What is our mission?
P-S WELLS is being created because we believe that primary-secondary school transitions are one of the most important experiences in children’s lives. Experiencing a positive transition, where children’s short and long-term emotional wellbeing, is at the forefront of provision, is paramount and just as important as their academic and social adaptation.
To do this we are drawing on a multi-disciplinary panel of experts by experience (e.g. children, educational practitioners, policy makers) as well as by knowledge (e.g., researchers with empirical, theoretical, methodological and policy expertise), to design and validate the first scale to measure children’s emotional wellbeing in the context of primary-secondary school transitions.
P-S WELLS will enable researchers and practitioners to identify (a) which aspects of primary-secondary school transitions children are excited about, as well as concerned about, (b) who might be particularly vulnerable during this time and (c) what universal and targeted support could be useful. This accessible scale and scoring manual will benefit several local authorities, hundreds of schools and thousands of children nationally and internationally. In line with this, our mission is to see P-S WELLS being used, alongside an emotional-centred primary-secondary school transitions curriculum, nationally and internationally by 2030.
Why is emotional wellbeing important during primary-secondary school transitions?
The number of children experiencing poor emotional wellbeing that can lead to clinically significant mental health conditions in the long term, is increasing rapidly. Primary-secondary school transitions are recognised as a critical developmental period, often presented as a turning point in establishing the foundations for nurturing long-term positive emotional wellbeing and mental health, and, therefore, a key entry point for early-intervention emotional wellbeing support. This has been recognised by key stakeholders involved in supporting children during this time (e.g. parents/guardians, teachers) and public policy. The importance of supporting children’s emotional wellbeing over primary-secondary school transitions has been further intensified by the international outbreak of COVID-19. Therefore, to better understand the impacts of primary-secondary school transitions on mental health, it is important to look at longitudinal changes in emotional wellbeing, which the P-S WELLS project aims to do.
What progress have we made so far?
In October 2023, we received just under £350,000 funding, to design and validate P-S WELLS, which will last until October 2026.
Since project inception we have been and are working with eight local authorities nationally, as shown on the map.
As we move through our data collection phases (see our Timeline page), our participant numbers are growing, as we are keen to work with as many children, schools and local authorities as possible!
Our emerging findings from Phase 1 of our project, have, and are, inspiring support from young people, schools, local authorities, NGOs, and local government (find out more on our online resources page) to get involved in the P-S WELLS project.