Doctoral Project:

School Eating Times as Contexts for Children’s Peer Relationships and Adjustment to School.

Psychological theory identifies a sense of social relatedness as fundamental to optimal human well-being and development (Ryan & Deci, 2000). This is reflected in evidence that children’s peer relations predict a range of social, emotional and cognitive adjustment outcomes (Howe, 2010). However, there is little research on authentic, informal, ‘open’ childhood contexts which can foster these relationships and the day-to-day interactions which underpin them. There is also evidence that such contexts are under threat (Baines & Blatchford 2019). In my research, I focus on the school mealtimes of Year 5 children as conversational contexts which may make particular contributions to their friendships and wider relationships. I am using mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative observations, interviews, and questionnaires) to examine the nature of interactions which take place during these times and how they might be related to children’s peer relations and so to their liking for school.   As with Blatchford and Baines’ (2010) breaktime research, this work makes a contribution to debates about adult structuring of children's social lives. My study will shed further light on the extent to which informal time with peers is important - or not - for children’s relationships and social development and whether its erosion should give cause for concern. In the case of school mealtimes, some schools structure the event (e.g. by designating who should sit with who or by having teachers sitting with children to guide conversation). This may be inadvertently undermining the kind of rich social experience which is important for children’s development and well-being.