Prof. Stuart Fairclough
Prof. Fairclough's first teaching post was as a secondary school Physical Education (PE) Teacher, after which he studied full-time to gain his Masters degree. He then attained a position as a Senior Lecturer in Physical Education at Liverpool Hope University from 1998 to 2001. In late 2001 Stuart began his career at Liverpool John Moores University again as a Senior Lecturer in Physical Education in the ECL Faculty teaching secondary school trainee physical educators. In 2005 he attained his PhD (‘Health-Enhancing Physical Activity during Secondary School Physical Education Lessons’) and a year later was conferred as a Reader in Physical Activity Education.
Qualifications
BEd (Hons) Secondary Physical Education, Class 1 (LJMU)
MSc Sports Science (Loughborough University)
PhD (LJMU)
BASES Accredited sports and exercise scientist (Researcher; multi-disciplinary)
ACSM Certified Health Fitness Specialist
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Research
Stuart is primarily interested in children’s physical activity and health, and in particular, school-based interventions. Within this area Stuart’s work focuses physical activity measurement and the role of all aspects of the school environment in developing physically active young people.
Recent project work has involved: establishing baseline physical activity, physical self-perceptions, and health data for Wigan primary school children (Wigan PEPASS Project); evaluating a teacher training and playground marking multi-skills intervention (Manchester Learning to Move, Moving to Learn Project); assessing the effects of an early years physical activity intervention (Active Play Project); implementing a middle school physical activity intervention programme (HAPPY study in Bedfordshire); and evaluating physical activity programmes for under 11’s (All-Ways Active Project).
In 2010 and 2011 Stuart has overseen the Children’s Health, Activity, and Nutrition: Get Educated! (CHANGE!) Project, which is a curriculum-integrated intervention based in Wigan to improve primary school children’s well-being through enhanced physical activity and eating behaviours. This work is led collaboratively with colleagues in ECL and the Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences. Other recent work includes an after-school club intervention combining active video games and multi-skills among low active and low fit high school children, and assessing physical activity and home environments of Liverpool adolescents and their parents.
Teaching
Stuart teaches and leads modules in safe and effective exercise, health-related physical activity, physical activity and fitness measurement, research methods, as well practical elements of the physical education curriculum.
Publications ‘in press’
1. Fairclough, S.J., Ridgers, N.D., and Welk, G.J. ‘Correlates of children’s moderate and vigorous physical activity during weekdays and weekends.’ Journal of Physical Activity and Health.
2. Fairclough, S.J., Boddy, L.M., Ridgers, N.D., and Stratton, G. ‘Weight status associations with physical activity intensity and physical self-perceptions in 10-11 year old children.’ Pediatric Exercise Science.
3. Boddy, L.M., Fairclough, S.J., Hackett, A.F., and Stratton, G. ‘Changes in cardiorespiratory fitness in 9-10.9yr old children controlling for maturation, deprivation and body mass index: SportsLinx 1998-2010.’ Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.
4. Roberts, S.J., Boddy, L.M., Fairclough, S.J., and Stratton, G. ‘Cardiorespiratory fitness and relative age affects in 10 to 12 year old children.’ Pediatric Exercise Science.
5. Roberts, S.J., Fairclough, S.J., Ridgers, N.D., and Porteous, C. ‘An observational assessment of physical activity levels and social behavior during elementary recess.’ Health Education Journal.
6. Roberts, S.J. and Fairclough, S.J. ‘The influence of relative age effect in the assessment of high school students in physical education in the United Kingdom.’ Journal of Teaching in Physical Education.
7. Roberts, S.J. and Fairclough, S.J. ‘Five-stage process for the development and validation of a systematic observation instrument: The System for Observing the Teaching of Games in Physical Education (SOTG-PE).’ European Physical Education Review.
Current publications
1. Fairclough, S.J., Boddy, L.M., Ridgers, N.D., Cumming, S.P., and Stratton, G. (2011) ‘Biological maturity and primary school children’s physical activity: Influence of different physical activity assessment instruments’. European Journal of Sport Science, 11(3): 241-248.
2. Hilland, T.A., Ridgers, N.D., Stratton, G., and Fairclough, S.J. (2011) ‘Associations between school physical education correlates and adolescent physical activity.’ Pediatric Exercise Science, 23: 61-71.
3. Ridgers, N.D. and Fairclough, S.J. (2011) ‘Assessing free-living physical activity using accelerometry: Practical issues for researchers and practitioners.’ European Journal of Sports Science, 11(3): 205-213.
4. Roberts, S.J. and Fairclough, S.J. (2011) ‘Observational analysis of student activity modes, lesson contexts and teacher interactions during games classes in high school physical education.’ European Physical Education Review. 17(2): 255-268.
5. Fairclough, S.J., Hilland, T.A., Vinson, D., and Stratton, G. (2010) ‘The Physical Education and School Sport Environment Inventory. Preliminary validity and reliability.’ Environment and Behavior. doi: 10.1177/0013916510388495.
6. Mersh, R. and Fairclough, S.J. (2010) ‘Physical activity, lesson context, and teacher behaviours within the revised English National Curriculum for Physical Education: A case study of one school.’ European Physical Education Review, 16(1): 29-45.
7. Fairclough, S.J. and Ridgers, N.D. (2010) ‘Relations between maturity status, physical activity, and physical self-perceptions in primary school children.’ Journal of Sports Sciences, 28 (1): 1-9.
8. Ridgers, N.D., Fairclough, S.J., and Stratton, G. (2010) ‘What variables are associated with children's physical activity levels during recess? The A-CLASS Project.’ International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 7: 74.
9. Ridgers, N.D., Fairclough, S.J., and Stratton, G. (2010) ‘12-Month Effects of a Playground Intervention on Children’s Morning and Lunchtime Recess Physical Activity Levels.’ Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 7: 167-175.
10. Roberts, S.J. and Fairclough, S.J. (2010) ‘Students’ and tutors’ experiences of Sport Education within an ITE PE programme.’ Physical Education Matters. 5(1): 21-27.
11. Hilland, T.A., Stratton, G., Vinson, D., and Fairclough, S.J (2009) ‘The Physical Education Predisposition Scale: Preliminary development and validation.’ Journal of Sports Sciences, 27 (14): 1555-1563.
12. Fairclough, S.J., Boddy, L.M., Hackett, A.F, and Stratton, G. (2009) ‘Associations between children’s socio-economic status, weight status, and sex with screen-based sedentary behaviours and sport participation.’ International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, 1-7: DOI: 10.1080/17477160902811215.
13. Fairclough, S.J. (2009) ‘Combining Research Informed Teaching and external research projects to produce high quality outputs: The Wigan PEPASS Physical Activity Project.’ Innovations in Practice, 3: 71-83.
14. Fairclough, S.J., Butcher, Z.H., and Stratton, G. (2008) ‘Primary school children’s health-enhancing physical activity patterns: The school as a significant environment?’ Education 3-13, 36 (4): 371-381.
15. Fairclough, S.J., Stratton, G., and Butcher, Z.H. (2008) ‘Promoting health-related exercise in schools: A pilot evaluation of the BASH initiative.’ Health Education Research, 23(3): 576-581.
16. Martin, S. and Fairclough, S.J. (2008) ‘Dance as a health-enhancing physical activity: The effect of an extra-curricular teaching intervention.’ Physical Education Matters, 3(1): 37-41.
