About
Dr Emily Marchant is a researcher in the field of child health and education.
Dr Emily Marchant
Lecturer in Education
Education and Childhood Studies
Telephone number
+44 (0) 1792 606650
Available For Postgraduate Supervision
Areas Of Expertise
- Primary schools
- School-based health
- Curriculum
- Educational attainment
- Data linkage
- Health and education
- School-based interventions
Career Highlights
Teaching Interests
Research
Emily currently teaches on BSc Population Data Science, MSc Public Health and MA Childhood Studies.
Emily’s research focusses on primary school-aged children and examines the relationship between epidemiological factors and lifestyle behaviours with educational outcomes using data linkage. She also evaluates school-based interventions and has previously published evaluation research on outdoor learning and The Daily Mile. During Emily’s PhD, she developed and expanded the HAPPEN Wales primary school network to a national network that collects and shares school-level health behaviour information with schools.
Publications
Research Highlights
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Marchant, E., Todd, C., Stratton, G., & Brophy, S. (2020). The Daily Mile: Whole-school recommendations for implementation and sustainability. A mixed-methods study. PLOS ONE, 15(2), e0228149
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Khanom, A., Evans, B., Lynch, R., Marchant, E., Hill, R., Morgan, K., Rapport, F., Lyons, R., & Brophy, S. (2020). Parent recommendations to support physical activity for families with young children: Results of interviews in deprived and affluent communities in South Wales (United Kingdom). Health Expectations, 23(2), 284-295.
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Thompson, D., Abbasizanjani, H., Fry, R., Marchant, E., Griffiths, L., Akbari, A., Hollinghurst, J., North, L., Lyons, J., Torabi, F., Davies, G., Gravenor, M., & Lyons, R. (2021). Staff-Pupil SARS-CoV-2 Infection Pathways in Schools: A Population Level Linked Data Approach. medRxiv
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Marchant, E., Todd, C., James, M., Crick, T., Dwyer, R., & Brophy, S. (2021). Primary school staff perspectives of school closures due to COVID-19, experiences of schools reopening and recommendations for the future: A qualitative survey in Wales. PLOS ONE, 16(12), e0260396
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Thompson, D., Abbasizanjani, H., Fry, R., Marchant, E., Griffiths, L., Akbari, A., Hollinghurst, J., North, L., Lyons, J., Torabi, F., Davies, G., Gravenor, M., & Lyons, R. (2021). Staff–pupil SARS-CoV-2 infection pathways in schools in Wales: a population-level linked data approach. BMJ Paediatrics Open, 5(1), e001049
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James, M., Marchant, E., Defeyter, M., Woodside, J., & Brophy, S. (2021). Impact of school closures on the health and well-being of primary school children in Wales UK: a routine data linkage study using the HAPPEN Survey (2018–2020). BMJ Open, 11(10), e051574
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James, M., Jones, H., Baig, A., Marchant, E., Waites, T., Todd, C., Hughes, K., & Brophy, S. (2021). Factors influencing wellbeing in young people during COVID-19: A survey with 6291 young people in Wales. PLOS ONE, 16(12), e0260640
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Marchant, E., Griffiths, L., Crick, T., Fry, R., Hollinghurst, J., James, M., Cowley, L., Abbasizanjani, H., Torabi, F., Thompson, D., Kennedy, J., Akbari, A., Gravenor, M., Lyons, R., & Brophy, S. (2022). COVID-19 mitigation measures in primary schools and association with infection and school staff wellbeing: An observational survey linked with routine data in Wales, UK. PLOS ONE, 17(2), e0264023
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Richards, A., Mackintosh, K., Swindell, N., Ward, M., Marchant, E., James, M., Edwards, L., Tyler, R., Blain, D., Wainwright, N., Nicholls, S., Mannello, M., Morgan, K., Evans, T., & Stratton, G. (2022). WALES 2021 Active Healthy Kids (AHK) Report Card: The Fourth Pandemic of Childhood Inactivity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(13), 8138
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Marchant, E., Lowthian, E., Crick, T., Griffiths, L., Fry, R., Dadaczynski, K., Okan, O., James, M., Cowley, L., Torabi, F., Kennedy, J., Akbari, A., Lyons, R., & Brophy, S. (2022). Pre-COVID-19 pandemic health-related behaviours in children (2018–2020) and association with being tested for SARS-CoV-2 and testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 (2020–2021): a retrospective cohort study using survey data linked with routine health data in Wales, UK. BMJ Open, 12(9), e061344
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James, M., Rasheed, M., Bandyopadhyay, A., Mannello, M., Marchant, E., & Brophy, S. (2022). The Effect COVID Has Had on the Wants and Needs of Children in Terms of Play: Text Mining the Qualitative Response of the Happen Primary School Survey with 20,000 Children in Wales, UK between 2016 and 2021. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 12687
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Bandyopadhyay, A., Jones, H., Parker, M., Marchant, E., Evans, J., Todd, C., Rahman, M., Healy, J., Win, T., Rowe, B., Moore, S., Jones, A., Brophy, S., Bandyopadhyay, A., Jones, H., Parker, M., Healy, J., & Win, T. (2023). Weighting of risk factors for low birth weight: a linked routine data cohort study in Wales, UK. BMJ Open, 13(2), e063836
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Lowthian, E., Abbasizanjani, H., Bedston, S., Akbari, A., Cowley, L., Fry, R., Owen, R., Hollinghurst, J., Rudan, I., Beggs, J., Marchant, E., Torabi, F., Lusignan, S., Crick, T., Moore, G., Sheikh, A., & Lyons, R. (2023). Trends in SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination in school staff, students and their household members from 2020 to 2022 in Wales, UK: an electronic cohort study. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 116(12), 413-424.
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Marchant, E., Todd, C., Cooksey, R., Dredge, S., Jones, H., Reynolds, D., Stratton, G., Dwyer, R., Lyons, R., & Brophy, S. (2019). Curriculum-based outdoor learning for children aged 9-11: A qualitative analysis of pupils’ and teachers’ views. PLOS ONE, 14(5), e0212242
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Marchant, E., Dowd, J., Bray, L., Rowlands, G., Miles, N., Crick, T., James, M., Dadaczynski, K., & Okan, O. (2024). The well-being and work-related stress of senior school leaders in Wales and Northern Ireland during COVID-19 “educational leadership crisis”: A cross-sectional descriptive study. PLOS ONE, 19(4), e0291278
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Tur Porres, G., Lanyon, K., Abbott, R., Lewis, H., Marchant, E., & Peconi, J. (2024). Exploring perceptions of and attitudes towards tanning with school children, parents/carers and educators in Wales: A mixed methods study protocol for the SunChat study. PLOS ONE, 19(6), e0295719
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Marchant, E. (2024). Re-energizing health literacy in Wales: a testbed for health, education and prosperity for all. Health Promotion International, 39(3)
All Research
Journal Articles
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Marchant, E. (2024). Re-energizing health literacy in Wales: a testbed for health, education and prosperity for all. Health Promotion International, 39(3)
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Tur Porres, G., Lanyon, K., Abbott, R., Lewis, H., Marchant, E., & Peconi, J. (2024). Exploring perceptions of and attitudes towards tanning with school children, parents/carers and educators in Wales: A mixed methods study protocol for the SunChat study. PLOS ONE, 19(6), e0295719
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Marchant, E., Dowd, J., Bray, L., Rowlands, G., Miles, N., Crick, T., James, M., Dadaczynski, K., & Okan, O. (2024). The well-being and work-related stress of senior school leaders in Wales and Northern Ireland during COVID-19 “educational leadership crisis”: A cross-sectional descriptive study. PLOS ONE, 19(4), e0291278
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Lowthian, E., Abbasizanjani, H., Bedston, S., Akbari, A., Cowley, L., Fry, R., Owen, R., Hollinghurst, J., Rudan, I., Beggs, J., Marchant, E., Torabi, F., Lusignan, S., Crick, T., Moore, G., Sheikh, A., & Lyons, R. (2023). Trends in SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination in school staff, students and their household members from 2020 to 2022 in Wales, UK: an electronic cohort study. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 116(12), 413-424.
-
Bandyopadhyay, A., Jones, H., Parker, M., Marchant, E., Evans, J., Todd, C., Rahman, M., Healy, J., Win, T., Rowe, B., Moore, S., Jones, A., Brophy, S., Bandyopadhyay, A., Jones, H., Parker, M., Healy, J., & Win, T. (2023). Weighting of risk factors for low birth weight: a linked routine data cohort study in Wales, UK. BMJ Open, 13(2), e063836
-
James, M., Rasheed, M., Bandyopadhyay, A., Mannello, M., Marchant, E., & Brophy, S. (2022). The Effect COVID Has Had on the Wants and Needs of Children in Terms of Play: Text Mining the Qualitative Response of the Happen Primary School Survey with 20,000 Children in Wales, UK between 2016 and 2021. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 12687
-
Marchant, E., Lowthian, E., Crick, T., Griffiths, L., Fry, R., Dadaczynski, K., Okan, O., James, M., Cowley, L., Torabi, F., Kennedy, J., Akbari, A., Lyons, R., & Brophy, S. (2022). Pre-COVID-19 pandemic health-related behaviours in children (2018–2020) and association with being tested for SARS-CoV-2 and testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 (2020–2021): a retrospective cohort study using survey data linked with routine health data in Wales, UK. BMJ Open, 12(9), e061344
-
Richards, A., Mackintosh, K., Swindell, N., Ward, M., Marchant, E., James, M., Edwards, L., Tyler, R., Blain, D., Wainwright, N., Nicholls, S., Mannello, M., Morgan, K., Evans, T., & Stratton, G. (2022). WALES 2021 Active Healthy Kids (AHK) Report Card: The Fourth Pandemic of Childhood Inactivity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(13), 8138
-
Marchant, E., Griffiths, L., Crick, T., Fry, R., Hollinghurst, J., James, M., Cowley, L., Abbasizanjani, H., Torabi, F., Thompson, D., Kennedy, J., Akbari, A., Gravenor, M., Lyons, R., & Brophy, S. (2022). COVID-19 mitigation measures in primary schools and association with infection and school staff wellbeing: An observational survey linked with routine data in Wales, UK. PLOS ONE, 17(2), e0264023
-
James, M., Jones, H., Baig, A., Marchant, E., Waites, T., Todd, C., Hughes, K., & Brophy, S. (2021). Factors influencing wellbeing in young people during COVID-19: A survey with 6291 young people in Wales. PLOS ONE, 16(12), e0260640
-
Marchant, E., Todd, C., James, M., Crick, T., Dwyer, R., & Brophy, S. (2021). Primary school staff perspectives of school closures due to COVID-19, experiences of schools reopening and recommendations for the future: A qualitative survey in Wales. PLOS ONE, 16(12), e0260396
-
James, M., Marchant, E., Defeyter, M., Woodside, J., & Brophy, S. (2021). Impact of school closures on the health and well-being of primary school children in Wales UK: a routine data linkage study using the HAPPEN Survey (2018–2020). BMJ Open, 11(10), e051574
-
Thompson, D., Abbasizanjani, H., Fry, R., Marchant, E., Griffiths, L., Akbari, A., Hollinghurst, J., North, L., Lyons, J., Torabi, F., Davies, G., Gravenor, M., & Lyons, R. (2021). Staff–pupil SARS-CoV-2 infection pathways in schools in Wales: a population-level linked data approach. BMJ Paediatrics Open, 5(1), e001049
-
Thompson, D., Abbasizanjani, H., Fry, R., Marchant, E., Griffiths, L., Akbari, A., Hollinghurst, J., North, L., Lyons, J., Torabi, F., Davies, G., Gravenor, M., & Lyons, R. (2021). Staff-Pupil SARS-CoV-2 Infection Pathways in Schools: A Population Level Linked Data Approach. medRxiv
-
Khanom, A., Evans, B., Lynch, R., Marchant, E., Hill, R., Morgan, K., Rapport, F., Lyons, R., & Brophy, S. (2020). Parent recommendations to support physical activity for families with young children: Results of interviews in deprived and affluent communities in South Wales (United Kingdom). Health Expectations, 23(2), 284-295.
-
Marchant, E., Todd, C., Stratton, G., & Brophy, S. (2020). The Daily Mile: Whole-school recommendations for implementation and sustainability. A mixed-methods study. PLOS ONE, 15(2), e0228149
-
Marchant, E., Todd, C., Cooksey, R., Dredge, S., Jones, H., Reynolds, D., Stratton, G., Dwyer, R., Lyons, R., & Brophy, S. (2019). Curriculum-based outdoor learning for children aged 9-11: A qualitative analysis of pupils’ and teachers’ views. PLOS ONE, 14(5), e0212242
Supervision
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The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Job Satisfaction and Well-Being in Early Years Educators: The Mediator Roles of Motivation to Teach and Cognitive Flexibility (current)
PhDOther supervisor: Dr Gisselle Tur Porres -
Developing health literacy in initial teacher education students. (current)
PhDOther supervisor: Prof Andrew Townsend -
A design based research project: Exploring pedagogies that develop abstract and algebraic thinking within secondary school mathematics (current)
PhDOther supervisor: Prof Tom Crick
Taught Modules
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DEC100 Child Development
This module enables students to gain an appreciation of key issues within developmental science. They will consider critical and current questions relating to child development, including, for example, nature versus nurture, discontinuity versus continuity and active development versus passive development and the holistic nature of development. Classical and contemporary theories will also be explored. Students will consider development across domains from birth to adolescence. Finally, the module considers the relevance of theories of development to current practice within education and early childhood settings.
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ED-M05 Emotional Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing
This module will focus on emotional health, mental health, physical health and well-being in educational settings. It will critically examine the international research in these areas to explore the evidence base from multiple perspectives and from different contexts. Students will examine factors which impact on emotional health, mental health, physical health and well-being, and will critically evaluate a range of early interventions in relation to the promotion and protection of child / adolescent well-being, whilst also exploring the international evidence concerning the efficacy of a range of preventative measures. The module will enable students to extend, deepen, evaluate and (where appropriate) apply their knowledge of theory and research relating to emotional health, mental health, physical health and well-being to their personal /professional contexts. This module will explore and critically examine research from multiple perspectives and debates in¿the area of¿mental¿health, emotional¿health, physical health¿and well-being across educational contexts. The module is designed to enable students to extend, deepen, evaluate and (where¿appropriate)¿apply their knowledge of theory and research relating to emotional health, mental health, physical health and well-being, as relate¿these to their personal and professional contexts.
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ED-M22 Child Public Health
This module explores current and critical public health and health promotion issues affecting childhood growth from birth to age 18. This includes the development of health behaviours influencing growth, health and well-being such as nutrition, physical activity and sleep. The module places a focus on the socio-ecological influences of childhood growth and public health including the role of individuals (e.g. the child, families), settings (e.g. schools), policy and socio-cultural factors. The concept of health literacy will be explored, considering the influence this has on life course outcomes such as risk factors for non-communicable diseases. The social determinants of health will be considered including the impact of poverty and deprivation and the influence of education. Child health surveillance and monitoring will be examined such as the Childhood Measurement Programme, ongoing child cohort studies (e.g. Born in Wales, HAPPEN) and child health promotion and services (e.g. Flying Start, School Nurse). Emerging national and international trends including childhood obesity and physical inactivity and their impact on children¿s growth, physical health and well-being will be examined. This module will explore the interplay between, and application of research, theory, policy and practice.
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EDD801 Education for Equity
This module will introduce students to some of the current educational debates around issues of equity, and support students to approach these debates through critical analysis of a wide range of data. Issues to be covered will include the decolonisation of the curriculum, issues pertaining to equity of access to educational opportunities and outcomes, issues of equity and equality in educational research (both in relation to topics researched and in the conduct of research), issues of race, gender, social class and marginalisation in learning. Crucially, the module will encourage students to take a critical perspective on key concepts relevant to both the education policy and practice landscape in Wales and the UK more widely, including the concepts of equality of opportunity, equity and meritocracy.
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EDN101 What is Teaching and Learning?
This module will introduce students to key factors that are relevant to effective teaching and learning. It will consider evidence for effective professional practice relating to learning environments, communication strategies and behaviour management. Students will explore the various roles of the educator in contemporary educational practice and theories of teaching and learning. Specific aspects influencing effective learning will also be introduced, for example attention, motivation and expectancy effects. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their own educational experiences in relation to effective teaching and learning practice.
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EDN107 Child Development
This module aims to enable students to gain an appreciation of key issues within developmental science. They will consider critical and current questions relating to development, for example, nature versus nurture, discontinuity versus continuity and active development versus passive development. Classical and contemporary theories will be presented. Students will consider development across domains from birth through to adolescence.
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PM-274 Practical Epidemiology
This module explores the underlying concepts that are used to evaluate population health. How to design a study, measuring frequency and rate of diseases, how tell what the risk factors are for getting a disease, how to critically appraise research, and understanding the limitations of research including bias, reverse causality and confounding. The module will use the current work with Public Health Wales, Welsh Government and Charities and show how their programmes are evaluated using epidemiology design and analysis. The data used in workshops will come directly from our research working in primary schools, arthritis and with the Growing up in Wales study. This course provides hands on experience and training in understanding and measuring population health, and is delivered by practicing researchers in the National Centre for Population Health and Well-being.
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PM-374 Child Health
This module aims to provide a critical overview of the epidemiology of common causes of morbidity and mortality in school-aged children and adolescents. It will cover individual conditions, links between physical and mental health, determinants of health with a focus on socio-economic inequalities, public health universal services to improve health. Further, it will cover links to educational outcomes.
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PM-375 Advanced Epidemiology
This module builds on the teaching from PM-274 Practical Epidemiology, to enable students to understand advanced epidemiology concepts, undertake an analysis (a Hackathon) using these methods, and to be able to write a grant proposal (a PhD proposal) in Epidemiology. The module aims to cover advanced epidemiology analysis techniques including; cohort studies using linked routine data, data driven/machine learning methods, natural experiment design and synthetic controls, case controls studies including propensity score matching, policy evaluation methods and epidemiology in Public Health. The module will include the current work with Public Health Wales, Welsh Government and Charities (Play Wales/Children In Wales) and undertake an analysis (Hackathon) in response to questions from one of our partners (e.g. Public Health Wales). This course advances the hands-on experience in understanding and measuring population health and is taught by active researchers in the National Centre for Population Health and Well-being.
Invited Presentations, Lectures and Conferences
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Improving the health and wellbeing of children in Wales Conference: The 5th European
2019
Moscow, Russia
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The health and attainment of pupils in a primary education network Conference: World
2019
Belfast, UK