To inform the P-S WELLS project we have conducted extensive research with children, and significant others within their ecosystem (e.g., parents/guardians and teachers) using both qualitative and quantitative approaches, to obtain their first-hand insights into their perceptions and experiences of primary-secondary school transitions and how this period can be improved. In addition, we have obtained insights into the design and implementation needs of P-S WELLS through intervention research.
From project inception we have been working in close consultation with experts by experience (e.g. children, educational practitioners, and policy makers) and experts by knowledge (e.g., researchers with empirical, theoretical, methodological and policy expertise), through a young person advisory group and adult advisory group. Our advisory groups, play a fundamental role in keeping the project informed of current practice, issues, and legislation, to ensure that research and community expectations are aligned throughout our project.
Young person advisory group:
P-S WELLS will also be co-produced with children to draw on their valuable lived-experience and needs. This will ensure P-S WELLS is (a) accessible (language and format), (b) sensitive and has a positive discourse, so it is motivating for children to complete and does not give a negative message about secondary school, and (c) contextually relevant to children’s experience, environments, and conceptualisations of emotional wellbeing in the context of primary-secondary school transitions. To do this, we have formed an advisory group of eight Year 6 (P7) and Year 7 (S1) children, whom are about to or just moved to secondary school, which is supported by Liz Stevenson. We will meet the group quarterly over the three-year project, and in addition, two young people’s research consultation sessions will be held for 12 Year 6 (P7 in Scotland) and Year 7 (S1 in Scotland) children. In the young people research consultation days children will work in small groups to discuss the findings, decide on the key points that should be disseminated and to whom. Dissemination materials will also be co-produced using creative techniques, including comic. See examples here.
Adult advisory group:
We have formed an adult advisory group, consisting of experts within practice (e.g. educational and counselling psychologists, educational practitioners), research (e.g. expertise in transitions, emotional wellbeing and mental health, psychometrics, longitudinal data analysis) and policy (e.g. nationally, local authority partnership, policy influencers and NGOs), whom we have listed below.
Expertise from practice:
Mr Paul Spreadbury - Executive School Improvement Officer for Manor Hall Academy Trust - 20 years’ experience of leadership in Cicely Haughton Residential Special School (4-11); School Improvement Lead for a 16 special school Trust, comprising Early Years, Primary, Secondary, 6th Form, Residential and Pupil Referral Units.
Dr Chris Fielding - Academy Lead of an Alternative Provision (AP) primary academy - Academy Lead of Forward's Centre (AP academy for pupils with SEMH needs); Doctor of Education interested in inclusive practice for excluded children.
Mrs Marie Beale - Deputy Head Teacher - Deputy Head Teacher at Whitefield Primary School; funded by the SHINE Trust to co-design and evaluate with Dr Charlotte Bagnall an emotional regulation programme to improve outcomes over primary-secondary school transitions.
Miss Zahra Alijah - Lecturer on the Secondary PGCE (University of Manchester) - Expertise in secondary initial teacher training, supporting marginalised children and young people, curriculum development.
Dr Stephen Rayner - Senior Lecturer; Deputy Head of the Manchester Institute of Education; School Governor - Experience as a teacher, senior leader and education adviser, working in and with schools in the West Midlands; school governor of eight schools over a period of more than 30 years; currently Chair of Governors.
Mrs Liz Birchinall - Reader in Education and Programme Director of the Primary PGCE (University of Manchester) - Over 20 years teaching experience in both the secondary and primary sector, graded 'outstanding' on two occasions by Ofsted. Expertise in teacher and student wellbeing, stress, mindfulness, resilience and coping, and school transition.
Research expertise:
Dr Jenny Symonds - Professor of Human Development and Director of Cohort and Longitudinal Studies Enhancement Resources (CLOSER) at University College London - Expertise in national cohort studies, educational transitions, emotional wellbeing and mental health, psychometrics and longitudinal data analysis.
Dr Terry Hanley - Professor of Counselling Psychology (University of Manchester) - Expertise in translating research findings into impactful outcomes within educational settings and the wider community; expertise in measure development, applied educational psychology, counselling within educational settings to improve children's emotional wellbeing and mental health.
Dr James Birchwood - Practising Educational Psychologist and Academic and Professional Tutor on the Educational Psychology doctoral training course (University of Birmingham) - Expertise in researching and supporting as an EP school transitions and children's emotional wellbeing.
Dr Louise Black - Research Fellow (University of Manchester) - Expertise: adolescent mental health, psychometrics, statistical analysis.
Dr Elizabeth (Beth) Hannah - Reader in Educational Psychology (University of Dundee) - Experience of undertaking research in educational transitions (nursery-primary, primary-secondary and secondary-postschool) and of research with a focus on children’s mental health and well-being.
Nick Garnett - Principal Lecturer in Psychology in the Department of Psychology (Nottingham Trent University) - Research interests include, intervention evaluation; psychometric instrument development, and statistics.
Policy, local authority partnership:
Dr Craig Skerritt - Lecturer in Educational Policy - Dr Skerrit is a critical education policy scholar researching policy processes in education. He also convenes the British Educational Research Association’s Educational Research and Educational Policy-Making special interest group.
Dr. Laura-Ann Currie - HM Inspector at Education Scotland; Head of Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities - Trained as an educational psychologist and worked as a Depute Principal Psychologist in North Lanarkshire Council and Principal Psychologist in West Lothian Council. Moved to her Majesty’s Inspector of Education, before assuming Lead Inspector for Educational Psychology Services and Education Authorities. Currently working in National Directorate in Education Scotland with responsibility for inclusion, wellbeing and equalities. Board member of the European Agency for Special needs and Inclusive Education.
Ms Rukshana Kapasi - Director of Health, Barnardo's - Social Impact & Health Equity Advocate; Transformational Systems Change Facilitator; NHS Non-Executive Director.
Miss Becky Rice - Policy Manager Barnardo's - Policy Manager specialising in mental health and wellbeing; expertise in health research, policy and project management.
Miss Hannah Butler - Education Advisor (Sandwell School Improvement Services) - Responsible for primary to secondary transition across the Sandwell borough, with a particular focus on well-being, curriculum, personalised interventions and professional development.