Sharing Student Projects

This dissertation aimed to obtain the views of children in Year 6 who receive pupil premium funding (PPF) regarding their upcoming transition to secondary school as these children are largely absent from studies that focus on primary-secondary school transition (Cook et al., 2020; Smyth & Privalko, 2022). PPF is a government scheme that provides schools with money to support children who live in a lower socio-economic status (SES) household (GOV.UK, 2022a). Government statistics report that children who receive PPF have lower levels of attainment and are more likely to be excluded from secondary school (Cook et al., 2020; IntegratED, 2020). As well as this, there is research that suggests children from a lower SES background are more likely to experience a negative transition experience. So an insight into how a sample from this group of children feel about primary-secondary transition is needed (Evangelou et al., 2008; Smyth & Privalko, 2022). The research was led by two questions; the first asked what the children thought about their upcoming transition and the second asked about their perceived support networks. Once the researcher had got ethical approval, they contacted schools in Greater Manchester who had 50% or more of its pupils receiving PPF. Staff at schools who agreed to take part handed out information and consent forms to eligible families. The nine children (6 boys and 3 girls) who agreed to participate then took part in interviews during the school day via zoom. Following each interview, the researcher listened back and transcribed the conversation. Finally, they looked across all the interviews, identifying themes in the findings (See table 4). Some of the findings here are similar to other studies, in particular in the mixture of feelings that children have towards transition and some of the worries that they spoke about (Rice et al., 2021; Strand, 2019; Topping, 2011). The findings linked to the second research question, which asked about the participants support networks, fills a gap in the current research as less is known about this aspect of transition, especially from children who receive PPF (Smyth & Privalko, 2022; Spernes, 2020).

The findings from this research can potentially be useful for Year 6 and Year 7 teachers as well as wider educational policy makers. The participants were able to share their experiences and perspectives on transition to secondary school as well as highlighting what was important to them with practical ideas for how the process could be improved. Their ideas along with the other findings could be used by education professionals to ensure that their transition policies and procedures match with what children who receive PPF perceive to be useful. In addition, as their excitement and concerns are similar to what other population groups have reported it is likely that any changes that were made would benefit others as well.

The aim of this dissertation was to understand the experiences of students who transitioned to university with undiagnosed Autism/Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The research aimed to do this through three research questions regarding (1) understanding their experiences of their transition, (2) identifying the factors students felt contributed to their experience, such as who they received support from, or what they feel did not help them, and (3) how students reflected on and understood their transition experience in light of receiving an ASC or ADHD diagnosis. The study recruited UK university students and recent graduates who had received either a diagnosis of or referral for ASC or ADHD while at university, as these students would have therefore transitioned to university with these conditions undiagnosed. To address the aims and research questions outlined above, data was collected through the use of online, text-based focus groups. After ethical approval had been granted, the researcher posted questions to the focus groups centred around the research questions outlined above, and participants who agreed to take part were asked to answer these questions, reflecting back on their transition experience. As the focus groups were text-based, participants were able to type their answers to whichever topics they felt comfortable discussing and had up to a week to do so. Participants could also discuss their experiences with other participants in their focus group. Results showed that participants experienced a number of changes across the transition period, including changes to routine and structure, changes in academic expectations and environment, and a new sense of independence. Many students experienced challenges with navigating all these changes at once, which is consistent with existing literature, as students with ASC and ADHD are often found to face additional challenges navigating this (Khalis et al., 2018; Van Hees et al., 2015). Participants in the current research had difficulties coping with the changes, doing so by engaging in heavy drinking or isolating themselves. Participants also noted that they were coping differently to their peers, which is common in students with ASC (e.g., Van Hees et al., 2015), however this was a particular problem for participants in the current study. Both new and existing friendships were perceived as crucial sources of support for participants, while participants noted the lack of support they received from university as something that made their transition more difficult. This is consistent with existing findings (e.g., Khalis et al., 2018; Lambe et al., 2018; Stevens et al., 2023). Finally, students explained how receiving their diagnosis provoked mixed feelings of acceptance and understanding, but frustration over what could have been. Although not in a university context, these mixed emotions regarding diagnosis is common amongst adults diagnosed with ASC or ADHD (e.g., Leedham et al., 2020; Hallerod et al., 2015). From this, it was concluded that students who transitioned to university with undiagnosed ASC and ADHD experienced similar challenges to those who were diagnosed prior to university, however the consequences of these challenges were amplified due to not being able to view difficulties through the context of a diagnosis. The need to further understand these experiences, as well as the barriers to diagnosis and support, was highlighted

The findings from this research may prove useful to universities, researchers, and university students diagnosed with ASC or ADHD. The current study highlights a need for better and more accessible support from universities for students making this transition, so the findings could potentially be used by universities to target the development of support for adjustment to university life. In doing so, if further support was implemented this would potentially benefit all students transitioning to university, however may prove particularly beneficial for students with undiagnosed ASC or ADHD, as demonstrated by the current findings. Finally, the current study highlighted a number of points for future research, such as in elevating the voices of students who transition to university undiagnosed, and facilitating the development of support in universities. If further research is carried out, this may benefit students who transitioned to university with undiagnosed ASC or ADHD, as a better understanding of their experience would be developed, as well as a better understanding of what support could be put into place.

My poster focuses on girls with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). It highlights the strengths, challenges and barriers they face in education. The National Autistic Society (2024) defines autism as a “lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world.”. Whilst at my inclusion placement I was fortunate enough to be able to observe and teach in a class with girls with a diagnosis of autism. However, not one child was the same and the learning was tailored to each of their needs. It showed me that a diagnosis of autism is does not mean that one size fits all and that "If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism" (Shore, 2004, p. 45). It only further stressed how important it is that lessons meet “individual needs” (DfE, 2013.). During my placement, one child was able to begin a task using a visual timer and verbal prompts. In contrast, another child preferred using a ‘Now and Then’ board and needed to see the predictable sequence of the activities to complete a task. The research surrounding girls with autism suggests that there is a bias which is demonstrated by evidence that girls tend to receive their diagnosis later than boys (Beeger et al 2013; Rutherford et al, 2016). Therefore, the meta-analysis which presents autism as more prevalent in males than females with a “ratio of 3:1 male to females” (Loomes et al, 2017) may not be accurate due to skewed data from late or misdiagnosis. Unfortunately, this may be due to autism being perceived as a “boys' disorder” (Riley- Hall, 2012, p.37). Girls may present with a similar level of symptoms as boys and yet this may still be overlooked, for example, having a specific interest is a common autistic trait but if “the interest is “girly” this might be dismissed as normal” (Arky, B,2020). This is also applicable to repetitive behaviours; girls may present with them but in a different “quieter” way to boys (Arky, B, 2020) which causes the symptoms to be missed. The notion of autistic traits being misdiagnosed in girls is supported by “females who present with similar levels of symptoms as males are still less likely to receive a diagnosis” (Geelhand et al, 2019; Russel et al, 2011). Consequently, females will receive less crucial support early on in life compared to males which leaves them at a disadvantage. Girls with autism face many different challenges in the classroom, this includes building and maintaining positive relationships with their peers. Autistic girls can find social interaction elements of primary school the most difficult, such as play times, as they are the “most social and least structured” (Perepa, 2011). During my placement, I observed how turn-taking which is a basic social-skill, but for autistic children can be challenging, caused disputes when one autistic girl refused to take turns with a bicycle. This interaction was re-occurring and teachers in my class combatted this by embedding turn-taking in lessons. Furthermore, Hull et al (2017) found that girls engage in masking to hide their autistic traits to fit in. Girls are able to do this through rehearsing social interactions or jokes to perform in a social setting. The effect of masking is the development of mental health issues as internalizing their symptoms can lead to burn out, resulting in anxiety or stress (Hull et al, 2017). Autistic girls bring many strengths to the classroom despite their various challenges. Kuhn et al, 2021 stated that autistic girls have a strong attention to detail which allows them to become high achievers in areas such as art. I witnessed this skill in my placement as an autistic girl was able to create detailed mini figures out of playdough and even blu-tac, she displayed a talent for art as she was focussed on making these precise sculptures using her own references. Another strength of autistic girls is their problem-solving and analytical skills. Many autistic girls have a unique way of thinking that allows them to solve problems effectively and in an unconventional manner (Otsimo, 2020). To support girls with autism, strategies are put in place. During placement, I observed the effectiveness of visual aids such as visual timetables and ‘now and then’ symbols. These were used as a method of communication and provided the children with the structure of day. Baker et al (2014) found that visual aids can reduce anxiety for autistic girls. I observed this myself as a non-verbal autistic girl became visibly less distressed in the afternoon once the visual timetable was displayed to show which lessons we had before home time. Another strategy is sensory breaks through-out the day, this allows the pupil to take a break from the overwhelming stimuli and provides them a chance to re-focus. I witnessed this be used in a helpful way for the pupil to get rid of excess energy and “prevent meltdowns.”. Implementing short sensory breaks throughout the day was important for allowing the child to self- regulate.

I chose to focus on girls with autism following my initial research into autism. I quickly recognised the very particular challenges and difficulties that girls with autism face in education and this led me to dive deeper to gain further insight. I am drawn to the unique ways girls with autism are represented and how they navigate the education system and classroom environment. I hope to advocate for girls with autism in my future career and begin to decrease the high statistical misdiagnoses by having a solid awareness and understanding. Alongside this it is important to note the impact of my experience during my inclusion placement. I was placed in a special school in a year 3 classroom where all the children had a special education need or disability. Half of the class consisted of girls with a diagnosis of autism. This placement gave me an amazing opportunity to observe how inclusivity was not only embraced but ingrained into the classroom environment to not just facilitate but celebrate diversity. Not only did it deepen my understanding on how to make children feel safe and happy in the classroom, but it also gave me an indispensable insight on how teachers can remove barriers to education and ensure the curriculum is accessible.

The findings highlight that the sample of preschool leaders in the UK possess a basic understanding of neuroscience and executive function knowledge, and amongst that, a prevalent belief in neuroscience misconceptions. Firstly, the findings emphasised there were no differences in preschool leaders’ euroscience literacy, neuromyth prevalence, and executive function knowledge scores for those with different years of experience and qualification levels. These findings are consistent with existing research in the field (Bissessar & Youssef, 2021; Im et al., 2018). Secondly, the findings highlight that there were significant associations between preschool leaders’ neuroscience literacy, neuromyth prevalence, and executive function knowledge scores. This finding was also consistent with other research in the field (Ferrero et al., 2016; Gleichgerrcht et al., 2015; Ruiz-Martin et al., 2022). Thirdly, the findings outlined that qualification level was a significant predictor of pedagogical approaches for neurodiverse children, years of experience and executive function knowledge predicted pedagogical decisions for the ADHD pupil’s vignette and overall general neuroscience literacy and neuromyth scores of preschool leaders did not significantly predict the pedagogical decisions for the neurodiverse and neurotypical vignettes. Finally, all variables, years of experience, qualification level, neuroscience literacy, neuromyth prevalence, and executive function knowledge did not predict preschool leaders’ pedagogical approach for the neurotypical pupil. To the researcher’s knowledge, the present study provides the first evidence that years of experience, qualification level, and executive function knowledge are significant predictors of pedagogy towards neurodiverse pupils for preschool leaders in the UK. To explore whether the findings from this study translate into the classroom, future research could adopt a mixed-method approach using these measures paired with interviews and observations to measure pedagogical decision-making in the classroom. A key recommendation is that preschool professionals are educated on specific neuroscience knowledge, including executive functions and neuroscience misconceptions. It is crucial that preschool professionals can understand executive function and dysfunction to put appropriate support in place for children early in their neurodevelopment in order to maximise educational outcomes. Preschool professionals play a pivotal role in children’s executive function development, which in turn significantly predicts their academic achievement in later life. Therefore, preschool leaders and teachers should seek training on executive functioning to aid pedagogical approaches and boost pupil achievement. A further recommendation is for policymakers to consider including specific executive function training into the early career framework and initial teacher training routes for preschool educators. Promoting preschool professionals’ executive functioning knowledge requires a comprehensive approach and collaborative efforts across support systems to create an inclusive school and community. Further support and training could also be provided through the preschool setting.

The research findings hold significant implications and recommendations. Implementing executive functioning and neuromyth training to teaching professionals in the preschool community, who are pivotal to paediatric neurodevelopment, may support them making more appropriate, evidence-based pedagogical approaches. The findings in this study may not only impact children’s educational outcomes but may also have an effect on their school readiness (Ansari et al., 2021; Gibb et al., 2021). With relevant knowledge of executive functioning preschool professionals, can adapt their teacher-led input and classroom activities to enhance educational outcomes. Parents of neurodiverse pupils may also benefit from the findings in this research, upskilling themselves to understand the neurological underpinnings of their children’s behaviour. Parents can actively engage with preschools to support their children’s learning and enhance their children’s environment at home. At a policy and governmental level, policymakers in the Department of Education could consider implementing these suggestions into initial preschool teacher training routes and early career frameworks and also by disseminating the word to preschools all around the UK to promote the importance of EF knowledge, awareness of neuromyths in their continuous professional development. At an educational psychology level, future psychological and educational assessment techniques could include executive functioning measures to understand teachers’ level of executive functioning knowledge and whether this supports learning methods provided by educational psychologists. At an academic researcher level, future research could adopt a mixed-method approach using the neuroscience literacy, neuromyth, and executive function knowledge measures paired with interviews and observations to measure pedagogical decision-making in the classroom to further understand these associations with broader populations such as primary school and early years foundation teachers.

The number of children and adolescents in the UK reporting that they are experiencing poor mental health and emotional wellbeing (MHEWB) is increasing. Teachers can play a valuable role in supporting students as they see them regularly and are able to notice changes in their mood or appearance. They are often the first point of call for a concerned parent or a young person in distress. Their support is especially important during a child's time at secondary school, when they undergo substantial physical and social change. It is also around this time that symptoms of long-term mental health conditions may first appear. However, the findings of previous research undertaken with secondary school teachers have demonstrated that they have different understandings of what their role in supporting students’ MHEWB should be. These studies have also found also lack training, as it is not a compulsory component of initial teacher training programmes in the UK. This study aimed to understand how secondary school teachers in the UK perceive the role they play in supporting students’ MHEWB and their beliefs in their ability to carry out this task, what shaped these beliefs and how teachers would like to be supported. The target population was teachers who worked at secondary schools in the UK. Teachers who were responsible for leading on mental health at a whole school level, such as senior mental health leads, were not eligible to participate. Six teachers working in a range of different school contexts (e.g., state-funded, independent) were interviewed for the study. After participants gave informed consent, they were invited to take part in online interviews via Zoom. The interviews were recorded and coded to identify common themes across participants’ responses. In total, four themes were identified: expectations of teachers; teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs, training versus experience and teachers’ wants and needs. Participants believed that they should support students’ MHEWB but the responsibility they believed they should and could take for this was shaped by the resources available in their schools. Participants who worked in better-resourced schools felt that their role was to identify students’ concerns and refer these on, whereas those teaching in schools with fewer resources already found it challenging to balance their academic and pastoral responsibilities. Participants lacked confidence in their ability to support students’ mental health; their responses suggested this could be due to a lack of training and teacher stress. To increase their confidence to support students’ MHEWB, some participants wanted to receive more training, particularly around supporting students from minority groups, such as those identifying as LGBTQ+. Some wanted to receive more structured support, such as counselling, for their own MHEWB. Research into secondary school teachers’ experiences of supporting students’ MHEWB is a growing area. By understanding the factors that increase and detract from teachers’ confidence in carrying out this work, this study highlights how teachers can be better supported to fulfil this aspect of their role. Future research can continue to develop understanding of how teachers can be better enabled to support students’ MHEWB. Collaborative research with students from minority groups could also build understanding of how they would like to be supported by teachers.

This research has the potential to benefit government policy as it provides insight into the challenges schools and teachers in the UK face in supporting students’ MHEWB. The findings suggest that some schools need additional funding for more staff and additional services to support students. The study also supports the findings of previous research which has demonstrated that there is inconsistency in the way in which MHEWB is addressed by different teacher training providers, leaving some teachers’ feeling that they lack the knowledge to support students effectively. Hence, making MHEWB a mandatory component of initial teacher training programmes could increase teachers’ beliefs in their ability to recognise signs of poor MHEWB in students. Within schools, school leaders can coordinate whole school approaches to MHEWB to ensure that staff and students’ wellbeing is prioritised. By clearly defining the responsibilities they expect teachers to take on to support students’ MHEWB, school leaders may prevent teachers from taking on more responsibility than is realistic. Teachers should also be given adequate time and space to be able to build positive relationships with students, which may encourage students to be more forthcoming with their concerns. School leaders should also consult staff to understand which professional development opportunities around MHEWB will be helpful, relevant to the school’s context and realistically manageable, given the existing demands on teachers’ time.

This dissertation aimed to understand how teachers view and implement Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) in secondary schools in the UK. A diverse group of 6 secondary school teachers were interviewed using the MindUP program as a discussion prompt. The goal was to explore the challenges they face, their beliefs about mindfulness, and their preferences for support. The interviews, conducted via Zoom during school summer holidays, were recorded and transcribed for analysis. Reflexive Thematic Analysis (Braun et al., 2023) was applied using NVivo 12 software, allowing systematic organization, coding, and identification of recurring themes. Ethical considerations included safeguarding participant anonymity and providing support for potential distress. The study underwent ethical review at the University of Manchester. The findings revealed that while teachers are familiar with mindfulness and hold positive views, barriers like limited resources and pressure from school authorities hinder implementation. Through reflexive thematic analysis, three key themes were identified: Diverse Teacher Perspectives on Interventions, Existing Implementation Challenges, and Crafting Another Pathway for the Success of MBIs. These findings align with existing evidence and literature on mindfulness interventions in educational settings, corroborating the positive attitudes of teachers towards mindfulness practices. The identified challenges, such as resource constraints and time pressures, resonate with prior studies, emphasizing the recurring barriers faced in implementing new interventions. Additionally, the emphasis on personalized approaches and the pivotal role of school leadership in supporting mental health initiatives aligns with existing literature highlighting the significance of tailored strategies and administrative backing for successful intervention adoption in schools. The study contributes to the literature by providing nuanced insights into teachers' beliefs, self-efficacy, and the need for individualized support, further enriching the understanding of how mindfulness interventions can be effectively integrated into diverse educational contexts.

The real-world applications of this research extend to various stakeholders, including schools, educational practitioners, teachers, students, parents, and the broader public. Schools and educational practitioners can benefit by gaining insights into effective strategies for implementing mindfulness interventions, fostering a positive school climate, and addressing challenges related to time, resources, and individual needs. Teachers stand to benefit from increased support, a personalized approach, and improved self-efficacy, contributing to their well-being and professional development. Students may experience reduced stress and anxiety through well-implemented mindfulness programs. Parents can benefit from knowing that their children are in environments that prioritize holistic well-being. They are also seen as playing a crucial part of maintaining benefits of MBIs that happen in school. The general public can gain awareness of the importance of mindfulness in education, potentially influencing cultural perceptions and societal attitudes toward mental health support in schools. The impacts are educational, cultural, and societal, with the potential to inform policy, influence teaching practices, and contribute to a broader understanding of the role of mindfulness in education.