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This paper reports the findings of a mixed-methods study which investigates the socio-cultural impacts of UK gendered school sport uniform and the role uniform plays in shaping female school sport experiences. Drawing on an extensive analytical survey with over 400 women of all-ages and 8 interviews with women aged 18-24, it explores how school sport uniform directly impacts female sporting experiences and participation in physical activity, and how uniform policy could be changed to promote greater female sport participation. Gendered school sport uniform continues to operate as a socio-spatial mechanism that names, frames and positions young people in heteronormative school sport spaces. This paper assesses how gendered school sport uniform contributes to the disciplining of the 'ideal feminine body' in schoolgirls and the construction of behavioural gender binaries in sport. The data reveal gendered sport uniform influences the development of a 'fear of masculinisation' in sport and common athletic-feminine identity tensions in teenage girls. The research finds gendered school sport uniform plays a major role in the high drop-out rates of teenage girls in school sport and offers practical insight into how policy could be changed to promote inclusivity, comfort and greater female sport participation. This paper proposes redesigning traditional gendered school sport policy to focus on 'enabling' participation has huge potential to transform female embodied and psychological experiences of school sport and increase school sport participation and enjoyment.

This paper aims to explore how social work students can support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ+) young people in schools. Drawing on the reflective practice portfolio documents of four students who worked with LGBTQ+ young people in a school as part of a social workers in school (SWIS) student placement project, the article uses thematic analysis to identify how the students were able to support young people identifying as LGBTQ+. The article subscribes to a poststructuralist theoretical framework which sees gender and sexual identities as multiple, fragmented and constructed in relation to others and within the systems of knowledge and power that exist in schools. The article demonstrates the benefit to schools of having social work students on practice placement. The students' own reflections critically contemplate the way in which they were able to spend more prolonged periods of time with young people than the teachers could, both with individuals and LGBTQ+ groups. The students' reflective portfolios show the value of the school placements to their own development of knowledge and skills

Bullying is a considerable problem among school students, and school-wide positive behaviour support interventions are regarded as helpful in addressing it. One approach is the CATZ Cross-age Teaching Zone anti-bullying intervention. The present study assessed the social validity of the CATZ anti-bullying intervention among a sample of 9-15-year-olds in a pre-post experimental design (N = 817, of which 546 experienced CATZ). Overall, participants expressed moderately positive views of the CATZ anti-bullying intervention, and these became significantly stronger following direct experience of it. Among participants who experienced the CATZ anti-bullying intervention, social validity ratings predicted a greater willingness to engage in it in the future. Alongside the extant data for its effectiveness, our findings support the wider use of the CATZ anti-bullying intervention in schools, and suggestions for how this might be brought about are discussed.

This small-scale pilot study aimed to establish how the mode of response in an examination affects candidates' performances on items that require an extended answer. The sample comprised 46 17-year-old students from two classes (one in a state secondary school and one in a state sixth-form college), who sat a mock A-level English Literature examination. The analysis compared writing produced on screen and on paper to try to uncover any systematic differences between the two modes of delivery. The study considered the linguistic features of the texts produced in each mode, the marks achieved and the views of the participants regarding the use of computers in essay-based examinations. The study found that the response mode had a small effect on the length of essay produced, in that students using a computer wrote more, and on the type of language used, in that students writing on paper used denser but less varied language. There was very little effect on the marks achieved. Participants expressed a variety of concerns about computer-based examinations, such as noisy keyboards, assessment of spelling, and unfairness towards those who are less comfortable with the technology.

Involving young people in the co-production of whole-school wellbeing strategies is aligned with the United Nations rights of the child and current UK legislation. This exploratory participatory action research (PAR) project aimed to facilitate teacher-student collaboration in one high school to develop whole-school practice with a focus on assessment. Training videos were co-created focusing on students' assessment experiences and ways to improve wellbeing and performance. Reflexive thematic analysis of the data identified key facilitators and challenges to the PAR process, alongside insights into students' assessment experiences. The paper concludes that PAR has the potential to empower young people and open channels of communication between students and teachers. Implications for educational psychology (EP) practice and future research are discussed.

This paper examines identity construction for young people with dyslexia, based on their educational experiences during and after their transition to mainstream secondary education. The study is based on interviews with 20 English individuals who contributed their perceptions of how their identity was shaped by their experiences. Some of the most important experiences for dyslexic young people and the main themes discussed here are: experiences of support (or the lack of it), their perceptions around literacy and academic achievement and important others. Symbolic interactionism is used as a theoretical to further understand academic performance in a western society, where this is a highly significant aspect of life for many learners and their parents. In a society where literacy and academic achievement are highly privileged over any other form of achievement, academic identities are 'fractured' a notion explored here, alongside other factors that contribute to that academic identity development process.

This paper reports a small-scale action research project aimed at helping a school whose teachers were concerned about the behaviour and achievement of their Year 8 group. Two focus group was used to identify any worries or concerns of pupils in Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9; aged 11-14). These concerns were further explored using a ranking exercise completed by all 486 pupils across the three year groups. The same pupils then completed the 'Psychological Sense of School Membership' questionnaire. The results of the ranking exercise are reported. The pupils' scores on the PSSM questionnaire suggests that pupils in Year 8 identified least with the aims of the school. The scores did show that a third (33%) of the pupils in Year 8 scored at a level regarded as 'of serious concern'on the PSSM questionnaire indicating a negative view of the school. The results of the both exercises were shared with the teachers and a plan drawn up th improve the school's pupil management. Further development of this initiative was bought to a halt by the closure of the school in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A challenge for using evaluation data to improve climate change education in schools is access to an instrument for teachers to measure behavioral changes and their antecedents. We report on teachers' implementation of a brief survey measuring climate-related beliefs, self-efficacy, intention to act, action, and anxiety before and after their program of climate change education for students (aged 11-14 years, N = 62). Results indicated improvement in self-efficacy but not in students' intention to act. This prompted teaching staff to generate modifications aimed at fostering greater behavioral change, with staff discussion focused on students' emotions and revisions characterized by creative, affect-driven approaches. Our paper demonstrates how data from a reproducible evaluation tool can inform teachers' efforts to improve their practice.

A key purpose of the Foundation Year provision is to prepare students, often from a widening participation background, for their undergraduate study. Research has established that access to academic discourse and disciplinary knowledge is, to a large extent, dependent on students' academic language and literacy skills, including oracy skills. However, little attention is paid to oracy skills in the higher education literature, and less so in the context of a Foundation Year. In this paper, we explore Foundation Year students' and teachers' perceptions of the importance of oracy skills in preparing for undergraduate study. We also investigate Foundation Year students' confidence in these skills at the start of their university programme. Initial findings suggest that whilst teachers and students report oracy skills are important for undergraduate study, they disagree on which subdomains of skills are the most important. Quantitative data suggests students report confidence in their oracy skills upon entering higher education, however, qualitative data suggest a more nuanced picture, with students reporting a desire for more small group practice. Drawing on these insights, we make suggestions for explicitly teaching oracy skills in Foundation Year. This would not only raise the status of oracy skills as a key part of the Foundation Year curriculum but also emphasise the relationship between widening participation, oracy skills and academic achievement.

The purpose of this review study was to conduct a thematic exploration of prior studies related to the transition between primary and secondary school. The aim of the paper was to discover (1) the extent of earlier research, (2) how earlier research thematises social and emotional issues, and (3) suggestions of those studies concerning how to improve schools. Searches were conducted across four international databases of peer-reviewed research to identify articles published in the last decade on the topic 'transition between primary and secondary school'. Articles related to social and emotional issues were further selected, and thematic analysis was conducted on the selected 29 articles to identify the topical focus. This review study draws attention to the importance of understanding challenges related to the transition between primary and secondary school. Overall, the analysed studies indicate that this is an important focus for educational research. Key issues related to support and wellbeing/bullying have emerged, which clarify the importance of further research in this field. The present study may also contribute to increasing awareness among policy makers and school leaders of the challenges related to the transition between primary and secondary school.

This research explores one-to-one, formal mentoring relationships between students in higher education and their partnered mentees from community and secondary school environments. The purpose is to enhance understanding of mentoring praxis, bringing insight into structures and support of relationships. This paper addresses gaps in the literature by focusing more on the interaction that takes place rather than the benefits of mentoring alone. The research adopts an interpretive methodological approach, incorporating qualitative methods of semi-structured interviews with mentors and mentees. Reflective portfolios, completed by students as an assessment for the university's Mentoring in the Community module, are another adopted method. Findings are presented in a framework model encompassing key components of mentoring interaction (see Figure 1). This model represents a two-way process in which mentors and mentees interact, participate, and build a relationship despite differences in socioeconomic grouping, background, and character. It is hoped that mentoring projects can engage, refine, and apply the theoretical model devised from this research in programmes to ensure that relationships supporting vulnerable children, young people, and adults are able to stride forward; to help individuals achieve their full potential in all aspects of life; as well as to discover a trusted companion along the way.

Aims: The aim of this research was to use Psychological Sense of Community (PSOC) theory to explore Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) children's experiences of school as community. Rationale: This paper is based on conceptualisations of social justice which emphasise cultural recognition as involving the full and equal participation of all groups in society. The paper explores the experiences of GRT children in school using PSOC theory as a lens, to provide insights for practices which support cultural recognition of GRT pupils in schools. Method: An interpretive methodology was adopted. Following a period of familiarisation with a local GRT community, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six individual children supported by a visual tool. These were analysed using deductive thematic analysis. Findings: The children's experiences of school community varied. Some enjoyed positive peer relationships and recognition in school and appeared to have some sense of membership, influence and shared emotional connection in school. Others experienced emotional connection with GRT peers but felt disconnected from the wider school. The role of teachers was highlighted as important in signalling GRT children's status to peers. Children had mixed views about influencing the community by increasing others' awareness of GRT culture. The findings also suggested that the children's experience of learning did not support the integration and fulfilment of need element of PSOC. Conclusions: The findings present a complex picture challenging EPs to consider their understanding of community in order to support practices which recognise minority groups and their varied experiences. They suggest risks involved in activities highlighting GRT identity without attending to issues of status in the school community. There are implications for how schools can support GRT children to realise their aspirations within the context of their own cultural practices. There is also recognition that in supporting practices which recognise GRT pupils, EPs and schools need to work closely with Traveller Education Support Services who may provide boundary crossing role.

This paper argues that an Arts-Based Research (ABR) methodology, drawing on the Ethnofiction work of filmmaker Jean Rouch, can facilitate new ways of researching mathematics, science and education more generally by: (i) making past learning experiences more accessible and (ii) considering the affective engagement of the audience as interrogator of research to open up myriad understandings of research data. Here, dissemination and impact are positioned as 'inside' the research process, rather than 'informed by' or directed by the outcome of research. The paper discusses the research film "Performatics: Performing stories of mathematical identity through filmed drama Performatics" https://vimeo.com/147449932, and a scene "which shows" Claire (a postgraduate student studying quantitative analysis), in a scene entitled 'Sum Anxiety', as she dramatizes an experience from the secondary school mathematics classroom. A moment, which Claire expresses as pivotal in negatively affecting her as a mathematics learner; an experience still viscerally felt.

All disciplines have particular ways of knowing, common practices, and means of using language that mediate and potentially support engagement with the discipline. For multilingual learners, language demands of a discipline can be a closed door or a facilitated entryway. Drama and theater arts, the focus of our article, are often marginalized in curricula across the grades and therefore receive less attention to relevant disciplinary activities and language demands. In response to this pattern, our paper has several aims. We highlight ways language demands are embedded in drama and theater arts curricula and activities. Second, we describe and analyze ways instruction can attend to these demands and support multilingual learners' engagements with them. Third, we distill a set of principles that can guide teachers, guest artists, and teacher educators in their work on drama and theater arts with multilingual student populations. To accomplish these aims, we draw upon our own and others' teaching and research to frame instructional practices that support multilingual students' engagements with drama and theater activities. Engagements we describe span early childhood through high school years. Tapping our own work in several US states (Illinois, North Carolina, California), as well as in Argentina and the UK, we present data and themes from a high school study featuring drama and theater arts practices used with multilingual learners. We examine how principles from our framework are illustrated in data of the study. We also identify challenges and critical adaptations that may be needed to realize the potential of drama in work with multilingual students. Principles we identify may aid teachers, guest artists, and teacher educators in shaping drama and theater arts activities that spotlight language demands of the discipline(s) of drama and theater and provide supportive and meaningful instruction.

This paper investigates beginning BSc Physical Education (PE) students' views and experiences of the outsourcing of PE in the UK. Outsourcing involves the provision of PE by external providers such as sports coaches. PE in the UK (and other neoliberal Western contexts) is a site in which outsourcing has become increasingly normalised. I anticipated that, as first year undergraduates, the participants would have relatively recent experience of outsourcing as pupils/students (i.e. experience of receiving outsourced PE provision). Data were generated through written narratives (n = 16), completed on the participants' first day at university, and follow-up semi-structured interviews (n = 10). Drawing on a Foucaultian theoretical framework, I employed a poststructural type of discourse analysis concerned with analysing patterns in language. Referring to PE, the participants drew heavily on a sport discourse, often conflating PE and sport and emphasising the necessity of teachers having knowledge and experience of sports content and skills, as well as a pedagogical discourse (and, to a lesser extent, a 'healthy lifestyles' discourse). The participants had a range of experiences of outsourcing in PE, particularly at primary level. They were in favour of primary PE being taught by either specialist PE teachers, or sports coaches (rather than generalist teachers alone). They spoke positively about their experiences of external provision at both primary and secondary school. While few critical comments were provided, participants raised concerns about external providers' pedagogical knowledge, and some questioned if teachers might feel devalued by external providers being brought in to teach aspects of their curriculum. In general, while the participants recognised teachers' pedagogical expertise, they also valued external providers' perceived content knowledge and sporting experience. As such, by conflating PE and sport, they considered that PE should be taught by sport 'experts' and that external providers could enhance schools' internal capabilities.

The voices of young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have historically been omitted from research concerning their sporting experiences and provisions [Coates, J., & Vickerman, P. (2013). A review of methodological strategies for consulting children with special educational needs in physical education. "European Journal of Special Needs Education," 28(3), 333-347. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2013.797705; Wickman, K. (2015). Experiences and Perceptions of Young Adults with Physical Disabilities on Sports. "Social Inclusion," 3(3), 39-50. https://doi.org/10.17645/si.v3i3.158]. Consequently, this paper, informed by innovative participatory methods for exploring the experiences of young people with SEND who engaged in UK School Games, offers insight on inclusive school sport from the perspectives of young people with SEND. Participants included young people aged 11-18 with a range of SEND (n = 18) who attended three different types of school (mainstream college, mainstream secondary with designated SEND provision and a secondary special school). The research design encompassed young people with SEND vlogging their experiences across two inclusive School Games county finals, video editing workshops replacing traditional follow-up methods before culminating in a series of young people-led showcases. Data were analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis, whereby the vlog audio was detached and transcribed verbatim before the analysis was performed consisting of a hybrid use of Nvivo10 and traditional coding techniques. Findings and discussion document the experiences of young people with SEND at the inclusive School Games competitions across three themes; Opportunities for inclusive school sport, Challenging perceptions and Meaningful School Games. The implications of these findings will be valuable to teachers and other stakeholders seeking to provide inclusive school sport and the methodology is of interest to researchers wishing to engage young people in participatory research.

Background: The work forms part of a study conducted in the UK at the time of the "Principia" Mission, in which the British astronaut, Tim Peake, went to the International Space Station. Purpose: This paper describes the development and use of an on-line instrument to measure young people's attitudes to STEM subjects and to human spaceflight. Sample: 555 primary students and 796 secondary students completed all three surveys. Students were aged 9 and 12 at the first data collection point. Design and methods: The study as a whole was a three-year, mixed-methods study combining a large-scale survey of attitudes to STEM subjects and to human spaceflight with interviews with participating students and staff. This paper reports the survey data. Data were gathered at three points: prior to the "Principia" Mission, shortly after, and approximately one year later. Results: Students were positive about the value of STEM subjects, and about space science. Paired t-tests showed few significant differences in the pre- and post-surveys. There was a downward trend from primary to secondary age groups in relation to considering careers in STEM subjects and in space science. Primary students retained more interest in STEM subjects and showed increased interest in aspects of space science than secondary students. Boys were more positive about space than girls, and more likely to see themselves working in STEM areas or space science. Conclusion: The study suggests that spaceflight as a context stimulates immediate situational interest in students, but not longer-term interest. Thus, there does not appear to be a case for substantially increasing coverage of space science in the school curriculum. However, the findings point to the desirability of including more information about careers, including careers in space science, in STEM lessons.

This paper explores the influences of design on the perceptions and actions of students and teachers at four UK secondary schools. Typical post occupancy evaluations focus on environmental issues such as acoustics, lighting and temperature, using predominantly quantitative methods that often fail to explore how different environmental and social factors interact dynamically with users through time. There is also a lack of attention to the ways in which the processes of occupation may shape the experience of such spaces. This paper reports on one area of a wider study that involved case study profiling to document a range of key issues experienced by teachers and students at each of these schools, thus extending previous evidence on the ways in which habitation alters or rejects original design. These findings contribute to the development of a more holistic understanding of the ways in which design may contribute to processes of pedagogic transformation.

A survey was carried out to determine whether the way Design is taught at secondary and university level in the UK, adequately prepares pupils who choose to pursue a career in design and then to determine ways that it could be improved. A survey was completed with 13 participants, studying design at university, to discover from their perspective what skills were being taught and what skills they thought would benefit them to learn in more depth prior to university. The survey, moreover, contained a couple of questions targeted at participants who had undertaken some time out in industry to determine what advance information they felt would have been of benefit before their time in industry. This information combined with 3 interviews with current design graduates working in industry, was aimed at providing a view of what was required from the design industry. Of the participants who had spent time in industry, 100% of them felt better communication between industry and the education system would lead to better designers. 85% felt that design specific skills and the process of how to design needed to be taught in more depth. The major areas included in this were the ability to sketch and therefore express ideas better, CAD skills, and the ability to use programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator to display ideas. These were all areas that students felt had they learnt them at secondary school in more depth, or at all, would have aided them during study for their university degree. Next were the additional skills that the 3 design graduates and 12 placement students felt would have been beneficial to learn. It was also felt that enhanced experience of Photoshop and Illustrator at university would have made the introduction to some jobs easier, and that rather than it be taught as part of the syllabus currently they had to learn it themselves. The other main point was that better overall business skills and business understanding would have been highly beneficial. This included the ability to present ideas, both orally and on paper, brainstorming skills, teamwork and the ability to cost ideas.

This study was conducted at an important chronological turning point with regard to the structure of the Greek community and Greek supplementary schools in the UK. This paper, following a mixed-methods methodology, aims to examine whether pedagogic practices and norms of the past that took place in Greek supplementary schools continue to exist today, in a word of continuous socio-political changes. This is undertaken with a retrospective examination of the education of Greek immigrant children in the UK in the past, an examination of how pre-existing, primordial notions of culture and ethnicity influence pedagogic practices and how these influence students' motivation and identity development at present. The findings call for a revisiting of policies, as well as curricular and pedagogic practices in Greek supplementary education, in order to reflect the current fluid and constantly changing context.

Within neoliberal education systems, elements of marketisation are endemic and this brings with it the invasive pressures of performativity. Against this backdrop, discipline in schools is in many instances being more closely monitored and tightly controlled, with the implementation of strict and in some cases 'zero-tolerance' behaviour management policies. Can such an emphasis on compliance and control feed into greater educational inequality and marginalisation and if so through what means? This paper elucidates one possible mechanism through which the enforcement of strict behaviour management policies may fuel marginalisation -- namely through inappropriate use of internal exclusions, via an example of courtesy stigma that I term 'labelling by association with siblings.' This emerges as part of a wider ethnographic study into marginalised students in secondary school. The student participants have each spent time outside the mainstream classroom setting, working instead in an on-site withdrawal unit. Through poignant first-hand telling of his experiences, one marginalised student exemplifies and illustrates such labelling by association with his siblings and its consequences. He is adamant that this indelible association with his brother marked him out and stigmatised him, with very real and profound consequences for his educational trajectory or 'moral career', as well as for his permissible learner identities. Close monitoring of internal exclusions, or reforms promoting a more nuanced approach to behaviour management -- preferably in conjunction with a reversal of neoliberal inroads into education- are needed, to mitigate the barrier to educational equality which internal exclusion though labelling by association with siblings presents.

Background: Educational interventions are often complex, and their outcomes could be due to factors not focused on in the impact evaluation. Therefore, educational evaluations using a randomised control trial (RCT) design approach need to go beyond obtaining the impact results alone. Purpose: Process evaluation is embedded in the evaluation design in order to enhance contextual understanding of the outcome results achieved from an RCT. However, in the context of evaluation studies, reporting on the fidelity to the research design protocol is also important and can be undertaken by the same process evaluation approaches as used for studying the mechanism of interventions. Research design and method: This paper reports on two RCTs in which school staff led the trials themselves in their schools -- in an aggregated trial study managed and conducted at secondary school cluster-level, with expert advice from us, as independent evaluation advisors. The interventions implemented for evaluation were two highly structured programmes that targeted improvement in the literacy attainment of pupils who were at risk of failing to achieve the expected levels. Assessing the effect on literacy performance was the primary objective. However, the research design included methods for understanding the process of the interventions being implemented. Our main findings on the feasibility of aggregated trials led by schools are informed by our process evaluation, which included participant observations of the training, session observations of the interventions being implemented, and interviews with pupils, teachers and school leaders. Data on fidelity to the interventions were collected, and, using similar techniques, we also evaluated the feasibility of the research process led by school leaders and the possible barriers and challenges of RCT management by schools. We included information on randomisation procedures, perceptions of pupils and teachers involved in the study, and the programme website resources. Results: The primary outcome results of the trials showed promise from the interventions, in raising disadvantaged pupils' reading scores during transition from primary to secondary school stage. The process evaluation revealed considerable potential benefits from involving school leaders as evaluators, and the paper describes a way forward here. However, there were some indications that there was not full compliance with the randomisation process, and this might have resulted in initial imbalance of pre-tests scores between the treatment and control groups in one trial. Conclusion: Process evaluation cannot answer research questions regarding impact outcomes, but for a general understanding of outcomes it is important to report how the impact results have been achieved. This is where rich, in-depth data of the kind we describe can assist.

This paper is concerned with the use of e-learning in secondary education. It is based on research that has taken place over a period of two years with students aged 14-16 (Key Stage 4). The paper considers the current research in e-learning and identifies the challenges faced by students, the changing role of the learner, and the impact elearning can have on students. The author argues that preparation needs to be carried out at the school level prior to introducing e-learning into the Key Stage 4 curriculum. It concludes by discussing the findings of the research which identifies a range of issues schools may want to consider, when embracing e-learning.

Transitions are an unavoidable part of life, often conceptualised as 'make it or break it periods'. They are important for personal growth and learning but can also be damaging in terms of our psychological wellbeing. Primary-secondary school transition is no exception and can heavily draw on children's ability to cope. However, support for children that pays attention to their feelings about the transfer is often lacking. Very few interventions focus on developing children's emotional resilience. There are also problems with the sustainability of such interventions. Thus, the present emotional-centred intervention, "Talking about School Transition" ("TaST"), aims to narrow this gap. The evaluation of the intervention is ongoing and will be reported in a separate publication. Following an introduction of the limitations in supporting children's emotional well-being over primary-secondary school transition within schools, this paper provides details of the TaST intervention, including a brief description of the lessons' content. Attention is given to the design of the TaST intervention and how preliminary research, in combination with psychological theory and existing research, have informed the intervention content. The proposed research has short-term implications for present participating Year 6 children's adjustment and provides professionals working in schools with the knowledge and resources necessary to deliver TaST. In addition to this, the research has long-term implications for the field in highlighting the importance of supporting children's emotional wellbeing over this period.

Transitioning from primary school to secondary school is an important and defining stage for many pupils which can bring both positive and negative effects on pupil's wellbeing. It is a time that involves rapid physical, social and emotional development which can bring about feelings of loneliness, pressure of social acceptance, stress and a rise in depression and anxiety. While not all pupils will experience negative transition-related challenges, and post transition anxiety may settle within the first term, for a number of pupils the transition is an overwhelming process which requires a lot of support. Yet, little is known about the supportive relational practices that might attenuate the challenges pupils face as they move to secondary school. This article investigated the experiences of 8 newly transitioned Year 7 pupils as well as viewpoints and perceptions of 6 secondary school teachers. Specifically, the paper sought to understand the role of social and emotional learning (SEL) during the transition phase and the support systems in place to develop the pupils. The results from the semi-structured interviews highlighted the importance of belonging during this critical phase, followed by the need to improve the social processes and transitional support. Thus, in designing transition support activities, such efforts should strive to acclimate new secondary school pupils by providing inclusive, caring environments and positive connections with educators and peers.

The relationship between masculinity and sports that is naturalised and reproduced in PE settings has been well-documented, highlighting contexts that privilege certain boys, limit girls and where many teachers view girls as a problem to be fixed. However, social norms regarding what constitutes feminism, gender and sexism are changing, which may impact the experiences of girls in PE. Drawing on data from an ethnographic case study, this paper explores the experiences in PE of girls who resist traditional feminine identities within a progressive school context. In doing so, we aim to understand how this shift in social norms relating to their gendered identities is played out in context. Guided by Foucault's work around the disciplining nature of power, our analysis revealed several interrelated discursive and structural barriers that limited these girls' learning and opportunities in PE, a surprising finding given the progressive ethos claimed by the school. We conclude by suggesting changes that might make PE truly 'progressive' for all students.

This paper reports on a small scale study in mathematics subject knowledge teaching in a secondary mathematics pre-service teacher education course. "Responsible" or "ambitious" pedagogies are adopted on the course. Accounts taken from a larger study are offered from four participants reflecting on their experiences of the course. Permeating the narrative accounts is a sense of the interviewees' "dispositions" towards learning (and teaching) mathematics and the potentially classed nature of these. Drawing on Bourdieu's concepts of "habitus", "field" and "capital", we argue that these dispositions are related to issues of power with which we need, as researchers and as teacher educators, to engage.

Recently, the "Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency" (2012) have funded programmes designed to advance European citizenship and citizen competences through education. This paper reports on the findings from one project, Creative Connections, designed to encourage the "voices" of young people in exploring European identities. Children (aged 9-16) in 25 schools in six European Union (EU) countries (UK, Finland, Spain, Czech Republic, Portugal and Ireland) developed artworks that explored perceptions of European citizenship. Their art was posted on a secure website and they discussed images with peers using automatic online translated blogs. The project facilitated representations of identity/belonging using a range of media. However, some artworks suggested that children were alienated from "Europe", particularly EU responses to global austerity. This paper uses the theory of "precarity" to examine the ways in which the children expressed their concerns. Some artworks suggest that recent economic and political decisions have had the effect of challenging a sense of shared European citizenship; they resist a positive sense of identification with Europe and demonstrate fear for their future based on their current lives. This indicates that the EU's educational goals to promote citizenship competences may require revision to account for the challenges of contemporary societies.

This paper adds to a growing body of literature which views global citizenship education as part of a broader social and cultural process of subjectivity production. Rather than focus on global citizenship in relation to pedagogy or curriculum content, as much of the previous research literature has done, this paper examines it in relation to the practice of travel. Drawing on data generated in ethnographic fieldwork in two UK schools, the paper explores the way in which the young people in these settings used travel to position themselves as successful, mobile, global citizen subjects. The paper argues that these subjectivities were negotiated as part of a dynamic process: one which took place across multiple spaces, in a myriad of different relationships, and in the deployment of a number of different power relations. The paper concludes with some thoughts about the practice of school travel and how it might effectively be focused upon in future research.

In England, there has been an expansion of different routes into teaching resulting in an increasingly complex and diverse pattern of training provision. This reconfiguration of becoming a teacher is driven by concerns to improve the quality of teachers who are better able to raise standards in schools as well as to ensure a regular supply of teachers for the nation's children. In consequence, there has been a move towards more school-based and school-led programmes set in a market-driven approach to pre-service teacher preparation. A great deal of research has focused on the implications of these structural changes in English teacher education, while much less attention has been paid to the perceptions and experiences of those who enrol on these diverse teacher education programmes. This paper draws on a series of in-depth interviews with twelve trainee teachers following some of the different pathways into teaching in secondary schools. It explores the trainees' rationale for choosing their route and how they describe the advantages and disadvantages of their chosen pathways.

In the UK education system, an 'audit culture' has led to pressures being placed on students to achieve high grades in their GCSEs. It has been suggested that schools are required to achieve good academic results and look after their students' wellbeing, causing a conflict in relation to public examinations, such as GCSEs. School staff support both performance and wellbeing by preparing students for exams. However, research suggests that there is a danger that many underperform, or are negatively affected (emotionally) by exam stress, or both. This paper describes a research project within the UK. The aims of which were to explore the views of students who had recently taken GCSE exams, to gain an understanding of how they felt their GCSE experiences affected their wellbeing and performance, to find out what factors contributed to or alleviated their levels of exam stress, and whether theories relating to exam stress such as Achievement Goal Theory could be used to explain the individual differences in levels of exam stress. Findings and conclusions provided ways to improve the support for students during their GCSEs, improving academic performance and wellbeing.

An uncertain world characterised by the complexity associated with 'Wicked' problems presents formidable challenges for the preparation of teachers. This paper reports on one cycle in a larger action research project in which subject specialist trainee teachers worked in inter-disciplinary groups to design and run classroom-based workshops on climate change for pupils aged 12-14. While the project sought to explore interdisciplinary working, subject specialisms and their values were not abandoned, recognising that diversity can lead to more powerful, collective knowledge being generated. The Wicked problem of climate change was initially examined from different subject perspectives, identifying the opportunities that the work afforded in each subject, along with the challenges that accompanied them. The findings suggest that trainee teachers valued the collaboration and the opportunity to develop different pedagogical approaches used by different subjects. The framing of the project around a Wicked problem supported trainee teachers in understanding that no one subject had an authoritative prerogative over the topic while the disquiet that the interdisciplinary project provoked, in some cases, served to instigate new transformative learning which stretched beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries.

This paper provides education-based researchers and practitioners with the preferred research and design methods used by Higher Education Institute (HEI) students and Key Stage 3 (KS3) pupils applied within a participatory approach to a design activity. The outcomes were that both pupils and students found informal (unstructured) interview to be effective in creating dialogue alongside meeting in person. Students commented on the friendly environment created by staff within which the pupils felt safe to express themselves. They found the co-design activity in some cases difficult due to communication issues. Recommendations are that the HEI students would benefit from a thorough literature review of the medical conditions associated with the pupils and their school activities; an initial informal meeting or group activity involving students and pupils would reduce shyness and perform an icebreaking role prior to the initial interview; the use of drawing templates or low resolution sketch models for pupils to draw on or handle and modify to help define a product specification; and, role playing alongside other visual prompts that enable the pupils to visualise the function of the student-proposed designs. Pupils benefited through seeing professional techniques of visual communication and design practices being applied during the collaboration. (Contains 8 tables and 3 figures.)

This paper reports data from a study investigating distributed leadership (DL) and its relationship to social justice and democratic values. The research comprised a case study of a UK secondary school, which describes itself as having a finely distributed leadership culture, and involved teaching staff, non-teaching staff, senior leaders and students who took part in an arts-based method of data generation (collage creation) and interviews. The study examined participants' meanings and perceptions in relation to leadership and social justice. Our analysis of the data highlights contrasting image patterns (hierarchical and holarchic); a dominant view of DL as the exercise of pro-active agency, but also awareness of ways in which this is unequally spread across the school; and the value of seeing DL as comprising multiple features each of which may be distributed differently. This paper concentrates on participative and cultural justice. It suggests that work on further delineating multiple aspects of DL would be valuable, and that attention needs to be given not only to developing flexibility of institutional structures, but also core cultural values (social justice and democracy) and holarchic social environments in which relationships are fluid, supportive and encourage belonging and independent thinking.

Polymer Chemistry days run by Bristol ChemLabS at the School of Chemistry, University of Bristol for year 10 (14-15 year olds) school students are described. Pre and post questionnaires were analysed to determine the impact on attitudes to science. There was no change in attitudes to the importance of science or practical work in science, but increases were observed in attitudes to learning science in school, self-concept in science, science outside of school and future participation in science. Using a two-tailed t-test at the 2s level of significance (95% confidence level) or higher a "combined interest in science" (combining items from learning science in school, science outside of school and future participation in science) was significantly increased. Using a two-tailed t-test at the 3s level of significance (99% confidence level) or higher self concept in science was increased. Such an increase at such a high tolerance level is noteworthy. Both males and females attitudes to science increased as a result of the polymer workshops but scores for males were consistently higher than for females. Students studying individual science subjects (triple science) and combined science at GCSE (UK) both returned very high scores for enjoyment of the day. The results of these surveys are discussed in detail in the paper.

This paper describes the mixed methodology evaluation of the Own-Voice Intensive Phonics (OVIP) programme with 33 secondary students with persistent literacy difficulties. The evaluation involved a quasi-experimental evaluation in which 33 students in years 7-9 in four schools used OVIP over an 8 week period and were monitored at three times for their word reading, phonic decoding and phonological skills. Students, teaching assistants and teachers involved were also interviewed about the use of OVIP, the perceived processes and outcomes. Assessment results showed that OVIP was associated with greater gains in word reading than these students' usual teaching/intervention approaches. Those interviewed also experienced benefits associated with using OVIP. It was further found that word reading gains were not related to a measure of being at risk of significant literacy difficulties. Participants identified the use of their own voice, the student's agency and working at their own pace as key factors relevant to how OVIP worked. These factors aligned with a working OVIP programme theory. The findings are discussed in terms of further development and research related to an own voice approach to addressing persistent literacy difficulties.

"Setting" is a widespread practice in the UK, despite little evidence of its efficacy and substantial evidence of its detrimental impact on those allocated to the lowest sets. Taking a Bourdieusian approach, we propose that setting can be understood as a practice through which the social and cultural reproduction of dominant power relations is enacted within schools. Drawing on survey data from 12,178 Year 7 (age 11/12) students and discussion groups and individual interviews with 33 students, conducted as part of a wider project on secondary school grouping practices, we examine the views of students who experience setting, exploring the extent to which the legitimacy of the practice is accepted or challenged, focusing on students' negative views about setting. Analyses show that privileged students (White, middle class) were most likely to be in top sets whereas working-class and Black students were more likely to be in bottom sets. Students in the lowest sets (and boys, Black students and those in receipt of free school meals) were the most likely to express negative views of setting and to question the legitimacy and "fairness" of setting as a practice, whereas top-set students defended the legitimacy of setting and set allocations as "natural" and "deserved". This paper argues that setting is incompatible with social justice approaches to education and calls for the foregrounding of the views of those who are disadvantaged by the practice as a tool for challenging the doxa of setting.

East Asian dominance in international large-scale assessments is widely known. This is often explained as an outcome of highly competitive, exam-oriented education systems in East Asia, wherein students partake in a fierce competition for limited college entrance. Although achievement scores may be comparatively higher, the argument goes, the relative success comes at a steep price, with the emphasis on high-stakes tests heightening student stress and anxiety. In this paper we refute this persistent and out-dated stereotype by focusing on changes in Japanese education over the past several decades. The two original studies we report herein show that not only do Japanese students feel less school-related anxiety and stress than they once did, but these levels are now comparable to students in America, Australia, and the United Kingdom. In showing that stereotypes do not match empirical realities, we seek to open a richer discussion around East Asian student achievement. We conclude by extending the discussion to recent changes in China, Taiwan, and South Korea. We then raise the possibility that fundamentally different outlooks on the learning process explain both differences in achievement and the persistence of the West's distorted images of Japanese and East Asian education.

Purpose: In the UK, concern frequently has been voiced that young people lack appropriate employability skills. One way to address this is to provide work based placements. In general, previous research findings have indicated that young people find such placements useful because of help with career choice and relevant skills. However, most studies are retrospective and involve sixth form or degree students. The purpose of this paper is to extend previous research by collecting information before and after the placements. Design/methodology/approach: This investigation involved questionnaires with nearly 300 14-15 year-old students who provided a pre- and post-placement self-reports about their employability skills and their work-experience hosts provided ratings of employability skills at the end of the placement. Findings: There was a significant increase in student ratings of their employability skills from before to after the placement, and although the employers gave slightly lower ratings of some employability skills than the students, the two sets of ratings were reasonably close. In addition, the students had high expectations of the usefulness of the placements and these expectations were fulfilled as reported in the post-placement questionnaire. Originality/value: These positive findings, extend the knowledge of the effects of work based placements, by focussing on the opinion of the young people themselves, using a pre- to post-placement design, by validating student self-reports with host employer ratings, and by focussing on a younger than usual age group.

Involving students in state-of-the-art research from an early age eliminates the idea that science is only for the scientists and empowers young people to explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects. It is also a great opportunity to dispel harmful stereotypes about who is suitable for STEM careers, while leaving students feeling engaged in modern science and the scientific method. As part of the Twinkle Space Mission's educational programme, EduTwinkle, students between the ages of 15 and 18 have been performing original research associated with the exploration of space since January 2016. The student groups have each been led by junior researchers--PhD and post-doctoral scientists--who themselves benefit substantially from the opportunity to supervise and manage a research project. This research aims to meet a standard for publication in peer-reviewed journals. At present the research of two ORBYTS teams have been published, one in the Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series and another in JQSRT; we expect more papers to follow. Here we outline the necessary steps for a productive scientific collaboration with school children, generalising from the successes and downfalls of the pilot ORBYTS projects.

The establishment of positive relationships between home and school has long been recognised as a desirable state which can have a significant bearing upon the success of students both academically and socially. By contrast, when relationships between schools and parents or carers falter, the consequences can be detrimental to all parties and in some instances can lead to disaffection and the perpetuation of negative attitudes towards schooling. The "Every Child Matters" agenda established by the UK government emphasises the need for schools to consider the development of all students, not only in respect of academic attainment, but also with due regard to their social, economic and health needs. With this demand has come a recognition that this ambition requires much greater cohesion across professional and voluntary services working in partnership with schools. Government initiatives such as the establishment of full service extended schools, Excellence in Cities and Sure Start have led to innovative approaches for the support of young people who may be at risk of exclusion, disaffection or disengagement with the education system. Evaluations of the efficacy of such initiatives are only just being made and it is therefore important that researchers gather data, which may inform further developments and policy at school, local authority and national levels. This paper describes one initiative, the use of family workers in school, and considers how service users perceived this system. Research into the efficacy of two extended secondary schools afforded the author an opportunity to examine in detail how the role of family workers had been developed within those schools and what their impact was upon students, parents and the schools themselves.