Exploring Associations Between Motor Competence, Executive Function, and Academic Attainment in Children in England

Gilmour, Ayva-Mae and MacDonald, Mhairi J. and Clifford, Lauren and Fairclough, Stuart J. and Banks, Jordan and Edwards, Peter and Tyler, Richard (2025) Exploring Associations Between Motor Competence, Executive Function, and Academic Attainment in Children in England. Journal of Motor Learning and Development. ISSN 2325-3193

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Abstract

Motor competence supports physical, emotional, and mental health but its cognitive impact is understated. Motor–cognitive links remain underexplored, and motor competence’s role in academic attainment, including executive functions’ mediating influence, is limited. This research aimed to (a) investigate associations between motor competence and executive functions in 8–9-year-old children in England and (b) examine whether greater motor competence has a positive impact on executive function and academic attainment. Two hundred and forty-seven children (51.4% girls, age: 8.7 ± .4 years, 77.7% white British, 5 ± 3.1 deprivation decile, 73.3% healthy weight) across Pennine Lancashire completed a motor competence circuit and executive function tests. Attainment across reading, writing, and mathematics assessed academic attainment. Direct effects were found between motor competence and executive function (β = −2.55, 95% CI [−4.87, −0.24]), motor competence and academic attainment (β = 0.57, 95% CI [0.16, 0.98]), and executive function and academic attainment (β = -0.13, 95% CI [−0.24, −0.02]). Executive function mediated the indirect motor competence-academic attainment association (β = 0.20, p = .01). Multigroup analyses found a significant deprivation group effect ( p = .03). The motor–cognitive phenomenon is complex, requiring future research. The findings show that motor and cognitive skills intertwine to support academic achievement. Therefore, educational approaches that integrate these skills may improve attainment.