The first week of the Laidlaw programme has been an incredibly energising and grounding start.

One of the most rewarding aspects has been getting to know the other scholars not just as collaborators, but as people. There has been a real shared openness and willingness to connect which has created a very friendly and supportive atmosphere. I feel a real sense of potential that in the coming weeks ahead of us, I will be able to form lasting friendships as well as collaborate meaningfully on our research.

The research skills sessions, including those on research methods and using Excel as part of the programme I have found very informative. Previously I was quite intimidated by Excel, but in the future I will be more confident in using it in various ways, not just limited to statistical analysis.

As our group research projects have taken shape, the value of our varied backgrounds and experiences has become clear. Each person brings something different—whether that’s strong organisational skills, previous research experience, or a thoughtful approach to collaboration. As our research is on educational equality and opportunities, it has resulted in challenging discussions which I have really enjoyed. Furthermore, in our group not all have been brought up within the UK education system and so it has been insightful to hear about the differences in their schooling experiences, prompting me to think more about global educational differences.

 As I have started to explore the literature around our research title and reflect on my own experiences of co-curriculars as someone who has been always been heavily involved in extra-curriculars, I have begun to more deeply recognise the power of these to impact academic performance, such as through building essential life skills like resilience and teamwork. I look forwards to understanding this dynamic further, particularly as our research title explores co-curriculars across different regions in the UK, and is not geographically limited to Oxfordshire. I also look forward to reflecting on how our research aims to make a difference to address these issues of systemic inequalities in extracurricular access and additionally extending this to my own personal ability to make a positive difference as a university student. 

Another meaningful takeaway from this week has been the importance of staying connected to the communities we hope to support. Volunteering experience at the Leys Festival and interactions with local students have reminded me of how essential it is to approach research with responsibility and humility. I believe that our work will be far more valuable when we are more attuned to those who we hope to impact.

This first week has left me feeling inspired, motivated and more skilled. I am optimistic of what we as a cohort can achieve together.