CONNECT with HAPPEN: Co-develOping the HAPPEN primary school Network to maximisE impaCT

Good childhood health and wellbeing is essential in maximising achievement, employment prospects and adult health and wellbeing. Schools are a key setting to target health programmes. However, headteachers have highlighted barriers such as a lack of collaboration. HAPPEN, a primary school network, was established to address these challenges and support schools to increase focus on health and wellbeing. Children aged 8-11 complete an online health behaviour survey. Results are shared with schools as a school-specific report tailored to the curriculum. During my PhD, I developed and expanded HAPPEN from a local project engaging with 1,000 children annually to a national platform reaching over 12,000 children in Wales. This fellowship will extend my doctoral research and its potential for impact, while benefiting my career development as an impact-focused researcher, through two primary aims.
Aim 1: Publishing to maximise impact (two publications)
HAPPEN has data-linkage capability; the process of combining anonymised information on the same person from separate record sources, through the SAIL (Secure Anonymised Information Linkage) Databank at Swansea University. The first publication will examine the relationship between health and education to identify factors associated with educational attainment at age 10-11, using two datasets developed during my PhD. The first, from my thesis, is HAPPEN survey health behaviour linked to routine records (e.g. GP records) and KS2 educational attainment. I will extend this PhD data with population-level linkage of all children from local authority maintained schools in Wales with existing routine records. Combining population-level (SAIL) and in-depth data linkage (HAPPEN) can offer a greater understanding of the link between health and education.
HAPPEN is the only primary school network in the UK, and one of only a few school network platforms globally. The second publication will offer a case study example of its development, expansion and predictors of successful network development. Publishing the HAPPEN development model aims to share learning for international collaborations and upscaling in other countries.
Aim 2: Build a collaborative network and communicate research findings to new audiences
I integrated knowledge exchange as a key component of HAPPEN through annual conferences for primary school staff and education stakeholders (e.g. regional education groups). To reflect HAPPEN's expansion and communicate findings to new audiences, I will deliver an online workshop for primary schools and key stakeholders. I will present recent research such as determinants of educational attainment, and post-doctoral research about the impact of school closures. I will include breakout rooms with facilitated discussions to support application of findings to practice and identify research priorities.
Finally, I will develop a steering group of key stakeholders in education at a practice (e.g. primary schools) and policy level (e.g. national education policy). The group will meet online twice a year to offer strategic advice informing network co-development and sustainability. I will strengthen and build collaborations by inviting partners (e.g. Children in Wales, regional education groups) and new partnerships at regional and national level (e.g. National Academy of Educational Leadership Cymru).
Impact
This fellowship has significant potential for impact at practice and policy level. Co-developing HAPPEN at a critical time for post-COVID-19 education ensures the network can support schools in the education and wellbeing recovery of children and align to identified priorities. Impact will be supported by development of activities initiated during my PhD to engage with a range of audiences. These include writing articles in The Conversation, producing summary reports/ infographics, social media campaigns, conference presentations, and sharing through partnerships (e.g. Children in Wales).