Project title: Learning Beyond the Label: Enhancing Classroom Identification and Support for Children’s Wellbeing
Primary supervisor: Professor Joni Holmes (University of East Anglia)
Second supervisor: Dr Elizabeth Byrne (University of East Anglia)
University: University of East Anglia
SENSS Theme: Health, Wellbeing and Social Care
Collaborative partner: More House School; and Cambridgeshire Community and Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trusts
Collaborative partner supervisor: Eleanor Margesson and Dr Steve Bush
Degree structure: The structure of the studentship offered will depend on your personal training needs. However, the minimum duration of a SENSS-funded studentship will be 3.5 years: this covers a PhD and a mandatory placement of approximately 3 months. The maximum duration of a studentship will be 4.5 years: this covers a Masters degree followed by a PhD, as well as the mandatory 3-month placement.
Project background
Cognitive difficulties and poor wellbeing at school strongly predict academic disengagement and consequently poor school outcomes. Access to support typically hinges on a formal diagnosis (e.g. anxiety) or an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), but increasing demands mean there are long waitlists, exacerbating inequities for families unable to pursue private assessments or advocate for their child’s needs. While Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) offer low-intensity interventions in schools in England, their coverage is uneven and relies on integration with overstretched specialist services, leaving many pupils without timely or tailored support. This PhD will draw on expertise from psychology, health and education to address this gap, using a mixed methods programme of research.
Project aims and objectives
This PhD will deliver a range of studies to co-produce and validate a practical, classroom-ready cognitive and socio-emotional mapping tool to help classroom teachers profile children’s needs and implement evidence-informed strategies. It includes a three-month integrated placement providing hands-on experience of practical and strategic approaches to delivering needs-led support for children and young people across health services (NHS) and education (schools). This placement deliberately bridges NHS needs-led transformation and school-based transformational practice, providing a rare systems view into how clinical pathways and activities interface with education and classroom realities. This dual exposure will benefit the PhD project and build the student’s skills in working across services to deliver impact.
Training opportunities
A comprehensive package of training will be agreed in consultation with the supervisors. Elements of training will be provided by the supervisors, the University of East Anglia, Cambridgeshire Community and Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trusts, More House School, and by other providers.
There are four training objectives for this studentship: 1) to be trained in a range of new research skills spanning quantitative and qualitative research methods; 2) to develop skills in designing and implementing research in partnership with clinical and educational practitioners; 3) to develop a network of multi-disciplinary collaborators for progressing a research or related career that spans academia, education and health, and; 4) to disseminate research via practitioner and academic publications, and conference presentations.
Depending on their experience students may receive project-specific training in qualitative or quantitative methodologies and co-production. An integrated three-month placement will take place at the Collaborative partner. The final details of the placement will be discussed with the successful applicant.
Essential and/or desirable attributes/skills
Essential
This PhD studentship would suit someone who is passionate about improving access to support for children in schools, and about needs-led approaches.
Candidates should have a degree in Psychology or related subject, with additional research experience.
Desirable
It would be desirable for candidates to have experience of working in schools with teachers or children.
How to apply for this studentship
To be considered for this funding, you must first apply to SENSS for this collaborative studentship. Please read the SENSS Collaborative Studentship Application Guidance Notes before completing our online application form. The Guidance Notes are available here.
If your application is successful, you will need to make a separate application for a place to study at the University of East Anglia, your host University. You will be provided with a link with information on how to make your application to the University of East Anglia once you have been offered a SENSS studentship.
Deadline:
The deadline for submitting your application for SENSS funding on HEIApply is 12:00 GMT on Monday 16 February 2026. No extensions to this deadline will be permitted.
For further enquiries:
For enquiries about this research project, please email Prof. Joni Holmes, joni.holmes@uea.ac.uk
For enquiries related to your eligibility for this studentship, and/or the application process, please email the UEA Doctoral Partnerships Scheme, senss.dtp@uea.ac.uk
The likely interview date for this project is 9 March 2026.
Studentship details
Studentships are advertised as being between +3.5 and +4.5-year (1+3.5, 2+2.5, +4.5) awards. The standard length of an ESRC-funded studentship is +3.5. This includes the standard +3 PhD, plus an +0.25 (one term) for the integrated placement which you must take as part of your studentship, and a further additional +0.25 (one term) to enable you to undertake training relevant to your research project (including career progression). All studentships are offered on either a full-time or part-time basis.
The studentship award covers your university fees and provides you with a stipend of £20,780 per year. You will also be able to apply for additional funding via the SENSS Research Training Support Grant to support your training needs.
Residential eligibility
All applicants, whether Home or International, are eligible for a full award, that is, you will receive a stipend (salary) and you will not have to pay any university tuition fees during your studentship award.