The School of Education - University of Birmingham

Who we are
The original Department of Education was founded in 1896 and
became the School of Education in 1947. It has a long-standing
reputation as a centre of excellence for teaching and research in a
wide range of areas of educational practice and policy. The School
has expertise spanning a broad range of disciplines including
disability, inclusion and special needs; education and social justice
and professional education. It is building upon its strengths as one
of the best Schools of Education in the UK by expanding into areas
of research, teaching and consultancy that are truly distinguishing
the School of Education in terms of leadership, visibility, excellence,
and innovation. It is a diverse community of scholars, educators,
staff and students committed to improving teaching and learning
through innovative and inquiry-driven programmes, research,
reflection and critique in partnership with its communities.
Department Heads and Directors
Professor Peter Davies
Deputy Head of School and
Director of Academic Planning
Peter joined the School of
Education in 2010. He is Director
of the Centre for Higher Education,
Equity and Access. His research is
based on theory and empirical
evidence in relation to
multidisciplinary analysis of
participation, choice and
engagement in secondary and
higher education; the private and
public finance of education; the
conceptual change with particular
reference to understanding in
economics; and relationships
between different theoretical
perspectives on conceptual
change, particularly Variation
Theory and Threshold Concepts.
Professor Peter Davies
Deputy Head of School and
Director of Academic Planning
Professor Christine Skelton
Deputy Head of School and
Director of Research
Christine is the School of
Education’s Director of Research
and Research Excellence
Framework Lead. She is responsible
for preparing the School’s
submission for REF 2014, including
preparation of the impact profile of
the School. As Director of Research,
Christine chairs the School of
Education Research and Knowledge
Transfer Committee meetings
which oversee the School’s
research activities. Her research
interests are in gender and
education but Christine’s particular
interests are in achievement and
primary schooling.
Professor Christine Skelton
Deputy Head of School and
Director of Research
6 SCHOOL OF EDUCATION | BRINGING VISION AND VALUES TO LIFE
Professor Jane Martin
Deputy Head of School, Director for
Strategic Development and Head of
Education and Social Justice
Professor Jane Martin
Deputy Head of School, Director for
Strategic Development and Head of
Education and Social Justice
Jane is Professor of Social History
of Education and is concerned with
the relation between education
and politics. Employing a
biographical approach, Jane
adopts existing feminist and
historical models to explore the
link with social movements,
especially socialism and the
women's movement, and the role
of particular educator activists at
particular points in history. Jane
joins the School of Education from
the Institute of Education,
University of London.
Professor Richard Dunnill
Director of Education
Richard is responsible for the
strategic and operational
leadership and oversight of the
School’s programmes of study at
all levels (undergraduate, taught
postgraduate, and research
postgraduate). He has worked with
colleagues to liaise closely with
government and other key
stakeholders and has helped the
School become involved with
initiatives such as Teaching
Schools, School Direct and new
School-Centred Initial Teacher
Training (SCITT) consortia.
Professor Richard Dunnill
Director of Education