Foundation Years: student and tutor perceptions of identity, belonging and writing in a post-92 University

This research explored identities and belonging of students and tutors in a post-92 Foundation Year (FY) programme, examining how perceptions of the programme and participants’ writing practices within the programme relate to identity and belonging. FYs are one-year, integrated programmes designed to prepare students, often from under-represented backgrounds, for undergraduate studies. Combining subject-specific and academic skills content, FYs are framed as transitional pathways. While widely advocated for amongst practitioners, they face increasing scrutiny from policy makers over their cost and effectiveness. Using a social constructivist lens and narrative inquiry, the study employed qualitative visual methods that included semi-structured interviews with 6 students and 11 tutors across five FY strands. Findings reveal that students and tutors bring a wide range of experiences and identities to their FY programmes, and that these experiences and aspects have implications for their sense of belonging within the FY and institution. Students associate their involvement with the FY and FY writing primarily with professional aspirations. Discomfort with writing norms contributes to uncertainty about belonging. Tutors’ professional identities and sense of belonging were influenced by disciplinary alignment and contractual status, although perceptions of marginalisation were expressed by all participants. Both students and tutors resisted deficit narratives commonly associated with FYs, instead asserting the value of their lived experiences within the FY and contributions to the University. The study positions the FY as a relational and dynamic space where identity, belonging, and writing intersect, and where both students and tutors navigate complex institutional and professional landscapes. These insights offer implications for more inclusive programme design and institutional policies.