While it has been shown that university attendance is strongly predicted by parental education, we know very little about why some potential first-generation students make it to university and others do not. This paper looks at the role of non-cognitive skills in the university participation of this disadvantaged group in England. We find that…

We use detailed survey data linked to administrative records from secondary schools in England to investigate potential channels contributing to the socio-economic gap in post-compulsory educational aspirations. We investigate the role of experiences and attitudes including the provision of information, advice and guidance (IAG), bullying…

In England, failing to achieve a 'good pass' (C/4 grade) in key subjects is thought to have serious negative implications. Yet evidence on this issue remains relatively sparse. This paper therefore presents new evidence on the link between meeting a key threshold on high-stakes examination and a wide array of future outcomes. Using Next Steps…

This article focuses on the beliefs of primary school children aged 7-11 years in England concerning the impact of adult-led after-school extended provision (EP) on their development of non-cognitive skills (NCS). In responses to a questionnaire survey and focus group interviews, children were more positive than parents, teachers and school…

In the current study we examined how different experiences of a selective entry examination influenced children's feelings about themselves, school and intelligence as they approached transition to secondary school. Children were recruited from three English schools that use a selective entry examination to stream students into secondary schools…

Purpose: In order to compete for positional advantage in the graduate labour market students need more than a good degree classification. The evidence suggests that participation in extra-curricular activities (ECAs) can have a significant influence on labour market outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which…

Mental toughness can be conceptualised as a set of attributes that allow people to deal effectively with challenges, stressors and pressure. Recent work has suggested that it may be a valuable construct to consider within educational settings. The current studies explored the associations between mental toughness and educational transitions. Study…

The notion that future performance can be affected by information about previous performance is often expressed in terms of "closing the gap." Feedback has long been recognised as a mechanism through which teaching and learning may be influenced. The current wave of support in the United Kingdom for assessment "for" learning…

Teaching is not what it used to be. The complexity and intensity of the pressures on teachers and the pace of education reform are unprecedented. The aim of this research was to explore perceived control and well-being in teachers and other professionals. A mixed methods design was selected. Phase 1 consisted of an online quantitative survey (298…

The article is based on data from in-depth interviews with 13 deputy or assistant head teachers who had taken part in "Investing in Diversity", a leadership course, unusual in that it is designed for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) aspirant school leaders. This course is at present only offered in London and Leeds, but it is intended to…

This is the first study to investigate the interrelationship of social anxiety with the variables anxiety, depression, locus of control, ego strength and ways of coping in a sample of university students. There were high scores of social anxiety which were related to high scores on measures of anxiety and depression, low ego strength, external…

This paper reports on research undertaken into what secondary school drama teachers think they need to possess in terms of subject knowledge in order to operate effectively as drama specialists. "Subject knowledge" is regarded as being multi-faceted, and the paper considers how drama teachers prioritise its different aspects. A…

The increase in convictions for internet-related sexual offending has led to new challenges for treatment providers. By 2005 nearly one-third of all sexual convictions in England and Wales were for internet-related sexual offending. In late 2006 a treatment programme for internet-related sexual offending (the i-SOTP) was given accreditation for…

Background: Psychological mechanisms may help to explain the variance observed in parental psychological adjustment in parents of children with intellectual disability (ID). In this study, parental locus of control and its role in relation to maternal psychological well-being was explored. Method: Questionnaires were sent to 91 mothers of children…

The self-esteem of pupils has long been regarded as a key variable affecting both pupils' learning and behaviour, although the relationship between the two may not be as strong as many in education have always assumed. In this article, Jeremy Swinson, an educational psychologist and honorary lecturer in educational psychology at Liverpool John…