School MOVES: The School Mobility Outcomes, Voices and Experiences Study
This project offers a deeper understanding of pupil school mobility in England, through exploring experiences of non-standard school moves, from the perspectives of children and young people, their families and the teachers and local authorities working with them.
Pupil school mobility describes the phenomenon of pupils moving school for reasons other than standard age-based, structural transitions. It affects a significant proportion of the English school population and may have different impacts the lives and education of pupils who move. Little is known about the consequences of different mobility frequencies, types and pathways for children’s educational experiences and attainment. There is also a lack of understanding of both risk factors or protective mechanisms at household, school or local level, which would enable the development of more tailored support or targeted policy and practice interventions.
This project aims to provide a detailed and in-depth analysis of pupil school mobility, considering mobility frequencies, types and pathways of different groups of children and their consequences for children’s educational experiences and attainment. It also analyses pupil school mobility at the school and local authority level to identify particular patterns locally and any school or local authority policies and practices addressing pupil school mobility.
Research objectives
The over-arching aims of the project are to:
1) develop a comprehensive understanding of pupil school mobility and raising the profile of its impact;
2) provide robust evidence for informing educational policies and practices and;
3) co-construct, pilot and evaluate a resource with tailored and targeted support for mobile families, schools and local authorities.
Outputs and impact
Project outputs are designed to maximise the benefit of the project for stakeholders and inform policy and practice and include: a PSM typology; co-constructed and tailored resources for families, schools and local authorities, articles, evidence-based policy briefs, and public and policy-facing reports and meetings.
Research team
- Dr Clara Rübner Jørgensen, School of Education, University of Birmingham
- Dr Laurence Lessard-Phillips, School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham
- Dr Thomas Perry, Education Studies, University of Warwick
- Dr Laura Cristescu, School of Education, University of Birmingham
Partner organisations and sponsors
Further details
Find out more about the project on the Nuffield website.