Wednesday 21 January 2026, 16:00–17:30, Zoom

Across all settings, behaviour remains a topic that consistently tests educators’ resilience and creativity. Low-level disruption, emotional regulation, disengagement, and the growing pressures on learner wellbeing have all been widely reported.

In Professionally Speaking 2026, we will be joined by Professor Kelly Mackintosh of Swansea University who will explore this pressing challenge and the potential role physical activity can play in supporting positive behaviour and wellbeing.

Professor Mackintosh, an expert in physical activity for health, will:

• explore the evidence linking physical activity to improved behaviour and emotional regulation
• share practical examples of how registrants can embed movement into the day
• offer new ideas to create calmer, more inclusive, and engaging learning environments

Following the keynote presentation, attendees will also have the opportunity to share their own experiences, and put questions directly to Professor Mackintosh in a live Q&A.

Whether you work directly with learners and young people, or in a supporting or policy role, this session will provide valuable perspectives on how physical activity can contribute to positive behaviour and wellbeing across all education settings.

It promises to be an engaging and thought-provoking discussion that blends research insight with practical, real-world relevance. So don’t miss out, secure your free ticket now.

More about the speaker

Professor Kelly Mackintosh is an expert in children’s physical activity for health, with a particular focus on how schools can help young people build active, healthy habits for life.

Based at Swansea University, her research explores how physical activity can influence behaviour, well-being, and learning, and how simple, evidence-based changes within education settings can make a lasting difference.

Professor Mackintosh has led and contributed to a range of innovative projects, including the Children’s Health, Activity, and Nutrition: Get Educated! (CHANGE!) Project, which aimed to improve primary school children’s well-being through better physical activity and eating behaviours. Her work has also explored creative approaches to engaging learners, from after-school interventions that combine active video games with multi-skills training, to high-intensity, military-ethos programmes designed to boost motivation and confidence.

Working collaboratively across disciplines, she has partnered with computer scientists, engineers, and healthcare professionals to develop new ways of encouraging movement, including social goal-sharing technologies in a project entitled ‘Mission Possible’ and physical activity-based interventions supporting young people with long-term health conditions such as cystic fibrosis and asthma.

Professor Mackintosh has won several awards and is recognised internationally for her contributions to physical activity research, evidenced as a top 1% researcher in her area.

Her ongoing research continues to highlight the crucial role of physical activity not just in improving health, but in supporting behaviour, focus, and overall well-being among children and young people.