Grants and Projects

Understanding education transitions for migrant students in the UK.

The aim of the project was to develop understanding of the experience of transitioning into the UK education system for migrant students, and then use this understanding to improve transition support. Data collection involved a literature review of existing support and interviews with migrant students who had experienced transitioning into the UK education system. Findings from the project point to a need to expand existing transition support to include a focus on culture (learner) identity, and also increased transparency and inclusivity within learning and assessment within universities.

Project Team: Dr Vanessa Schofield, Dr Noleen Chikowore, Yara Alansari and Annie Gishen. 

Funding: EDI Project Fund, University of St Andrews, 2023.

From online learners to online tutors: St Andrews SGSD undergraduates tutoring secondary school students to address educational inequality post Covid.

In the aftermath of the pandemic andexacerbation of educational inequality, the UK government set up the National Tutoring Programme (NTP), led by Department for Education, which aimed to provide high-quality tutoring to secondary pupils most affected by school closures. This project provided support and training for St Andrews undergraduate students to take up tutoring opportunities and so contribute to addressing educational inequality. Training sessions were supported by the tutoring charity The Access Project, and Royal Geographical Society.

Project Team: Dr Vanessa Schofield, Prof Nina Laurie and Morgan Morris.

Funding: Entrepreneurial Education Project Fund, University of St Andrews, 2021.