Associate Professor in the Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities. Developing a research programme that contributes to the Centre’s research profile and securing large-scale research funding for this.

Departmental Head of Research; job share.

Managed this flagship IOE research centre pending the appointment of a new professorial director and its relaunch as the Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities in October 2019.

Member of research staff in the Department of Learning and Leadership. Working to develop funded research projects and enhance the department's capacity for advanced quantitative methods and experimental research.

As deputy director, I provide strategic leadership of and participate in the centre’s research and teaching activities.I also lead CREATE (Conducting Randomised Evaluations and Trials in Education) at CEPEO, which develops and applies expertise in the evaluation of policies and programmes in the complex field of education, with a particular focus on the use of randomised controlled trials with embedded mixed methods process evaluation. It facilitates informed and critical engagement between strands of education research that too often does not occur, encouraging innovation and robustness of evaluation work in the field of education.

Leading a longitudinal cohort study tracking the unequal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for young people’s life chances.COSMO is a partnership between UCL Centre for Education Policy & Equalising Opportunities, UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies, and the Sutton Trust. Our principal funder is UKRI Economic and Social Research Council.

Primarily working on projects involving education and transitions into the labour market. Involved in research projects commissioned by multiple government departments, including policy/programme evaluation work and broader quantitative research projects. Led successful applications for research funding, including a research grant from the Nuffield Foundation and the contract for a large school-based randomised evaluation from the Education Endowment Foundation.

Primarily working on projects involving education and transitions into the labour market. Involved in research projects commissioned by multiple government departments, including policy/programme evaluation work and broader quantitative research projects. Led successful applications for research funding, including a research grant from the Nuffield Foundation and the contract for a large school-based randomised evaluation from the Education Endowment Foundation.

Various research and analytical work for this education consultancy firm:Created, updated and tailored policy and procedure documents, health and safety documentation, staff and boarding handbooks and risk assessments for schools. This involved becoming very familiar with key regulations for and guidance to schools from the Department for Education (DfE), OfSTED, the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) and others.Prepared multiple submissions to the DfE on behalf of client schools regarding changes to their permissions to operate (such as extending age ranges, setting up new schools etc.).Co-authored works published in the trade magazine Funding for Independent Schools, focusing on areas we have worked on. These have included articles on compliance and best practice for Independent schools, advice to schools on choosing an Outdoor Education centre, applying to the DfE for a change to the details of a school’s registration with them and applying to the DfE to open a new school.Helped prepare and run a course on “Compliance without Complications” aimed at members of schools' Senior Leadership Teams who were unfamiliar with their many responsibilities in this area.Assisted with research project on the Business Management of Independent Schools. Particularly responsible for data collection (from sources including the Independent Schools Association (ISA), Edubase and structured interviews with over sixty independent schools), cleaning and analysis.

Researcher into Access and Participation for New College, University of Oxford. Associated with PhD work on use of university aptitude tests. Voluntary work with college’s tutor for admissions on analysis of the university’s admissions data. Investigated questions the college had on the socioeconomic distribution of its applicants, those it invites to interview and those to whom it offers places, compared to the wider university, including consideration of potential explanations. Analysed how these changed over time, associated with seemingly relevant policy changes.

Worked as a qualified Lifeguard (RLSS UK National Pool Lifeguard Qualification), primarily holiday cover. Ensured a safe environment for users of the pool and fitness suite through vigilance, following established procedures and regular practical and theoretical training. Undertook first aid and aquatic rescue where necessary. Acted as a quasi-receptionist welcoming users into the centre, since the job involved extensive working alone. Took responsibility for opening and closing the pool building.

Worked as an in-house specialist for this influential Select Committee (comprising MPs from all three major political parties) on education, children's services, learning and skills policy. This included giving written and verbal briefings for Members of the Committee.Role also involved acting as an Inquiry Manager with tasks including: researching possible areas of interest for the Committee; organising evidence sessions (including proposing, inviting and briefing potential witnesses); managing relationships with stakeholders (witnesses, external specialist advisers, civil servants, Members'​ staff, and others); drafting Committee reports; organising and attending Committee visits (UK and overseas); assisting in the preparation of press notices; and briefing for relevant Parliamentary debates.As the role involved strict deadlines, and frequent responsibility for more than one ongoing inquiry at a time, excellent time management skills were vital. Also involved improving Committee's public engagement, through social media/Twitter, in particular building followers from 4 to 2000 (the most of any Commons Select Committee) and running a survey through Twitter.Role was a fixed term secondment from my PhD, hence relatively short period.