Background There is a lack of effective intervention strategies that promote physical activity (PA) in school children. Furthermore, there is a gap between PA intervention research and the delivery of programmes in practice. Evaluation studies seldom lead to adaptations in interventions that are subsequently evaluated by implementation on a wider scale. The stepwise development and study of JUMP-in aims to add knowledge to better understand how, when and for whom intervention effects (or lack of effects) occur.

This paper describes the stepwise development of JUMP-in, a Dutch school-based multi-level intervention programme, aimed at the promotion of PA behaviour in 6–12-year-old children. JUMP-in incorporates education, sports, care and policy components. JUMP-in consists of six programme components:

1. Pupil Follow-up Monitoring System;

2. School sports clubs;

3. In-class exercises with “The Class Moves!”;

4. Personal workbook “This is the way you move!”;

5. Parental Information Services;

6. Extra lessons in physical education, Motor Remedial

Teaching and extra care.

The process and effect outcomes of a pilot study were translated into an improved programme and intervention organisation, using the RE-AIM framework (Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance).

This paper presents the process and results of the application of this framework, which resulted in a widescale implementation of JUMP-in.

Results The application of the RE-AIM framework resulted in challenges and remedies for an improved JUMP-in intervention. The remedies required changes at three different levels: (1) the content of the programme components; (2) the organisation and programme management; and (3) the evaluation design.

Conclusions Considering factors that determine the impact of PA interventions in ‘real life’ is of great importance. The RE-AIM framework appeared to be a useful guide by which process and effect outcomes could be translated into an improved programme content and organisation.