ESRC DTP Strategic Joint Studentship: Educational Mobility and Trajectories: Advanced Quantitative Analysis of Pupil Movement and Long-Term Outcomes in England

The Midlands Graduate School is an accredited Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP). One of 15 such partnerships in the UK, the Midlands Graduate School is a collaboration between the Universities of Warwick, Birmingham, Nottingham, Aston Leicester, Loughborough, De Montfort and Nottingham Trent.

We are now inviting applications for an ESRC Strategic Joint Studentship between University of Warwick (where the student will be registered) and the University of Birmingham to commence in October 2026.

Project details

Pupil school mobility is when pupils move school outside standard transition points. It is a common but under-examined feature of the English education system. Around half of pupils experience at least one non-standard move during their school career, with many moving multiple times (Jørgensen & Perry, 2021). Existing research shows that such mobility tends to be associated with lower attainment, poorer attendance, reduced wellbeing, and weaker long-term outcomes. Much remains unknown about how different patterns of mobility emerge, how they interact with family, school, and neighbourhood contexts, and which pupils are able to recover or demonstrate resilience over time  (Jørgensen et al., forthcoming).

This PhD project, supervised by Dr Tom Perry (Warwick) and Dr Laurence Lessard-Phillips (Birmingham), will involve an advanced quantitative investigation of pupil school mobility and long-term trajectories in England. Building on the supervisors’ ongoing work, the project will address two overarching questions:

• How does pupil mobility interact with family, school, and neighbourhood factors to shape attainment and participation?
• To what extent does school mobility have lasting effects on education, training, and employment outcomes, and what enables recovery or resilience?

The PhD candidate will be expected to work with large-scale longitudinal and administrative datasets, such as the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) and Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO). A key early task will be a structured review of data availability and linkage possibilities to refine research questions and ensure feasibility.

The project will employ relevant advanced quantitative techniques including descriptive and exploratory analyses of mobility; sequence and trajectory analysis of educational and employment pathways; and quasi-experimental methods to address selection bias and explore causal mechanisms. The research will emphasise transparency, rigour, and reproducibility, supported by formal training through the Midlands Graduate School.

The successful candidate will benefit from a supportive supervisory environment, complementary expertise in education policy, inequality, and longitudinal quantitative analysis, as well as access to vibrant research communities and specialist methods training.

Application Process

To be considered for this PhD, please complete the Strategic Joint Studentship application form available online via the 'Apply' button above. Applicants will be required to upload an anonymised CV, anonymised cover letter, and transcripts as part of the online application process.

Application deadline: 20^th February 2026

We expect interviews to be held on 13^th March.

Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP

Our ESRC studentships cover fees at the home rate, a maintenance stipend, and extensive support for research training, as well as research activity support grants. Support is available to both home and international applicants. For further details, visit: www.mgsdtp.ac.uk/studentships/eligibility/.

Informal enquiries about the research or undertaking a PhD at the University of Warwick prior to application can be directed to Dr Tom Perry (tom.perry@warwick.ac.uk).

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