Changes in Selected Physical Fitness Parameters during a 12-Week Curriculum-Based Physical Education and Sports Intervention in Fifth-Grade Students

The present study examined changes in selected physical fitness parameters among fifth-grade students during a 12-week Physical Education and Sports intervention based on selected content from the Türkiye Century Maarif Model (TYMM) curriculum. A single-group pre-test–post-test pre-experimental design was employed. The study included 62 fifth-grade students (23 females and 39 males) enrolled at Batumi Turkish School in Georgia during the 2025–2026 academic year. Students’ physical fitness was assessed using selected tests from the EUROFIT battery, including sit-and-reach, flamingo balance, plate tapping, bent-arm hang, sit-up, standing long jump, push-up, and 10 × 5 m sprint. Pre-test and post-test scores were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Holm correction was applied to control for multiple comparisons. Gender differences in change scores were examined using the Mann–Whitney U test. Significant pre-test–post-test differences were observed in sit-up, standing long jump, sprint, push-up, and plate-tapping performance. No significant differences were found in right or left sit-and-reach, flamingo balance, or bent-arm hang performance. Height and body weight differed significantly between measurement occasions, whereas BMI did not. No statistically significant gender differences were identified in change scores across the assessed EUROFIT performance measures. Overall, the findings showed that changes during the 12-week implementation period were concentrated in selected components of physical fitness, particularly muscular endurance, explosive strength, speed, upper-body performance, and coordination. These findings provide preliminary evidence regarding physical fitness changes observed during a 12-week Physical Education and Sports intervention based on selected content from the fifth-grade TYMM curriculum.