Research Assistant - Virtual School Model

Interview Date: 24 Sept 2026

Informal Enquiries: Dr Emily Lowthian e.m.lowthian@swansea.ac.uk

About The University

Swansea University is a research-led university that has been making a difference since 1920. The University community thrives on exploration and discovery and offers the right balance of excellent teaching and research, matched by an enviable quality of life.

Our stunning waterfront campuses and multicultural community make us a desirable workplace for colleagues from around the world. Our reward and benefits, and ways of working enable those who join us to have enriching careers, matched by an excellent work-life balance.

About The Role

Join Swansea University’s School of Social Sciences to play a key role in delivering a strategic ESRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) project focused on capturing and evidencing real-world research impact. This is an ESRC funded post to support impact activities in relation to care-experienced children’s educational outcomes and the Welsh Virtual School Model.

The Virtual School Model is commonly confused with online learning, or remote teaching. However, that is not it’s focus. The Virtual School Model is an established method of supporting children who have been in care, i.e. removed from their families, with their educational progress and experiences.

Following a £1.2M pilot programme in Wales, there are six local authorities operating the Virtual School Model whereby each local authority has a Virtual School Headteacher and a hardworking team. These Virtual School Headteachers – termed VSH – work directly with acting school headteachers in mainstream schools and specialist schools and settings to discuss their current care-experienced children’s experiences, progress and outcomes. The other 16 local authorities operate different models including Looked-After Children Co-ordinators or School Improvement Advisors. 

This project addresses this gap by consolidating evidence, strengthening professional networks, and developing an event and resource on the progress of the Welsh VSM.
This ESRC-IAA funded project focuses on strengthening the University’s capacity to capture, evidence, and communicate research impact. It will support the development of multiple REF Impact Case Studies by building structured evidence, engaging stakeholders, and developing sustainable approaches to impact generation and evaluation.

The successful candidate will join a dynamic and collaborative environment that operates at the interface of research, policy, and practice, with opportunities to contribute to high-quality research outputs, stakeholder engagement, and future funding development.

 The University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity in all its practices and activities. We aim to establish an inclusive environment and welcome diverse applications from the following protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality, ethnic and national origin), religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.

As an inclusive and welcoming workplace, we value people for their skills regardless of their background. Applications are welcome in Welsh and will not be treated less favourably than those submitted in English.

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