Sharing Student Projects

This dissertation explores how education practitioners use intensive interaction to support nonspeaking children in specialist school settings. Nonspeaking children often face significant barriers in education, particularly when traditional models of teaching and assessment prioritise formal means of communication and academic outcomes. Intensive interaction offers an alternative approach, focusing on early social communication through nonverbal, relational interactions that follow the child’s lead. The aim of the research was to understand how and why practitioners implement intensive interaction, the challenges they encounter, and the impact they believe intensive interaction has in supporting nonspeaking children. The research involved five education practitioners working in specialist settings in the UK. All participants had experience using intensive interaction as part of their daily practice with children who do not use spoken language to communicate. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect in-depth data about their experiences and perspectives. The data were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, which allowed for the development of rich, interpretive themes. Four main themes were identified: 1. Following Children’s Lead: The Art of Attuned Interaction- Practitioners described intensive interaction as a responsive, child-led process grounded in close observation and emotional attunement. 2. Relational Foundations for Communication and Learning- intensive interaction was seen as essential for building trust, emotional connection, and the foundations for further learning. 3. Supportive Ethos and Practice Normalise Vulnerability and Promote Professional Development- The success of intensive interaction depended on school cultures that valued relational work and provided staff with the support, confidence, and emotional safety needed to engage deeply in child-led, attuned practice. 4. Reframing the Meaning of Progress- Practitioners challenged traditional, target-driven models of assessment by advocating for a more personalised understanding of progress, grounded in trust, connection, and relational responsiveness. The findings align with existing research that supports relational approaches in special education. However, this study adds a deeper understanding of how intensive interaction is experienced from the practitioner’s perspective and highlights the emotional and ethical dimensions of working in this way. Practitioners described intensive interaction not just as a technique, but as a way of being with the child, one that centres dignity, presence, and mutual respect. The dissertation concludes by recommending: Greater recognition of nonverbal communication in assessment frameworks and educational planning. Systemic support for relational approaches like intensive interaction through leadership, training, and school culture. The inclusion of practitioner expertise in multidisciplinary discussions about nonspeaking children’s progress and support. Overall, this study positions intensive interaction as more than just a communication approach, but as a relational and ethical practice that affirms the agency, dignity, and communicative identity of nonspeaking children.

This research has potential benefits for a wide range of stakeholders involved in the education and care of nonspeaking children. Teachers and education practitioners may benefit by gaining deeper insight into the value of intensive interaction as a valid and meaningful way to support communication. The findings reinforce the importance of trusting relational intuition, observing carefully, and valuing small but significant moments of connection. For practitioners already using intensive interaction, the research may validate their approach and offer language to articulate its impact more clearly. School leaders and policymakers may be encouraged to consider how current assessment systems and performance frameworks could be expanded to include relational and affective dimensions of progress. The study suggests that meaningful outcomes, such as trust, shared attention, and emotional well-being, should be actively recognised and supported. Families and parents may also benefit from understanding how nonspeaking children are engaging and communicating in ways that go beyond speech or structured systems like PECS. For parents who feel uncertain about less visible forms of progress, this research can offer reassurance that relational connection is a vital and legitimate part of their child’s development. Ultimately, this study contributes to broader cultural and educational conversations around inclusion, neurodiversity, and the rights of nonspeaking children who are educated in specialist settings. It supports a shift away from deficit-based models of communication and towards neuroaffirmative, child-centred approaches. These findings could influence training for new teachers, guide the development of inclusive policy, and support advocacy for more flexible, person-centred educational practices.

This project aimed to explore whether there are relationships between the information that mainstream secondary schools produce about their cultures and values in their ethos statements, and the choices that parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) make when choosing secondary schools for their child. To explore this relationship, parents of upper primary aged children (ages 8-10) with SEND were recruited from a range of English regions. 36 participants were ultimately recruited to the study. Participants completed an online survey which required them to rate ethos statements for five English mainstream secondary schools, based on their individual impressions of their inclusiveness for learners with SEND. Participants were also required to rate their likelihood of selecting that school based on this information. Participants provided their ratings for these using a five-point scale and were also given the opportunity to provide text responses to detail the reasons for their ratings. The existing research literature exploring factors influencing school choices of parents of children with SEND is relatively sparse. Many of these studies originate from outside of the United Kingdom, and although relevant, they do not account for factors unique to the context in England. Most studies have used research methods focused on descriptions and observations and have not collected numeric data which would allow analysis of the relationships between influencing factors and parents’ choices. Existing studies have also lacked a theoretical framework to interpret findings. This study collected numeric data which allowed statistical analysis techniques to be used to explore the relationships between parents’ ethos ratings and their likelihood of choosing specific schools. Findings were framed in the context of Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006), which explores the development and behaviour of individuals in the context of how they encounter, and are influenced by, different systems throughout their lives. The results of the study showed that parental ratings of ethos statements strongly predicted their likelihood of choosing a school. These findings are supported by previous studies which have shown that parents of children with SEND consider factors such as ethos, values, and culture when choosing schools for their children, although the relationship between these factors and their eventual choices were not tested in these prior studies. Evidence from this study indicates that parental views on the inclusiveness of secondary school ethos statements are significant factors in the decisions they make about school choices for children with SEND. To the best of the researcher’s knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate this relationship statistically. Findings have implications for inclusion policy at the school and national levels, and for parents of children with SEND.

The results of this study have implications for inclusion policy in England. Political bodies have highlighted concerns about lack of equitability in SEND provision (House of Commons Education Committee, 2019; OFSTED, 2021), and the Department for Education have expressed concerns about disparities in schools’ inclusive practices (Booth, 2024), and are considering review and reform of national SEND policy more widely (ITV News, 2024; Phillipson, 2024; Weale, 2024). The findings of this study show that through their ethos statements, schools communicate different messages about their culture and values regarding their inclusivity of pupils with SEND. This has an impact upon the school choices of parents of children with SEND, and may further reinforce disparities in inclusive practice and inequitable variations in SEND populations within individual schools. This has psychological, moral, financial, and policy implications at several levels and has consequences for a range of stakeholders, including national government, local authorities, school leaders, teaching and support staff, parents, and children. The current focus on review of SEND policy, funding, and provision would benefit from considering how historic reforms to education policy have interacted with SEND policy, creating tension between the standards and inclusion agendas which has resulted in the inequities observed in mainstream schools under the current SEND system. Placing inclusion and SEND within the remit of the Schools Minister (Whittaker, 2024) is an encouraging first step towards beginning to acknowledge this tension between SEND policy and wider school and education systems. The results of this study show that not all schools portray themselves to be equally inclusive, and that their culture and ethos can appear off-putting and exclusionary to parents of children with SEND. If the current SEND crisis is to be resolved, it will be necessary to consider such factors to improve the inclusiveness of school offers and perhaps more crucially, in improving the lived experiences of SEND families.

What was this research about? Imagine being a student in a new country, trying to work on a group project using an online board called Padlet. You’re still building your confidence in English, and you’re unsure how your ideas will be received by your classmates. This research project focused on understanding the real experiences of Chinese students in UK universities who find themselves in exactly this situation. I wanted to know what using a tool like Padlet feels like for them, what makes it easier or harder to participate, and what strategies they use to cope with the challenges of cross-cultural group work. What did I do? I spoke in depth with six Chinese postgraduate students from different UK universities who had used Padlet for graded group work. I asked them about their experiences, their feelings, and the reasons behind their choices. For example, why they might choose to post anonymously or why they might first discuss ideas in a private WeChat group with other Chinese classmates before posting a final version on Padlet. What did I find out? The study found that students are very strategic in how they use digital tools to protect themselves and succeed. They often use the anonymous posting feature to share ideas without the fear of being judged on their language skills. While this helps them get involved, it can also mean their contributions are kept brief and simple. A major challenge is the mental effort needed to translate complex, subject-specific terms from Chinese to English. This cognitive load often interrupts their creative flow and leads them to avoid using nuanced concepts, watering down their academic contribution. Perhaps the most interesting finding was the common use of a dual-track system: students would have the real, detailed discussions in Chinese on WeChat, where they felt comfortable and quick, and then only post the final, polished conclusions on Padlet for the tutor and international peers to see. This kept their process hidden and made true integration with non-Chinese teammates very difficult. Finally, and most importantly, the research discovered that the way a teacher grades the work has the biggest impact on how students behave. If grades are based on how many times you post, students will post frequently but without much depth. They will game the system to get the marks rather than focus on having genuine discussions.

Why does it matter? This research matters because it shows that simply giving students a digital tool like Padlet is not enough to create successful cross-cultural collaboration. Universities and lecturers need to be aware of the hidden struggles and smart strategies international students use. The study suggests that teachers should design tasks and grading systems that encourage deep interaction rather than just counting posts. They should provide support like glossaries of key terms to reduce translation pressure and find ways to make the entire collaborative process more visible and inclusive for everyone. Ultimately, it’s not about the technology itself, but about how we use it thoughtfully to create a fair and engaging learning environment for all students, regardless of their cultural or linguistic background

In education, literature suggest that strong relationships between teachers and pupils are seen as essential for academic progress. However, often the way in which these relationships are formed or the power dynamic of these relationships are ignored. As long as academic success is achieved, the goal has been reached. Often, pupil perceptions or experiences are used as a surveillance and check box tool disguised as pupil voice, rather than listened to. Yet, it is these pupils who schools and teachers have the purpose to serve. This paper aims to fill a gap in the discourse, identifying the issues surrounding relationships between Pakistani and Bengali pupils and White British teachers, from the perception of the pupil. Through the use of a case-study approach, by using a focus group interview of 7 Pakistani and Bengali pupils at a Northern English Academy, this study listens to the voices of the pupils to understand their perceptions of their experiences and how their perceptions effect relationships with White British teachers. The study found that pupils defined the strength of their relationships with their teachers based on how the time with the teacher was spent and when the time was given. Pupils felt that teachers who did not have strong knowledge about their heritage or religion often made stereotypes and assumptions about them, leading to weakened teacher pupil relationships. As well as this, the findings suggested that pupils felt confused by their identity and the lack of teacher knowledge further fuelled insecure feelings.

Visual depiction of impact is provided:

The project looks at the collaborative planning and evaluation of a journalistic writing unit for secondary English student where a group were working towards a shared goal, it will be something all teachers will be able to utilise and hopefully it will have future impacts for teaching and learning going forward. Additionally, I am hoping it solves the issue of teachers being unclear or confused on what is expected of them when a completely new scheme of work is expected to be delivered by them when they have had no input in the planning. My research questions were developed after the completion of my literature review as a lot of my academic research pointed to the fact that using pupil voice aids student performance and engagement. Does collaborative planning lead to a more successful implementation of a scheme of work?  What are the recommendations with regards to using collaboration to improve curriculum planning in schools? Does involving pupil voice in a scheme of work lead to higher engagement and academic achievement? A summary of the findings is as follows: Collaborative planning is integral to ensuring consistency across the teaching of a scheme of work. All future schemes of work should involve an initial meeting with all teachers to outline what should be included and what needs to be assessed. Planning of a scheme of work should fall on one teacher to ensure fluidity and consistency with the scheme and subsequent PowerPoint presentation. The teacher who conducted the planning must be given time during departmental meetings, prior to the scheme being launched, to discuss the scheme, make any final adjustments and clear any misconceptions from other teachers. Following the teaching of a scheme all teachers must provide honest feedback and recommendations for improvements.

Collaborative planning is integral to ensuring consistency across the teaching of a scheme of work. All future schemes of work should involve an initial meeting with all teachers to outline what should be included and what needs to be assessed. Planning of a scheme of work should fall on one teacher to ensure fluidity and consistency with the scheme and subsequent PowerPoint presentation. The teacher who conducted the planning must be given time during departmental meetings, prior to the scheme being launched, to discuss the scheme, make any final adjustments and clear any misconceptions from other teachers. Following the teaching of a scheme all teachers must provide honest feedback and recommendations for improvements.

Children develop a vital set of emotional competencies during their infant years, such as the ability to recognise and understand different emotions and the ability to respond appropriately to different emotions (often referred to as ‘emotional regulation’). These competencies lay the foundation for a range of important outcomes, such as academic achievement (Blankson et al., 2017; Ursache et al., 2020), social relationships (Denham et al., 2015) and pro-social behaviours (Fatahi et al., 2023; Ornaghi et al., 2017). It is therefore essential to understand what influences the successful development of these emotional skills in children, in order to optimise their later life outcomes. Adults play an important part in shaping a child’s emotional competencies through the way that they react to children, particularly during situations when the child is experiencing a negative emotion, e.g. fear, anger and sadness (Davidov & Grusec, 2006). Studies have shown that when adults respond to these situations in a positive way (e.g. accepting, coaching, problem-solving approaches) it facilitates children’s emotional competencies, but that when they respond to situations in a negative way (e.g. dismissive, punitive, critical approaches), it hinders their development (Denham et al., 2000; Eisenberg et al., 1996; Scrimgeour et al., 2016). Whilst parents have an important role in developing their child’s emotional skills by responding to them supportively, so too do staff within the child’s educational/care setting. Existing evidence from the USA has shown that experience and qualification level could influence how practitioners respond to children’s negative emotions (Denham et al., 2017). However, given the international differences in early years education systems, it is important that this is explored within the context of English settings. Therefore, this study investigated the factors which could influence how pre-school practitioners respond to children’s negative emotions, by exploring the role of: setting type (private/voluntary or school-based), qualification status and experience level. An online survey was completed by 109 pre-school practitioners working in different setting types across England. The sample represented a range of experience and qualification levels, although it was more skewed towards highly experienced, degree-qualified practitioners. The online survey included a series of hypothetical scenarios of a child experiencing a negative emotion that are likely to be encountered in a pre-school environment, such as losing their favourite toy and becoming upset. For each scenario, participants were provided with six statements describing different ways of reacting, and were asked to rate their likelihood of reacting to the given scenario in that way. These reaction statements could be grouped into supportive and non-supportive categories. Analyses were carried out to explore how different groups of practitioners, according to setting type, qualification and experience, responded to the different scenarios. The findings show that qualification and experience levels have a combined effect on likelihood to respond to situations, and that less experienced practitioners without a degree are more likely to react in a non-supportive way than those with a degree. The type of setting that practitioners work in does not appear to influence how they respond to children’s negative emotions. However, this warrants further research as the sample in this study was not as representative for the private/voluntary sector workforce as it was for the school-based workforce. Studies have also demonstrated that stress and emotional wellbeing can negatively influence how an adult responds to children using supportive strategies (Buettner et al., 2016). This is an important avenue for future research, in order to identify if there are differences in stress and emotional wellbeing according to setting type, experience and qualification level, and the resulting impact of this on practitioners’ ability to respond to children in a supportive way.

Gaining a better understanding of the factors which influence how an adult responds to a child’s negative emotions is crucial in being able to direct support appropriately, to ensure that children have optimal opportunities to develop their emotional competencies. This exploratory study is the first of its kind in England and offers a valuable insight into the combined role of experience and qualification in determining how practitioners are likely to respond to children’s negative emotional expressions. The findings of this research would be useful for pre-school leaders who are responsible for the professional development of staff within their setting. It is important that all staff, regardless of experience and qualification level, are equipped with the skills to use supportive strategies to develop children’s emotional competencies. This research would help to give pre-school leaders a better awareness of potential training needs that early-career professionals without a degree might have. The research findings may also benefit course leaders and tutors working in college-based settings that offer non-degree training routes into Early Years careers (e.g. apprenticeships, NVQ diplomas). It is essential that training programmes sufficiently prepare practitioners to be able to supportively develop children’s emotional competencies. Therefore, course leaders and tutors should consider whether their course content and training support includes this extensively enough within the programme of study.

This research aimed to understand barriers faced by disadvantaged students (as identified by the PP criteria) from the perspectives of secondary school teachers. There has been a long-standing attainment gap between disadvantaged students and those from higher SES backgrounds. The research was viewed through several theoretical perspectives, which in combination provided a more holistic understanding of the PP situation. The predominant psychological framework was that of Risk and Resilience, which identifies risk (difficulties) and protective (resilience) factors. In addition, this research considered the particular issues inherent in the post-COVID cost-of-living crisis period. The research topic, time period and use of several analysis frameworks is not prevalent in the wider research literature. The study took place in a secondary school in Oldham, which has areas of deprivation and thus a high proportion of PP students. Eight teacher-participants were selected for the study via purposive convenience sampling (i.e. those teachers replying first being selected). One-to-one, audio-recorded semi-structured interviews (i.e. open-ended questions with opportunities for discussion) were the chosen method of data gathering. This qualitative approach aimed to gather in-depth (‘rich’) viewpoints, as opposed to quantitative (statistical) generalisable data. The interview transcripts were explored via an inductive thematic analysis (identifying, themes and patterns within the data); three themes then emerged: Parent and school partnership; Contextual factors affecting education; Pedagogical (teaching methods) responses and approaches of teachers. Viewing the data through the Risk and Resilience framework, the following risk and protective factors were identified and were found to be consistent with existing literature. Those factors, which are external influences include: cultural capital (defined as the knowledge, skills and cultural experiences required to progress in an educational context) of PP students being insufficiently rich enough for the National Curriculum and cultural capital which is different from the requirements of the National Curriculum. These factors stem from the habitus (deeply ingrained set of attitudes and dispositions) that are the foundations of the home lives of many PP students. These findings are as per the seminal work of Bourdieu’s theory of social practice. The resulting consequences are that much defined National Curriculum school work has little connection or appeal to PP students and the psychological response is that many PP students have reduced motivation, which can then lead them being open to resistant-behaviour. In addition, the post-COVID cost-of-living crisis has created significant financial burdens and time constraints, leading to reduced support from parents. Another identified external risk factor, but one currently not present within existing literature to any great extent, is the: further marginalisation of students subject to the effects of a digital divide due to teachers relying on greater IT utilisation to reduce teaching workload. This has arisen from improved IT self-efficacy in the teaching profession during COVID-19. Factors that the research identified that support academic attainment and thus build resilience in PP students are external protective factors of: caring and strong support networks (between teachers/students, teachers/parents) and include school connectedness; a positive classroom emotional-climate; developing educational skills in parents (e.g. developing parents’ understanding of university financing). These have been implemented via structures and policies that include: QFT and Breakfast Clubs. These also aid in providing cost-of-living support. All these policies aim to increase the internal resilience in students. The findings are consistent with wider literature. For future studies, it is recommended that a longitudinal study be conducted of the long-term effects of COVID-19 and the subsequent cost-of-living crisis on the educational attainment of PP students.

The research is particularly useful for the target-school, which can benefit from obtaining an enhanced overview of the understanding of their staff on the PP situation, and the views of teachers on the PP strategies that are currently in place. This could help senior leaders to allocate PP monies more effectively. Further to this, the research could be especially valuable for secondary school teachers across the Oldham local authority, and also to those who teach in similar demographics but in different locations throughout England. Such schools may have similar risk factors and all schools would benefit from the implementation of the protective (resilience) factors. Nevertheless, representation of geographically diverse areas in the study is limited and thus the findings may not be applicable to other locations in England. Therefore, applicability of the study needs to be considered carefully. Issues arising concerning the marginalisation of disadvantaged students will need to be considered from a wider educational and curricula context. Educational policies and curriculum content may need to be altered to align more with the cultural capital of PP students. However, this may give rise to the debate on whether the curriculum may become at risk of being less challenging. As well as this, other educational establishments can benefit from the research as they can gain an insight into other PP strategies and structures to implement protective factors. Furthermore, the teaching profession can utilise the findings of this dissertation-research to support in the structuring of their own interventions and support strategies, leading to optimisation of the distribution of PP monies, and ultimately resulting in a narrowing of the PP educational attainment gap. The findings can also support PP parents in understanding how they may be impacting on their child's academic resilience, and consequently aid parents to become better equipped in supporting their child’s education and well-being, and advocating for resources and support to enable their child to prosper.

Research has demonstrated that work engagement among English teachers will have several positive outcomes, such as higher job satisfaction and increased participation in non-core roles. In Indonesia, teaching English also has its challenges, including frequent changes in curriculum as well as low status and wages. Due to these various challenges, Indonesian English teachers’ work engagement remains a major challenge. Two factors that are linked to work engagement include emotion regulation and psychological well-being at work. Emotion regulation consists of two aspects, including reappraisal and suppression. Psychological well-being at work has five domains, such as the desire for involvement at work, interpersonal fit at work, feeling of competency at work, thriving at work, and perceived recognition at work. This study aimed to examine the predictive relationship between emotion regulation and psychological well-being at work with work engagement. Specifically, reappraisal and thriving at work were looked at in more depth as they were the most significant predictors of variance in work engagement. The target population was English teachers in Indonesia. The survey was spread out through WhatsApp and e-mail, and teachers were invited to complete a self-report survey consisting of three questionnaires for emotion regulation, psychological well-being at work, and work engagement. Correlation and regression were calculated using SPSS 29 to investigate the relationship between the variables. The findings showed that compared to emotion regulation, psychological well-being at work was the biggest predictor of variance in work engagement. Between emotion regulation aspects, reappraisal was found to have the biggest impact on work engagement variance. Regarding psychological well-being at work domains, thriving at work had the most significant predictive link with work engagement. The research examining specific roles of psychological well-being at work is limited, and the present study adds knowledge to this field. By investigating the predictive relationship between emotion regulation and psychological well-being at work with work engagement, this study demonstrates the importance of considering English teachers’ emotions and well-being in order to foster their engagement with the teaching profession. Future research could include teachers’ age, gender, and years of experience, which were not measured in this research to further investigate their roles in teachers’ work engagement. More longitudinal studies are also needed to investigate the causal relationship between variables.

The current findings suggest the importance of considering Indonesian English teachers’ emotions and well-being in relation to their work engagement. Teachers’ work engagement has been found to be linked with several positive outcomes, such as higher job satisfaction, positive career aspirations, and increased participation in non-core roles. Emotion regulation and psychological well-being at work of English teachers in Indonesian English teachers are found to predict work engagement. In order to provide teachers with the skills they need to manage, and ideally, thrive in their chosen profession over the long term, it would be vital to integrate well-being competencies into teacher education programs in Indonesia. For instance, pre-service and in-service teacher training programs would benefit from providing educators with the self-regulatory and socioemotional competencies required to regulate their own levels of stress, emotions, motivation, and overall professional well-being. Moreover, as this study found that positive emotional experiences can be linked to teachers’ work engagement, the intervention program can focus on training teachers to be more aware of their positive emotions in the classroom as these emotions would benefit their well-being. However, these training and intervention programs should be implemented with caution as participating in such programs may increase teachers’ workload and thus may increase teachers’ stress (van Wingerden et al., 2013). Additionally, some teachers could be reluctant to take part in these interventions given that they are frequently planned by the same administrators whom some teachers believed to be responsible for teachers’ initial heavy workloads (Granziera et al., 2021). Therefore, interventions and training programs must be tailored to the needs of teachers and carried out in a way that enables teachers to see the direct advantages for themselves and their profession.

This study was done as current national educational policy regarding moral development is limited in guidance regarding how schools could support moral development, therefore this study aimed to explore the relationship between adolescents’ perception of their school’s moral atmosphere and how important they personally think showing moral behaviours is. This study seeks to contribute to wider academic discussions surrounding moral education by providing empirical data regarding adolescents’ perception of their school’s indirect moral messaging. The target population for the study were older adolescents, aged 16-18 years old. This age group were selected due to this group being able to reflect on their full time at secondary school, and also due to adolescence being identified as an important period for the emergence of moral identity. 12 participants took part in an online survey with 51 questions. These questions asked them to rate on a 5-point scale, where 1=Strongly Disagree and 5= Strongly Agree, how much they agreed with statements about their approach to different situations and also about their perceptions of their school. Participants were recruited through social media groups on Facebook and via the social media application TikTok. Participants were also recruited via initial participants distributing the survey to other people within the target population. This study found that there was no significant relationship between rating of school moral atmosphere and moral identity. The data showed a moderate negative relationship between perception of social relations within school and moral integrity. These findings indicate that adolescents who rate the social relations within their secondary school lower are expected to have higher moral integrity scores. This goes against previous research that found a positive relationship between similar variables of moral competency and social relationships. However, it should be considered that the participants in this study all experienced significant disruption to their learning during the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This may have affected to their rating of their school moral atmosphere, as they may have had brief periods of online learning along with less consistent access to their regular physical school environments. Replications of this study could adopt a mixed methods approach, with the use of the two measures in this study and also interviewing participants to explore how they perceive their school moral atmosphere in the aftermath of the peak of the pandemic compared to prior to the pandemic.

I think teachers and adolescents would benefit from this research. As discussed in the literature review, there is a lot of freedom, but also lack of clarity regarding best practises for provision for moral development within schools. From the findings of this study, I would highlight one key point for educators to consider within their classrooms and wider school. The findings of this study suggests that adolescents’ perception of social relations and sense of community within the school decreases if they place a higher value on acting in a way that is consistent with their personal moral values. This may indicate that adolescents’ feel that their personal moral values may not align with the moral atmosphere promoted by their school as an institution and as a community. Educators could adopt aspects of the Just Community approach to engage with their older pupils to discuss their moral values and what has contributed to these values being internalised. This may be achieved within classrooms through supported moral discussions between pupils and between pupils and teachers (Boheim et al., 2021), and also within the wider school environment through allowing pupils to help shape school ethos’ and behaviour codes. For adolescents, this study is impactful through acknowledging the value of their perspectives on their school environment. The School Moral Atmosphere Questionnaire emphasises that adolescents are engaged and important social actors within their school environment, therefore their perspectives are valuable to consider when considering non-academic educational policy that aims to support their personal development. Additionally, the findings could be interpreted as schools not having an impact on adolescents’ moral development. Further research using qualitative methods could provide an insight into what institutions or aspects of society adolescents feel contribute to their moral development, which then could be reflected in changes to current guidance for moral development provision in schools and wider socio-political discussion regarding adolescents and their morality.

How knowledge is constructed, who decides what is taught, and when and how it is measured have long governed discussions around educational policy. Yet, dialogue around how our ‘knowledge-rich’ national curriculum sits within its contemporary, cultural context is far quieter. This dissertation reports on an inquiry into activating knowledge during maths lessons in a Year 1 setting in Greater Manchester. It explores themes of knowledge and power, place-based education and how these work in relation to activating knowledge. Qualitative data gleaned from student voice indicates that students are building their knowledge of maths far wider than school, revealing a plethora of ‘hidden’ adults and places. This makes the case for teachers building their awareness of students’ contexts and how these intersect with learning opportunities, especially in early education and especially where their socio-demographics differ to those of the school. Furthermore, this study found that one government-endorsed maths scheme does not match some research recommendations for how prior knowledge is most effectively activated through structural as opposed to surface tasks. This indicates that school bought schemes and subscriptions should not be blindly accepted, rather, subject to teacher discretion and adaption for student need. Finally, this project indicates that leading models of cognitive architecture and activation of knowledge, upon which policy is in at least part predicated, don’t yet adequately capture the idiosyncrasies and fluidity of knowledge in ways that can be monitored and used effectively in a classroom of Year 1 students. As these models form part of the dominant discourse of learning, there can only be benefit in apportioning space for teachers to learn more about the origins of ideas, the contexts in which they are used and their underlying ambiguities.

Visual depiction of impact is provided:

Since the Enlightenment, the notion of scientific rationality and abstraction has been closely associated with the male gender more so than the female. Mathematics is seen as a subject that deals with the abstract using rational logical methods of inquiry. Transitively, then in mathematics has become known as a subject more suited for males to pursue as a career. Societal stereotypes and narratives in a patriarchal society have propagated this association throughout history through the use of binary oppositions that privilege the personality traits commonly associated with the male gender. What effect, therefore, has this had on female pupils studying mathematics? This research explores the influences on the self-perceptions of mathematical ability of high attaining female pupils during their GCSE years of study. In my professional life as a teacher and through news reports on every GCSE results day, we find that female pupils are just as good as, if not better than, male pupils in GCSE subjects. However, when we look at a level participation, we find that a notable majority of mathematics students are males. What is happening to those high attaining girls so that they do well in GCSE mathematics, but decide not to pursue mathematics at A Level? As well as analysing and explaining how self-perceptions affect mathematical aspirations, we will also compare female self-perceptions with male self-perceptions of mathematical ability. This will allow us to evaluate the extent to which this dualistic opposition thinking from the Enlightenment still permeates contemporary societal thinking about mathematics attainment and aspirations. This research aims to answer two research questions: 1.     How do high attaining female pupils perceive their own mathematical ability and aspirations? 2.     What is the difference between self-perceptions of mathematical ability and aspirations in high attaining male and female pupils? Through the use of pupil questionnaires and pupil focus groups, the notion of gender socialisation, intersecting with GCSE mathematics lessons is analysed. How the different gender groups view this socialisation and the influence on their mathematical aspirations (or lack thereof) were evaluated to conclude whether archaic gender stereotypes about mathematics as being a ‘male subject’ is still affecting high attaining students.

The community I have chosen for my Dissemination of Impact presentation is the mathematics department at my school of employment. The reason I have chosen them is because my research is an exploration into the self perceptions of some of our pupils. Recent narratives in education have focused on white, working class boys or engage low attainers, however, as my research has shown, high attaining girls also need focusing on. The purpose of my research was to find out about the self perceptions of my high attaining class and why it was that they were not choosing to do A level maths in college. This was a problem, not just in my high attaining classes, but others too (as shown by the pupil questionnaires I conducted). Therefore, my findings and recommendations are extremely relev ant to

my mathematics colleagues in school, as they can then use my research to inform their own practice. By using the recommendations, and reflecting on the ideas that I have discussed, they can better their own teaching so that they can become a more feminist teacher. The effect of this should be that narratives in our school that exclude girls, or treat maths as a subject for boys, will be eradicated. Hence, high attaining girls have a more positive self perception of mathematical ability and feel empowered to take maths at A level if they so wish. If the department wish to implement my recommendations and use the issues I have raised to further reflect on our teaching practice and the way we talk about mathematics, then the effect should be a more inclusive classroom, where female (high attaining) pupils feel more open to the possibility of continuing with mathematics study post GCSE.

This study explored the impact of NG provision and nurture principles from the perspectives of teaching staff. Research has shown the potential benefits of the implementation of nurture groups (NGs) and nurture principles for children’s social and emotional wellbeing. There are also many government policies showing the importance of providing safe, nurturing environments for children to learn in. Despite this knowledge, many schools continue to use punitive approaches as opposed to those which are restorative or nurturing in approach. The target population were various members of teaching staff located across the UK with an understanding of nurture provision within their school setting. The sample included ten participants with varying roles such as teachers, nurture leaders and educational consultants. Participants were interviewed via zoom to address the research questions of study which included: the impact on class teachers, children with social, emotional, mental health (SEMH) needs, the class climate and challenges surrounding nurture provision. The findings suggest that implementation of NGs and nurture principles can support teacher wellbeing, social and emotional development of pupils with SEMH needs, and improve the classroom environment in various ways. Challenges surrounding nurture provision were identified, including barriers to communication and perception from school staff. Findings of this study were consistent with those of relevant research which highlighted the numerous benefits of nurture provision which include improved social and emotional communication skills, attainment, and the importance of whole-school approaches. Future research could explore the perspectives of pupils with SEMH needs and their families to gain a further insight into the importance of nurture provision.

As there is more responsibility on schools and staff to support the mental health and wellbeing of pupils in education, there is a need for more research to understand effective ways of supporting students and benefits associated with different interventions. There are many impacts of this study on areas such as impacts on school approaches, teacher support and general policies and practice within education. This research will benefit schools as it encourages the use of nurturing approaches as opposed to punitive approaches, which have been shown to be detrimental to children’s wellbeing. By encouraging a shift in the way teachers respond to challenging behaviour and understanding the nurture principle ‘all behaviour is communication’, children will be able to reach their full potential. This study has many educational benefits such as showing the need for nurturing and safe environments, an understanding of attachment and the creation of more restorative nurturing policies. This would also be beneficial for teaching staff and schools as it encourages awareness and understanding of effective ways to utilise nurture principles to support all students in the school, in particular those with SEMH needs. This would create a whole-school inclusive environment. It is hoped that this research study will encourage teaching staff and school SLT to re-evaluate their strategies in terms of managing and supporting children’s behaviour, given the findings regarding nurturing approaches.

The aim of this study was to explore the factors that affected primary school ASR students’ sense of belonging in their new schools and communities. This study explored the perceptions of teachers, rather than the ASR students themselves. Teachers are closely involved and familiar with the school system, therefore their insights could provide great detail on changes that could facilitate this belonging at a school level. Research showed that belonging was essential for any ASR students’ transition into their new schools and communities. Additionally, past studies showed that various systems in an individual’s life including their peers, family, teachers, and wider community greatly impact their feelings of belonging. The study aimed to explore teachers’ perceptions of the factors that affect ASR students’ belonging and steps that can be taken to overcome any barriers. The target population included primary school teachers or teaching assistants in the UK who have taught ASR students for at least a year. The sample for the study included 8 teachers; 6 females and 2 males between the ages of 24 and 39. One teacher was based in Glasgow, three in Manchester, two in Birmingham, and one in Bradford. Out of these teachers, all of them identified as British/White except for two, who both identified as Asian. After obtaining consent from the participants, they were invited to attend an online interview to discuss their thoughts. Semi-structured interviews were used with some pre-prepared questions that were formulated through existing studies, whilst simultaneously allowing for flexibility in answering the questions based on the participant responses. The interview reponses were analysed through methods of Thematic Analysis, which uncovered certain themes and subthemes to answer the research questions. The findings showed four major themes that affected an ASR students’ sense of belonging: Student Upbringing, Psychological Well-being and Resilience, Ecosystems of Support, and Inclusive School Practices. These themes drew upon the bio-psycho-socio-ecological model, which highlighted the importance of a holistic approach to fostering a sense of belonging among ASR students. The findings also emphasised that teachers’ perceptions of their own roles, as well as their readiness to accommodate to ASR students in their class, affected the efforts that they put into promoting a sense of belongingness. This ties in with the literature on self-efficacy, explaining that teachers’ beliefs in their own abilities significantly affect student motivation, feelings of belonging, and educational outcomes. Finally, the findings highlighted the importance that school systems have to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for ASR students. Teachers also stated that their own beliefs in the abilities to help ASR students would increase if schools provided additional resources and training to teachers to assist teachers to accommodate the needs of ASR students. The key recommendations provided by this study involve changes made from various surrounding networks in the ASR child’s life. It is crucial to integrate them into their new communities while preserving their cultural identities. Parents play a pivotal role, impacting their children's sense of belonging through their own integration. Peer relationships, even with language barriers, are vital, facilitated by extracurricular activities. Teachers must prepare and seek additional resources and training to boost self-efficacy. Schools should provide continuous support, starting before enrollment, and aid teachers with training, resources, and additional staff. Whole-school changes, such as integrating ASR topics and enhancing cultural representation, promote inclusivity. In conclusion, promoting ASR students' belonging requires a comprehensive approach and collaborative efforts across support systems to create an inclusive school and community.

The research findings hold significant implications and recommendations. By implementing the strategies outlined in the research, schools can create more inclusive and welcoming environments for ASR students. This can result in improved educational outcomes and a greater sense of belonging among ASR students. Teachers can benefit from this research by gaining insights into how they can better support ASR students. They can adapt their classroom practices and create a positive environment to accommodate the diverse backgrounds and needs of ASR students. Parents of students can benefit from this research by understanding the importance of their involvement in their children's sense of belonging. They can actively engage with schools, attend cultural events, and support their children's integration. Additionally, the broader community and the general public can benefit from this research as it promotes fostering a more harmonious society. At a policy and governmental level, policymakers in the Department of Education can consider implementing these suggestions to schools all around the UK to promote inclusion, and can consider the importance of funding training and resources to support ASR students. All of the findings tie together essential to support ASR students, who are the primary beneficiaries. The research suggests that by fostering a sense of belonging, ASR students can have a smoother transition into their new communities, allowing them to feel more valued and integrated.

Some caregivers who experience poverty and disadvantage find it difficult to engage in learning activities with the children in their care, which can lead to poorer educational and social outcomes for the child. This study intended to find out more about this from the perspective of those who are affected. Therefore, low-income individuals living in an area of the Northwest with high poverty rates were requested to participate in the study. Eight parents were interviewed and described their perspectives, experiences, barriers, and support relevant to the learning activities they engage in with their children. The researcher analysed these interviews and generated themes that were common across them. It was discovered that although low-income parents know how important home engagement is, they face many barriers when it comes to engaging with their children at home. These included the cost of resources, inaccessible transport, and their own mental or physical health difficulties. Parents also described feeling like they do not receive enough support from the government or from schools. This research project supports findings about the relationship between income and home engagement as it provides some explanations for why learning at home can become difficult. It is also supportive of some researchers who claim that low-income caregivers can feel excluded or alienated from the school context. The government, too, admit to failings in this area. However, it does not support some findings that argue that home engagement may be lower for low-income households because of reduced levels of motivation by the caregivers. Schools, caregivers, and government organisations should work collaboratively to create support programs as there are many factors that can hinder a caregiver’s ability to engage at home. By improving home engagement, children and young people can expect to see better outcomes in and outside of school.

The government has acknowledged its shortcomings in providing adequate support for home learning and plans to invest in research to determine the efficacy of specific interventions. It is also essential to gather feedback from those most at risk to ensure that the support provided is useful and accessible. Without this perspective, the implementation of support will be ineffective. The education sector would also benefit from the results of this study. Work needs to be done to create better channels of communication between schools, community groups, and caregivers to facilitate home learning and to ensure the responsibility does not fall solely on disadvantaged households who may not have the appropriate knowledge, experience, or resources to aid their child’s learning outside of school. Wider awareness of the benefits of home learning to the general Parent Experiences of the Home Learning Environment public may also improve engagement; children and young people may then experience improved social and educational outcomes overall. Parents also described the negative impact of poor local facilities. This research could therefore potentially encourage local government groups to improve local facilities such as libraries and parks, thus creating a positive environmental impact. This research could also benefit the education and culture sectors if schools commit to improving their awareness of barriers, the impact of stigma and better methods of communication to facilitate learning beyond the school building.

This study aimed to assess the relationships between self-esteem, social acceptance from friends at school, and school disengagement. It also aimed to assess whether self-esteem and social acceptance form friends (peer acceptance) influence school disengagement in UK adolescents aged 11-16 years old. School engagement is defined as an interest and involvement in learning and school while, school disengagement is defined as a disinterest in school and low effort and involvement in learning. This study has a focus on disengagement, there are four areas of disengagement examined in this study, behavioural disengagement (low/no participation in lessons and learning), cognitive disengagement (low involvement and effort in learning), emotional disengagement (feeling overwhelmed and anxious at school) and social disengagement (disinterest in peers at school). One hundred and one full time secondary school pupils in the Northwest of the UK agreed to participate in the study with parental consent. The study used a questionnaire with statements surrounding self-esteem, friendship, school engagement and disengagement, answered on a scale of 1-5 strongly disagree to strongly agree. The researcher liaised with schools who agreed to facilitate the study to send home an information pack about the study to parents who could remove their child from the study if they did not consent to their child’s participation. Pupils who had parental consent, were able to participate. Participating pupils were given an information pack with child friendly language and were given a presentation about the study details to understand what they would be doing as a participant and were able to ask questions about the study before they could complete a form to agree to participation. Participants then completed the questionnaire which was collected with the agreement to participate form at the end of the study. The results showed that self-esteem, peer acceptance, and school engagement were all positively correlated suggesting that engaged students are likely to be socially accepted by friends/peers and have high self-esteem. Self-esteem, peer acceptance and school disengagement were all negatively correlated suggesting that disengaged students are likely to be socially unaccepted by peers at school and have low self-esteem. Self-esteem was found to influence global disengagement and all areas of disengagement (behavioural, cognitive, emotional, and social) while peer acceptance only influences global disengagement and social disengagement. This means that low self-esteem can lead to (predict) disengagement in all areas while having low acceptance by peers (less friendships) can lead to (predict) social disengagement in school.

This research has real world implications for the development of school interventions to target the influences of disengagement to promote engagement, prevent disengagement, and or support disengaged adolescents to reduce their disengagement. If influences of disengagement are identified, such as self-esteem and social acceptance, then programmes can be devised and developed to then promote engagement and or prevent disengagement in secondary school pupils. It is a robust finding, supported by many researchers, that engaged secondary school students are higher achievers than disengaged students and because of this it is important to support engagement as it will indirectly support academic achievement. If rounded intervention/s are developed to promote engagement in all areas (behavioural, cognitive, emotional, and social areas of engagement) and or to prevent disengagement in all areas (behavioural, cognitive, emotional, and social) then students will be directly impacted by receiving the support and schools will be indirectly impacted as their school-wide engagement and achievement will rise. School-wide improvements in engagement may bring about other positive changes indirectly impacting schools, teachers, and students. Behaviourally engaged students are well-behaved and so improve classroom behaviour, less time will be spent on behaviour management leaving more time for teaching. Cognitive engaged students pay attention to lessons, put effort and quality into their schoolwork and so learn better, possibly retaining lesson content for longer. Emotionally engaged students are happy and excited to be at school, possibly leading to less absences or truancy. Socially engaged students have friends and are socially accepted by their peers and may then support struggling peers in lessons creating a supportive network in school. In the most ideal world.

About a year before writing this dissertation, I stumbled across a University of Birmingham article titled: “Mind the gap: What is missing in the autism research agenda?” in which I read a poignant story of Jim Simpson: “Jim Simpson, an autistic author and activist in the US, tells a story of meeting a child with autism. The child was amazed to meet Jim. Having never heard of an adult who had autism, he had assumed that autistic children died before they grew up.” Reading this made me realise that I had an integral role in ensuring that all children believe they will grow up and can blossom in their own space. My dissertation's main aim was to better understand how lecturers support autistic university students, specifically at the University of Manchester. This was done by answering two key questions: Q1: How does university lecturers’ awareness and understanding of autism correlate with their ability to support autistic students? and Q2: What critical pedagogical strategies do university lecturers employ to support the diverse academic and social needs of autistic students? As a case study, this dissertation used semi-structured interviews to interview four lecturers in our University's Education field. Data were then inductively and thematically analysed. The findings reflect that: 1. Lecturers are adept at naming autistic traits and the varied presentation of autism, 2. Lecturers have minimal experience with autistic students, 3. Lecturers rarely have access to inclusion-related training, and more bespoke autism training needs to be provided to lecturers, 4. Lecturers have different ways of equipping themselves with skills to support autistic students, 5. Lecturers display high levels of willingness to support students, and 6. Lecturers highlight that all university stakeholders must contribute to developing an autism-friendly university. All of the findings can also be seen in the illustrated materials below. Therefore, taking inspiration from lecturers’ interview responses, the dissertation proposes plausible, practical changes for the university in this case study. Possible university-wide changes are as follows: 1. To adopt the Autism & Uni framework or develop a bespoke autism training, 2. To facilitate more university-wide conversations about intersectional autistic identities and recognise good staff support practices, and 3. To create dedicated spaces and visibility for autistic students and academics. However, it must be noted that, once again, due to the heterogeneity of autism and how universities operate differently, this suggestion is only applicable as a response to the findings of this dissertation as a case study. Moreover, research in this area is still sparse and collective efforts, involving autistic students themselves, can be a great way to begin tapping into best inclusive practices in higher education. For example, future research might decide to conduct university-specific focus groups with lecturers and autistic students, bridging any knowledge gap and co-creating materials to support autistic students.

At a glance, my dissertation is particularly important for key decision-makers at any given British university. From time constraints to sheer lack of knowledge, the dissertation illuminates some vital changes needed with university-wide inclusion training and support for staff. To support a marginalised group of students, we have to support the staff who are the gateway to these students’ success in education. If anything, the dissertation emphasised that lecturing staff are highly willing to support students but that universities are required to help pave the way for this to happen. On another note, this research contributes to an existing (albeit small) pool of participatory papers on autism. As an autistic person, more people (autistic or not) need to be able to read research written with some lived experiences in mind. One of the key things identified in the literature review leading up to this complete research found that autistic researchers are implicitly barred from writing ‘research that matters’ due to research bureaucracy and fears of getting the research methods ‘just right’. In consulting with writings from established autistic researchers in various fields, a 2022 paper by autistic research by Sandra Jones forefronts this debate, ensuring me that asking meaningful questions can be as valuable as being able to use technically complex research methods. Moreover, this research aims to reach children like those mentioned in Jim Simpson’s story. Currently, degree completion rates of autistic students are lower than those of who are non-autistic; employment rates also prove a similar gap. If someone as reading this summary and could feel a flicker of hope that good work is being done in higher education (HE) to make sure that people like them (or rather, like us) can be in HE, then this research has had its intended impact. Creating meaningful research requires all types of individuals, and I would not be at University writing my dissertation today if it were not for pioneers before me. Equally, if we carry any form of privilege with us, we must acknowledge it and use it to liberate others who are less able to do so. The Education research world might appear small and tight-knit, but it is wide enough for all of us.

Prize - Best Dissertation for BSc Education

This dissertation aimed to explore how imposter syndrome (IS), which is the feeling of being a fake, despite evidence of success, impacts university students’ wellbeing and their self-worth in higher education. This project focussed on the concept that students who feel they are not good enough are likely to compare their abilities to others who they may view as more academically capable and successful than them. This leads students to tie their self-worth to their academic performance, having important consequences on their psychological wellbeing depending on whether they achieve or fail academically. The main research question asked whether imposter syndrome predicts lower psychological wellbeing, and if this relationship is explained (mediated) by academic contingencies of self-worth. This research was carried out with a sample of 97 university students, which were from UK universities, predominantly based in the Northwest of England. Students completed an online survey which took around 15 minutes to complete. Participants were asked to complete three self-report questionnaires. One measured level of imposter syndrome, another measured the extent to which they based their self-worth on their academic achievements, and another measured their psychological wellbeing. Demographic questions such as age, ethnicity and gender were also included. Analysis used statistical models (a multiple regression mediation analysis) to explore whether imposter syndrome predicted psychological wellbeing and if academic contingencies of self-worth explained this relationship.

This research found that students with higher levels of imposter syndrome reported lower wellbeing, supporting existing research that imposter feelings can be damaging for mental health, contributing to anxiety, stress and lower life satisfaction. The results also showed imposter feelings were associated with a reliance on academic performance for self esteem. This aligns with previous research and theory suggesting that individuals with imposter feelings may base their self-worth on external factors. Interestingly, the relationship between academic self-worth and wellbeing was not significant. This contrasts with previous literature indicating that relying on academic achievement for self-worth can lead to poorer wellbeing. An explanation for this could be that imposter syndrome, rather than academic self-worth has a more direct impact on wellbeing. Students could compare themselves to peers who they believe are ‘better’ than them, leading to feelings of inadequacy, therefore impacting mental health and wellbeing outcomes. Though academic-self worth was related to imposter feelings, it may not directly determine wellbeing. Instead, other factors associated with imposter syndrome such as perfectionism or fears of failure could be more detrimental to student wellbeing. Findings suggest that although imposter feelings are related to academic self-worth and wellbeing, negative impacts of imposter syndrome on wellbeing may occur through mechanisms which are distinct and beyond the degree to which students ground their self-worth in academic performance. The results underline the importance of recognition of imposter syndrome to student wellbeing and overall academic experiences. It appears that imposter feelings may impact several areas of student wellbeing, meaning it could be detrimental to student’s mental health. Based on these findings, policy makers and universities should consider ways that imposter feelings can be addressed within student support services. Raising awareness of imposter syndrome is important for higher education institutions to understand negative impacts of these feelings and experiences on students’ wellbeing. Future research could explore these relationships further, as well as examine interventions which may help to reduce imposter feelings and improve student well-being. To summarise, this dissertation contributes to growing evidence that imposter syndrome is not just an academic challenge but a serious mental health concern for students. If it is directly addressed, it could contribute to a healthier learning environment in universities.

In this summary of my poster I will discuss methods of including children with Down syndrome in the classroom, highlighting both the strengths they bring and challenges they may face and effective strategies that can be implemented. I will explore the importance of providing access to an age appropriate curriculum and the impact this has on children with Down syndrome. My focus on the inclusion of pupils with Down syndrome is due to my own strong personal understanding of Down syndrome and my experience of working with primary school pupils with Down syndrome. Cleveland Clinic (2023) define Down Syndrome as being a genetic condition where a person is born with an extra chromosome. This can affect how their brain and body develop. People diagnosed with Down syndrome have happy and healthy lives with supportive care. Similar to the definition provided on my poster, I have found that the majority of definitions I came across were consistent differing only on their tone, sometimes reflecting the authors assumptions or opinions about Down syndrome and a persons abilities because of it.

I intend for the poster to stress the importance that people should not assume that a child with Down syndrome is incapable of learning in a mainstream classroom along with their peers. Children with Down syndrome may face barriers in the classroom but with the right support and opportunities, they will succeed.

With this being said inclsuion of a child with Down syndrome goes beyond physical presence in the classroom with a one-to-one teaching assistant (TA), solely working on individual tasks. Teachers should provide children with Down syndrome with a level of education to the same standard that any other child in the class would receive. Equipping them to overcome any challenges they may encounter. Fox, Farrell and Davis (2004) carried out a study on effective inclusion of primary aged pupils with Down syndrome, they found that inclusion is more likely to be successful when the class teacher takes a central role in the management of support and the organisation of a child’s daily educational experiences, this a vital point. TA’s play a significant role in inclusion however it is the teacher who is qualified and therefore responsible to plan for and implement strategies appropriate for inclusion.

If TA support is provided as a constant one to one basis, this will restrict opportunities for the child (Alton, 2021). I have seen first hand the results of a TA remaining attached to a child with Down Syndrome throughout the school day, while well intended the child became reliant on this constant support and was reluctant to undertake independent tasks that required them to use their own problem solving skills and even interacting with peers. One to one support unintentionally creates a dependency on the adult.

One of the most prevalent challenges that children with Down syndrome face is difficulties in producing accurate speech. Pettinato and Verhoeven ( 2009) suggest that language impairment is an inherent characteristic of Down syndrome independent of the learning difficulties associated with the syndrome. This contrasts with the statement in my poster from Burgoyne, Buckley and Baxter (2021) reporting that speech difficulties are related to age and to vocabulary and reading skills. While I acknowledge Pettinato and Verhoeven’s (2009) statement that language difficulties are not influenced by developmental and educational factors, I also recognise the importance of teachers actively working to overcome difficulties in speech production. Speech difficulties can be incredibly debilitating for some children, they often result in frustration and social isolation.

Oral communication can be encouraged through reading with the child. Reading makes language visual and conflictingly is often an area where children with Down syndrome exceed expectations, it is a skill that can be consistently developed to a practical level (Alton, 2021). This strength can be leveraged to promote accurate speech production, reading with the child and providing them with prompts has been proven to result in gains in language development (Burgoyne & Cain, 2020.) I recognise that some people are hesitant to interpret what pupils with Down syndrome who have speech difficulties are communicating in concern they will misunderstand. It is important to be patient and take time to listen. The more you engage with the child, your ear will adjust to their way of speaking enabling you to provide more effective support.

The National Curriculum states that “Teachers should set high expectations for every pupil.” (Department For Education, 2013). This includes children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and children with Down syndrome. Teachers should recognise pupils with Down syndrome’s strengths and encourage the child to develop these further, setting them challenging tasks across the curriculum. Studies indicate that teachers perceptions of children with Down syndrome have a significant impact on the child’s success (Bills & Mills, 2020). Connecting this back to my poster it further expands on my point of importance in fostering a growth mindset in pupils with Down syndrome, like any child they will thrive in a classroom where they feel they belong and their strengths acknowledged."

I have addressed the importance of including children with Down syndrome in the primary classroom. I have recognized their strengths and strategies in supporting them to achieve their goals. At the same time I have addressed common challenges children with Down syndrome may experience and effective strategies to ensure the children can access an age appropriate curriculum. I have explored the concept of an inclusive education in a more general sense, drawing on relevant literature and information from the taught course to examine different perspectives. By taking these viewpoints into account I have been able to relate my own experiences and deepen my understanding of what an inclusive education truly is. An environment where all pupils are valued and supported to reach their potential regardless of their background, race or ability. A key takeaway for my professional development is the notion from Adderley et al. (2015) inclusion is a dynamic process and not a static position, combining this point with the literature reviewed I understand that creating an inclusive classroom is a continuous process that requires constant effort, I will trial various strategies including those I have discussed and seen used effectively, while acknowledging that these may not work for all pupils. This assignment has reinforced the imporance of individualised approaches. I am aware that it is I, the teacher, who is responsible for ensuring that my classroom is an inclusive environment, recognizing the level of needs, race, background, sex, and SEMH of all students and fostering an atmosphere of acceptance and respect among the class. This is an essential step in ensuring the pupils succeed academically, socially and emotionally.

This dissertation explores students' and teachers' perceptions of technology's role in the secondary mathematics classroom. The research used a case study approach to focus on individuals’ views and experiences of using technology to support learning in the case school, where heavy emphasis was placed on using technology in classes. The study aimed to contribute rich, small-sample contextual data to existing research and build on existing research conclusions in the field of education technology. The research demonstrated how students and teachers both aspired to use the technology to access and provide, respectively, more direct and personalised learning than traditional methods would allow. Technology was used in the case school by teachers to leverage students’ engagement and motivation, while both parties leveraged aspects of the technology to improve the accessibility of learning. Students used technology to gain more autonomy and independence. Key barriers and limitations were the high demands on infrastructure to support the technology, friction with the traditional classroom, and the prevalence of off-task student behaviour. The study concluded that to realise the perceived benefits of the technology used in the case school, there must be thorough and precise training in the technology for both teachers and students, an explicit understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of technology that could be leveraged when planning programs of learning, and robust infrastructure.

I disseminated my findings and recommendations to SLT at the case school. This is because these individuals have the capability to enact the recommendations, should they be persuaded. They also do not necessarily have daily first-hand experiences or oversight of how technology is being used around the school, due to the high-autonomy norms of the school and could benefit from the insight given by this research. I had met with some key members of the leadership them – the head teacher, the head of secondary, and the head of maths – before embarking on my project, to discuss and be transparent about my research as I would be using school time and access in part to complete it.At this time, they expressed interest in project and I would like to show my appreciation by involving them in this final stage. SLT has a need to plan effectively with knowledge of how technology is being used in the school. SLT is responsible for planning continuous improvement by making key decisions about the curriculum, staff development and resourcing. In my research, I provide SLT with this insight and knowledge. I also make recommendations, based on the findings, about how this planning and decision-making could be most effective. I have generated knowledge on how to improve the effectiveness of technology in the case school, by drawing upon the experiences and perceptions of individuals in the case school who interact with it daily. I have provided SLT with information about how technology is currently being used and perceived in the school, the potential for its development and how we might begin to bridge this gap. The knowledge will impact this audience by giving them the means to recognise and work towards achieving the potential of technology in the case school. The audience here is in a unique position to achieve this due to the school’s existing priority focus and heavy resourcing for technology. SLT can recognise the impact of my study by enacting the recommendations I set out: initially by acknowledging the findings of the study in determining the value and best use of technology, and then by following the further recommendations on how to realise this in context.