Journal of Education and Training Studies Vol. 9, No. 3; March 2021 ISSN 2324-805X E-ISSN 2324-8068 Published by Redfame Publishing URL: http://jets.redfame.com 47 The Kick-Smart Program: A Randomised Feasibility Trial Evaluating the Feasibility and Efficacy of a Primary-School Based Martial Arts Program Integrating Mathematics, Physical Fitness and Well-Being Louis David Burt 1 , Nicholas Riley 1 , Robert John Parkes 2 , Narelle Eather 1 1 1 University of Newcastle (School of Education), Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Australia 2 University of Newcastle, Australia Correspondence: Louis David Burt, University of Newcastle (School of Education), Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Australia. Received: January 26, 2021 Accepted: February 25, 2021 Online Published: March 7, 2021 doi:10.11114/jets.v9i3.5142 URL: https://doi.org/10.11114/jets.v9i3.5142 Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the ‘Kick-Smart’ martial arts programme using a randomised controlled-trial conducted in one Australian primary school. Kick-Smart involved children 9-11yrs (n= 46) randomised into treatment or wait-list control conditions. Kick-Smart consisted of 2x60min curriculum sessions/week for 6-weeks during school hours. Positive feedback was received from students and teachers regarding program enjoyment, perceived benefits and future plans. Significant treatment effects favouring the Kick-Smart group for muscular fitness and mathematics achievement demonstrates preliminary efficacy. Findings indicate Kick-Smart is feasible for delivery in a primary school setting and effective for improving selected fitness and academic outcomes. Further evidence for the effectiveness of Kick-Smart via a larger randomised control trial is recommended. Keywords: education, physical activity, martial arts, mathematics, well-being, randomised-controlled trial 1. Introduction National physical activity guidelines recommend that children and adolescents engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous daily physical activity for achieving good health (Vetter, O'Connor, O'Dwyer, & Orr, 2018). Despite the well published and extensive physiological, psychological and cognitive benefits of physical activity, many children and adolescents worldwide do not acquire the minimum amount required to achieve health benefits (Joschtel et al., 2019) Physical inactivity has been linked to a large number of preventable health issues, including obesity, hypertension, metabolic disease, (Joschtel et al., 2019), and a range of mental health problems (Biddle, Ciaccioni, Thomas, & Vergeer, 2019; Hanrahan, Rynne, Beckman, & Rossi, 2019). In 2018, metabolic disease and/or childhood obesity was evident in approximately 26% of school-aged Australian children (Vetter et al., 2018). Recently there has been wide scale research investigating relationships between physical activity and cognitive functioning, and mental health in young people (Biddle et al., 2019), with evidence for causal relationships between cognitive function, academic performance, anxiety, and depression emerging (Biddle et al., 2019; Hanrahan et al., 2019). However, investigation into the links between physical activity and mental health issues remains a domain requiring greater documentation among varied populations and settings (Biddle et al., 2019). Concern over the overcrowding of school curriculums, due to increased demands on primary school teachers brought about by high stakes testing, has been a contributing factor to decreased student physical activity levels throughout the school day (Mavilidi, Lubans, Eather, Morgan, & Riley, 2018). This is concerning, as teachers in NSW, Australia are required to provide 150 minutes of structured physical activity throughout the school week, as per the NSW Schools physical activity policy (NSW Government, 2019). Similarly, in the United States, The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) also recommend that all elementary school students participate in “physical education” for a minimum of 150 minutes per week, and a minimum of 225 minutes for middle and high school students (Keener, Goodman, Lowry, Zaro, & Kettel Khan, 2009). It has been suggested that schools may be more willing to prioritise