Understanding the impact of primary-secondary school transitions on young people’s attainment over time: Secondary analysis of the longitudinal Growing Up in Scotland (GUS) dataset and linked educational administrative datasets

A systematic review of primary-secondary transitions international literature found that these transitions led to decrease in attainment and positive attitudes towards some subjects. With 56,850 Scottish young people starting secondary school in 2021 alone, this finding is concerning, especially as the negative impact on attainment and wellbeing can be long-term. However, this literature review found several gaps in existing studies making the results less reliable, namely, lack of robust designs, small samples, and data collected just before and after starting secondary school. Also, only a handful of studies explored transitions in Scotland. To address these gaps, this project will use the dataset generated by Growing Up in Scotland (GUS), a large-scale, complex, multicohort longitudinal study following children from birth, which has collected data when young people were in the second last year of primary and first and third year of secondary school (P6, S1 and S3 respectively in Scotland). This project will also include linked educational administrative data (e.g. absences, exclusions, Additional Support Needs) and attainment data measured at S4, S5 and S6. This will be the first robust longitudinal study to model the impact of transitions on attainment over time. The aim is to enhance primary-secondary transitions policies and practices by undertaking secondary analysis to respond to the following research questions:

1. What positive and negative transition factors are commonly experienced by young people in Scotland?
2. How do these differ by characteristics at an individual/family/neighbourhood/school level?
3. What are the most common pathways from transition to attainment outcomes?
4. How are these pathways affected by individual/family/neighbourhood/school characteristics?

Using a wide range of repeat and time series measures on the young person’s school experience, the PhD student will explore transitions at multiple time-points alongside interrogating a range of explanatory factors at individual, family, neighbourhood and school level, to explain differences in transition experiences of different young people. They will merge and link multiple datasets to derive key measures, before utilising a range of exploratory and advanced statistical analysis methods to address the research questions.

Eligibility:

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Applicants will have a first degree (undergraduate) at 2:1 or above and have a demonstrable interest in the topic area under investigation.
• Applicants can have a Masters degree, however this is not a requirement.
• Applicants can study part-time or full-time.

Other eligibility criteria:

• Applicants must have expertise in quantitative data analysis.
• Expertise in primary-secondary school transitions is desirable

Selection Process:

Applications will be ranked by an internal institutional selection panel, and you will be notified if you have been shortlisted for interview on or around 24^th April. Interviews will take place on 19^th May.

This studentship award is subject to the successful candidate securing admission to a PhD programme within the University of Dundee. The successful candidate will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme.