PS3050 Psychology in Education Assessment Brief 2026 | Royal Holloway UOL

PS3050 Assessment Brief 2026

This Assessment Pack consists of a detailed assignment brief and guidance on your preparation.  You’ll also find information in this document to guide you on how, where, and when to submit. This question covers material from lectures on mental wellbeing in education, school leadership/ ethos, and systemic change. You are expected to engage in independent reading, research, and study for the essay with regard to your specific area, with some helpful reading on blackboard and searching key terms in LibrarySearch Ex Libris Discovery (uclan.ac.uk).  You can view the coursework coversheet on blackboard, a sample essay, and a link to information about applying for mitigating circumstances.  If you need additional support, please make a note of the services detailed in this document.

How, when, and where to submit:

Submit the essay via Turnitin by the deadline of Monday, 2nd March at 11:59 AM.

Feedback will be provided by: Monday, 23 March, by 5 PM.

You should aim to submit your assessment before the deadline.  The deadline is the latest time you can submit – not the time to submit!

If You Experience Technical Issues

If you have difficulties uploading your work on the deadline day:

• Email a copy to Dr. Kat Cartmell (KCartmell4@lancashire.ac.uk) BEFORE the deadline passes
• Send a screenshot/photo of the upload screen as evidence of your attempt

Essay Context & Guidance

What This Assessment Tests

Your essay should demonstrate the module learning outcomes:

1. Independent learning – identifying, selecting, interpreting, and presenting appropriate information
2. Critical evaluation – engaging deeply with psychological research in educational contexts
3. Application of theory – discussing the difficulties in applying psychological ideas to real school settings
4. Synthesis – integrating evidence, barriers, and practical considerations into a coherent argument

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Understanding the Essay Question

This question covers material from lectures on mental wellbeing in education, school leadership/ethos, and systemic change.

The question invites you to critically examine THREE key areas:

1. Accountability: Can schools meaningfully be held accountable for pupil mental wellbeing? (Consider legal, ethical, and practical dimensions. What does “accountability” mean? Who is accountable to whom? What can realistically be controlled by schools vs. external factors?)
2. Psychological Evidence: What does research tell us about effective wellbeing interventions? Which interventions work? Under what conditions? What are their limitations?
3. Systemic Barriers: What prevents consistent implementation of wellbeing support?

Consider:

• Internal barriers (school culture/ethos, leadership capacity, staff wellbeing, competing priorities)
• External barriers (funding, policy, societal factors, systemic inequalities)
• How these interact to limit schools’ ability to sustain wellbeing work

Critical integration:

How does understanding these barriers help us evaluate realistic and fair accountability for schools?
Key Considerations for Your Essay

• This question invites you to take a position, but one grounded in evidence and critical analysis
• Your conclusion should reflect the complexity; avoid oversimplification such as “schools are/aren’t responsible” without nuance
• Strong essays will acknowledge that accountability may be conditional, shared, or realistically limited by systemic factors
• Remember: You are not expected to provide all answers from the start. The taught sessions (Weeks 1-4) are designed to build your thinking progressively on these topics.

ESSAY STRUCTURE & KEY REQUIREMENTS

Essential Elements

• Clear introduction – Introduce the question, define key terms (especially “accountability”), signal your critical argument
• Well-organised body – Use clear paragraphs addressing evidence, barriers, and their relationship to accountability; don’t just list information
• Evidence-based argument – All claims supported by cited research/theory; show critical engagement, not just description
• Clear conclusion – Summarise what you’ve discussed, reinforce your key argument about accountability, acknowledge complexity
• Appropriate referencing – APA 7th edition; see guidance below

Word Count & Depth

• The essay does not have to be exactly 1500 words
• If substantially under 1500 words, consider whether you’ve included necessary information with sufficient depth
• Prioritise quality over quantity; clear, focused writing is better than padding
• With 1500 words, you’ll need to be strategic about what you prioritise

Referencing Standards

• Use APA 7th edition for all citations and references
• Prioritise peer-reviewed journal articles for research evidence on wellbeing interventions and barriers
• Textbooks are acceptable but should be secondary to journal articles
• Policy documents and government guidance are appropriate for discussing systemic/policy barriers
• Aim for a range of sources showing depth of reading (expect approximately 15-25 references for a strong 1500-word essay)

Marking Criteria 

Your essay will be assessed on:

1. Relevance – Direct engagement with the question; clear connection between content and your argument about accountability
2. Quality of Argumentation – Logical reasoning, evidence supporting claims, acknowledgement of complexity and multiple perspectives
3. Originality – Novel insights, critical thinking, sophisticated positioning—not just summarising existing ideas
4. Knowledge & Content – Depth of understanding of wellbeing research, barriers, and systemic factors; breadth of reading
5. Quality of Explanation – Clear communication, appropriate terminology, coherent structure that guides the reader, links explanations back to essay question
6. Style & Referencing – Academic writing conventions, correct APA format, clarity of expression, proper citation

KEY DATES SUMMARY