Understanding Inequalities in education and wellbeing as a result of Covid-19 pandemic

My proposed research will investigate the impact of the pandemic and associated restrictions on the
accessibility and magnitude of higher education participation schemes. Through my research, I plan to
make use of the linkage between COSMO data and the Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT)
administrative dataset. This will, in turn, help build an understanding of unequal impacts of the pandemic
on university access across difference groups. As a result, my research will provide new information on
how pupils from marginalised groups are able to adapt to a changed labour market.
My research will contribute more broadly to the COVID Social Mobility & Opportunities study (COSMO), a
UKRI/ESRC investment that is investigating Covid-19's impact on social mobility and wellbeing of a
representative cohort of young people who have been most adversely affected by the pandemic. Whilst
working alongside the Sutton Trust, I will analyse the educational trajectories, exacerbation of inequality,
and potential stagnation of mobility that the cohort faces. My research will compare the reach of virtual
of programmes with in-person events, to monitor how pupils engage with e-resources. Through this, the
extent of the alienation from equalising resources can be quantified.
I will focus on the intersectional socio-economic and geographical factors that impact mobility. These
factors include parental education, extracurricular engagement, household composition, generational
status, access to the internet, home-schooling, household income, postcode, disability, and more. My
research will also encompass the effects that a virtual classroom has had on the quality of education.
Through this, I can explore what environmental factors and resources are conducive to well-delivered
education.
My project also aims to explore how educational institutions and industries have reshuffled to cohere
with the constraints of the pandemic. By doing this, I can uncover the potential long-term impact on life
satisfaction and mobility in the cohort