She is an internationally recognised researcher working at the intersection of children’s health, education, physical activity and wellbeing. Her research explores how movement, physical activity, physical development, nutrition and wider social and environmental factors shape children’s health, wellbeing, learning and life opportunities, with a particular focus on reducing inequalities and improving outcomes for underserved communities.
Her work is underpinned by the belief that movement is not an end in itself, but a powerful pathway and mechanism through which children experience health, wellbeing, belonging, learning and opportunity. This perspective has shaped an interdisciplinary programme of research that bridges education, public health and healthcare, generating evidence to inform policy, practice and systems change.
Kristy’s work is characterised by a commitment to translating evidence into action. She brings together partners from education, healthcare, policy and community settings to address complex challenges affecting children’s health and wellbeing. Her research spans early childhood, schools, healthcare and community environments, employing mixed-method, longitudinal and translational approaches to generate evidence that can inform policy, practice and systems change.
She has published more than 180 research outputs, including the widely used textbook Mastering Primary Physical Education, and her work has been cited in over 40 national and international policy reports. Her research has informed curriculum frameworks, inspection processes, professional guidance and policy discussions across education and health, including contributions to Department for Education guidance, Ofsted publications, the Association for Physical Education (AfPE), UK Parliamentary inquiries, APPG discussions and the UK Parliament POSTnote on Children’s Wellbeing in Schools.
Kristy is recognised for developing civic and place-based research partnerships that connect universities, NHS Trusts, local authorities, schools and community organisations to address health inequalities and improve opportunities for children and families. Her current programmes of work focus on children's physical activity, nutrition, inclusion, wellbeing, climate resilience, health equity and preventative approaches to health and wellbeing. Through these partnerships, she has led the co-development and evaluation of interventions designed to improve health outcomes, strengthen community capacity and support sustainable systems change.
Alongside her research leadership, Kristy is committed to developing future researchers and professionals. She supervises doctoral, master's, and medical student researchers and supports early-career academics through international mentoring, collaborative research projects and research leadership initiatives. She has previously served on REF and KEF steering committees at Canterbury Christ Church University and is Deputy Chair of the Faculty Research Ethics Committee.
Across her research, leadership and advocacy activities, Kristy’s overarching goal is to ensure that evidence informs policy and practice, and that every child, regardless of background, ability or circumstance, has the opportunity to move, learn, develop, thrive and experience the highest possible levels of health and wellbeing throughout childhood.