Become A Research Partner
The BrainWaves Research Partner Network
Our BrainWaves Research Partners are central to the delivery and impact of our work.
Support student wellbeing
Our BrainWaves Research Partners are central to the delivery and impact of our work. Through their active participation and commitment, these schools and colleges enable the development, testing, and refinement of robust, evidence-informed approaches to student mental health and wellbeing.
Their partnership ensures that our research is grounded in authentic educational contexts and contributes to meaningful, scalable improvements across the education sector.
We are deeply grateful to our current BrainWaves Research Partners, located across the country, who play a vital role in advancing evidence-informed approaches to student mental health and wellbeing. Together, these schools and colleges form a growing national research network.
Why become a BrainWaves Research Partner?
If your school or college works with students aged 11+, you are invited to join our next research cohort and contribute to a programme that bridges academic research and real-world educational practice at no cost to you.
Benefits for schools/ colleges
- Receive accreditation from Oxford University via BrainWaves, with a Research Partner plaque to display and logos for your correspondence and social media;
- Receive a free, personalised wellbeing report based on your students’ data, supporting strategic planning and targeted provision
- Demonstrate leadership in research-informed practice to students, families and inspectors;
- Promote a proactive, whole-school wellbeing culture aligned with Ofsted priorities;
- Contribute to ethically designed, longitudinal research that strengthens the evidence base for adolescent wellbeing;
- Shape curriculum content and resources informed by real student experiences.
Benefits for students
For academic partners, BrainWaves offers a model of large-scale, school-based research with direct translation into classroom practice.
Data collected through the study informs curriculum development, intervention design and ongoing evaluation, ensuring a clear pathway from research insight to practical impact.
Academic impact and practical application
Students who take part gain the opportunity to reflect on their own wellbeing, develop self-advocacy skills, and contribute to research that aims to improve support for their peers.
All participating students receive an Oxford University–branded certificate, providing a valuable addition to UCAS applications and personal statements.
Join the Research Partner Network
By joining the BrainWaves Research Partner Network for free, your school or college becomes part of a national effort to improve young people’s mental health through robust research, collaboration, and action.