Longitudinal Validation of EIP-Move for Assessing the Educational and Inclusive Potential of Physical Education and Sports Programs in Primary Schools

In recent years, primary school physical education and sports have been acknowledged as crucial for children’s comprehensive development and skill enhancement. Consequently, there is a demand for validated instruments to evaluate both intervention outcomes and their educational quality and inclusivity. This study aimed to create and validate EIP-Move (Educational and Inclusive Potential of Motor Programmes), a standardized instrument designed to assess the pedagogical, inclusive, relational, and equitable potential of physical education and sports initiatives. The research employed a longitudinal framework comprising multiple phases (theoretical construction, pilot study, psychometric validation, and longitudinal validation), founded on a conceptual model with four dimensions: pedagogical quality, inclusion and participation, relational climate and safety, and equity and valorization of differences. Psychometric analyses validated the robustness of the four-factor model, demonstrating strong reliability, validity, and measurement invariance across gender, context, and the presence of special educational needs, along with sensitivity to change and predictive validity with respect to subsequent programme-level outcomes, including students’ active participation, relational climate quality, psychological safety, and programme continuity over time, assessed across a 12-month longitudinal framework. In summary, EIP-Move emerges as a valid and reliable instrument, beneficial for both research and professional application, thereby significantly aiding the formative evaluation of motor programmes and fostering a culture of quality and inclusion in primary education.