Educating Emma? - Nicola Maxfield

Welcome to the fifth series in the annual podcast programme from Academic Archers, bringing you papers from our 2024 conference.

Please note: the sound quality on this recording is not as clear as usual. We apologise for this and thank you for your understanding.

This episode considers what further education might mean for Emma Grundy and how her story reflects wider trends in UK higher education.

Educating Emma? - Nicola Maxfield

The Archers has often reflected national patterns in access to higher education. Some characters leave for university at 18, such as Alice and Ben (with mixed results), while others, like Brenda and Roy Tucker, return to study later in life.

Could Emma Grundy follow a similar path? After disappointing GCSEs and years in low-paid work, Emma once dreamed of studying catering. Today, widening participation schemes encourage mature students like her, with 23% of UK students now over 30. If Emma were to enrol at Felpersham University, it could transform her prospects.

Drawing on research linking higher education to self-esteem and opportunity, this paper asks whether Emma might find her own Educating Rita moment, or quietly complete a part-time degree while raising her family. Either way, education could be life-changing for Emma.

About the speaker

• Nicola Maxfield is a Study Skills Advisor at University Centre Petroc in North Devon, where she supports students to develop confidence and fulfil their potential. She lives in Devon and is currently pursuing a Masters degree.

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