PhD Studentship in the SNSF-funded project: ‘How do values take shape in classrooms? A mixed-methods study of teacher and peer influences on children’s value formation in primary schools in Switzerland and the UK’

The Westminster Centre for Psychological Sciences, School of Social Sciences, at the University of Westminster is pleased to offer one studentship for prospective PhD researchers beginning in September 2026.

The PhD studentship is embedded in the four-year project ‘How do values take shape in classrooms? A mixed-methods study of teacher and peer influences on children’s value formation in primary schools in Switzerland and the UK’, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). The project investigates how teachers and peers may shape the development of personal values (e.g., independence, kindness) among primary school children in Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It aims to disentangle the dynamic effects within the classroom in order to establish a robust foundation for personal value development in early schooling. Building on the findings of the preceding ‘VALues In School Education (VALISE)’ research project, the present project (VALISE_CLASSROOM) focuses on processes of value formation within the classroom. The results are intended to support teachers and school leaders in shaping the classroom as an effective environment for children’s social and moral development.

This PhD project will align with the proposed mixed-methods research in the UK, which includes semi-structured interviews with primary school teachers to gain qualitative insights into teachers’ perceptions of value importance and their pedagogical value-related activities in classrooms and quantitative cross-sectional research with children, quantifying the effects of teachers’ pedagogical value-related activities on children’s values and behaviour.

The studentship provides a full home‑fee waiver and an annual stipend, currently £23,805 for 2026-27 (including London weighting), rising annually in line with UKRI increases, for four years.

This PhD studentship is open to home (UK) students only[AD1.1].

We encourage the widest range of potential students to apply for this PhD studentship and are committed to welcoming students from diverse backgrounds and career stages to apply.

Applicants should ideally have or expect to receive a relevant Master’s-level qualification in a relevant subject such as Psychology or Educational Sciences or be able to demonstrate experience in a professional setting, particularly in primary or secondary school teaching, or in research and knowledge exchange.

Entry Requirements

Applicants should normally hold at least a 2:1 Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent), and preferably a Master’s degree. Those whose secondary education was not in English must demonstrate proficiency, typically IELTS 6.5 overall (minimum 6.0 in all components). Full entry requirements are available here.

How to Apply

Please include in your application:

• Personal Statement (maximum 1,500 words) explaining why you are interested in researching this topic, including what you would bring to the project and how you think you would develop it to reflect your own interests and expertise
• A sample of writing. This could be a piece of academic writing (e. g, BSc or MSc dissertation) or a text written in the course of any current or previous professional work
• Your CV
• Two references (at least one academic)
• Transcript of university-level grades and qualification certificates

Please include “VALISE_CLASSROOM” in the application header.

For informal enquiries about the project, please contact the lead co-supervisor Dr Anna Doering at a.doering@westminster.ac.uk

Applicants should apply via the School of Social Sciences: https://www.westminster.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-degrees/research-areas/school-of-social-sciences

Please choose the PhD via MPhil route full time for September 2026 start and select Psychology as subject area in the 'Supporting Information' section of the application form.