minutes long and is followed 3 times a week
• Corefulness® PE warm-up: this will take about 6-7 minutes and is taught at the beginning of the PE lesson
• Corefulness® Running: is taught in phases during the games lesson 

• Corefulness® Classroom: followed twice a day, before morning lessons commence and before the lesson after lunch 
• Corefulness® Big Moves: followed 3 times a week and progressed each term
• Corefulness® PE warm-up: followed before each PE/games session.
• Corefulness® Running: followed in games lessons when the focus is on running 

No, there are specific exercises for each year group which progress through the years.

Yes, the programme is inclusive to all children and they follow the programme as a class.

Yes.  All the exercises are pre-recorded.  Children follow a child performing each exercise.

Yes, there is an example exercise shown before each exercise set begins, allowing children to watch and prepare.

Yes. The exercises are demonstrated as a mirror image, so it easier for the children to follow.

Each child needs to be able to stand with their feet wide and arms outstretched and not touch another child.

Chairs are not needed for the Corefulness® Nursery programme. Chairs are required for a few of the Corefulness® Primary School programme exercises. These exercises are always at the end of the routine and there is a pause when children are informed they need their chairs.

Nursery, Reception and KS1 follow the same exercises each week. Key Stage 2 follow a two-week rolling exercise programme.

• Corefulness® Classroom: the exercises are video based and children follow the exercises in the classroom in real time.
• Corefulness® Big Moves: children either follow the videos or the exercises can be teacher led. 
• Corefulness® PE warm-up: children either follow the videos or the exercises can be teacher led.
• Corefulness® Running: children can watch the video and then practice the running techniques being teacher led

The programme comprises exercises which move the body, stretch and strengthen. They improve balance, coordination, core stability, cross-midline activities, finger dexterity and hand eye co-ordination to improve movement skills, engage the brain and mature primitive reflexes.

A reflex is an action that is performed without conscious thought as a response to a stimulation.

We are all born with baby reflexes in our bodies called Primitive reflexes. They help a baby to feed, move and survive. They should remain active for the first 6-12 months of life and then be integrated (matured), to be replaced by postural reflexes which control balance, coordination and sensory motor development.

Due to the complexity of the developmental process in babies, sometimes a block in the nerve pathway occurs and primitive reflexes are retained (held onto).

Children can retain either none, one or many primitive reflexes to varying degrees.

Most adults and children could have a vestige of one or more primitive reflexes and might never know.

Retention of primitive reflexes can lead to immature movement skills, poor coordination, poor balance, poor eye control and poor control of their emotions.

Each primitive reflex is related to specific infantile movement patterns. If the body is taken through the specific patterns, then retained reflexes can be integrated and normal postural reflexes can mature.

The Corefulness® programme integrates specific age-related movement patterns which stimulate the nervous system and retrain muscle groups and neural connections.

The exercises include balance, stretching and strengthening and specific movement patterns to encourage brain activation and integration of primitive reflexes.

Core Stability muscles are muscles in our bodies which are located close to our skeleton and provide stability for the joints.

There are four key core stability muscles in our bodies which link the knee to the hip, the hip to the pelvis, the pelvis to the spine and the spine to our arms.
If stability muscles are strong then our movement muscles can work efficiently to move us.

Even children who are functioning at a very high physical level can have evidence of retained primitive reflexes.

Retained primitive reflexes can affect the strength and tracking of eyes leading to focus and convergence problems. Performing eye exercises can strengthen the eye muscles and help with these issues.

Children who lack fine motor control can enhance their finger dexterity by following hand exercises.

Hand exercises also activate the right and left sides of the brain to work together, which can improve coordination.

Corefulness Big Moves enable children to practise movement patterns which imitate the movements of an infant during development. This helps neural pathways to unblock, allowing retained reflexes to be matured. 

Research shows that at least 80% of children may have one or more primitive reflexes retained to a certain degree. These might never be detected but can have a significant impact on children and lead to unnecessary compensations and barriers to learning.

The PE warm-up exercises focus on core stability, flexibility, balance and strength using movement patterns to co-ordinate muscle activation within specific muscle groups. 

It is vital that children are warmed up correctly for P.E and games sessions to maximise correct muscle activity and minimise injury.

All children will benefit from age related P.E warm-up sessions. Where there are no dedicated sports staff, the warm-up sessions provide a valuable, targeted syllabus to follow.

The exercises are chosen specifically to facilitate muscles to work together, enhance flexibility, promote stability and balance.

There are three warm-up routines called The Evolve. These focus on stretching muscles which will be put under tension during running and other activities. Specific exercises are followed to enhance strength and core stability by activating muscles which support the body in preparation for sport. 

Yes, you need a Wi-Fi connection to access the videos.

• The best way to inform parents about the Corefulness® programme is to send them a link to the Corefulness home page which has videos explaining the programme.
• Parents can follow Corefulness® on Instagram or Facebook
• Or send them a link to these questions and answers.