The School of Education - University of Birmingham

Message from Head of School
Staff and students are highly
committed and enthusiastic with
staff delivering outstanding
education and training experiences
for both undergraduate and
postgraduate students. The School
focuses on results and on
enhancing the student experience
and it enjoys excellent partnership
relations with local schools. The
School’s professional training
programmes for teachers are the
most innovative in the country and
are officially rated ‘Outstanding’ in
every category, which is truly
extraordinary. The provision in this
area is expanding and the School
will be piloting new subject areas
in teacher education in 2013 at the
invitation of the government.
The Prime Minister has announced
that the University has been
successful in its bid to establish the
first pioneering University Training
School (UTS). This is the first UTS in
the country and will enable the
extension of excellent academic
education to 11-18 year olds in
Birmingham as well as continuing
to provide outstanding teacher
training facilities for the next
generation of inspiring teachers.
This secondary school will also
provide unprecedented
opportunities for research.
The School has recently launched a
research Centre for Character and
Note:
The School is rightly proud of the outstanding research, teaching
and professional development that it delivers as a School of
Education. Academic excellence is the School’s goal and its 90
academic staff, 40 professional services staff and over 2,500
students bring to the School a range of experience which makes
the School an internationally rated School of Education.
Values in the House of Lords which
will bring together some
exceptional academics to study this
important area. The School is
grateful to the John Templeton
Foundation for their generous
support which made this possible. A
new Centre for Higher Education
and Access has been launched at
Nuffield House in London and a
newly planned Centre for Race and
Education is taking shape with
further ideas for research centres
being considered. This has resulted
in a series of exciting new
appointments, as well as
investments in new professors;
seven appointed in the last six
months, which makes the School of
Education the fastest growing in the
UK. Its academic programme is
ambitious and the University is
investing in its strategy for growth
in research. The international
outreach and footprint is ever
expanding and the School
welcomes students from across the
world to study and research here.
Its staff and doctoral students are
engaged in innovative research and
its publications have real impact on
the education world.
The School of Education has
performed well above expectations
in terms of its grant capture during
2011/12, setting a record income of
£7million in research awards. The
School will continue with its
successes in this area during
2012/13 and beyond. The National
Student Survey (NSS) scores for
the School demonstrate significant
and substantial improvements
across the board. The School is in
an excellent position, with regard
to student feedback and will
expect to perform very well in this
area making improvements year
on year.
The continued growth and success
of the School of Education are
vital. In the past 12 months, there
have been some milestone
achievements: unprecedented NSS
scores; highest-ever research
income; unparalleled investment in
professors; senior staff and
research fellows; expansion in
student admissions; being
awarded the country’s first UTS;
new research centres; and
improving conditions in the
Education building. The School is
continually seeking to build on its
successes, driving forward as a
School and this brochure seeks to
highlight these successes.
James Arthur has been Head of School since 2010. He is a world-leading expert on the Character and Values of young
people and is Director of the Jubilee Centre for Character and Values. His research led him to an invited member of the
DEMOS Character Inquiry which published The Character Inquiry in April 2011. The recent Riots Commission, convened
in the wake of the August 2011 UK riots drew from Professor Arthur’s research in its conclusion that the young people
involved in the riots and young people generally should be taught to develop the values, skills and character required
to make the right choices in their lives.
4 SCHOOL OF EDUCATION | BRINGING VISION AND VALUES TO LIFE