Since arriving at the University of Birmingham in 2007, Beng Huat has been involved in a wide range of research including character education, developing critical thinking skills, systematic reviews for government, and rigorous evaluations of programmes in schools. Her research interests stem mainly from her desire to help children enjoy school and to achieve their full potential. She is currently a grant holder of 7 projects totalling over £272k. The findings of her research have contributed to policy and research decisions taken, for example, by the Education Endowment Foundation, TeachFirst and/or the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office. For example, her study on the causal links between attitudes, aspirations and behaviour, and educational outcomes provided evidence for the EEF Pupil Premium Toolkit and the Welsh Government’s Department for Education and Skills’ (Yr Adran Addysg a Sgiliau) range of high quality resources and materials. Her study on the literacy transition ‘catch up’ is instrumental in EEF’s decision in providing £10million of funding on transition programmes.
Beng Huat’s first degree was in geography and economics, and began her career as a secondary school teacher in Singapore. She obtained her MEd in education management and TEFL in 1994 from Cardiff University. In 2000 she undertook her doctorate degree investigating the determinants of teacher supply and demand, the findings of which contributed to the evidence for the Education Select Committee.
Beng Huat is also a landscape painter having sold several of her pieces at local charities.
Beng Huat was a researcher at the University of York before moving to the University of Birmingham where she is involved in a wide range of research from character education, developing critical thinking skills, to systematic reviews and rigorous evaluations of programmes. Her research interests are wide and varied, but stems mainly from her desire to help children of all ages, gender, abilities and ethnicity to enjoy school and to achieve their full potential.
In the last year she is co-I with Professor Stephen Gorard on 7 externally-funded projects totalling over £272k. Her research findings have made important impacts on research decisions taken by the Education Endowment Foundation, TeachFirst and/or the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office in relation to the use of the pupil premium and the transition from year 6 to year 7 at school. For example the JRF review of studies exploring the causal links between attitudes, aspirations and behaviour, and educational outcome has contributed to the evidence for the EEF Pupil Premium Toolkit , and has also been included in the Welsh Government’s Department for Education and Skills (Yr Adran Addysg a Sgiliau) range of high quality resources and materials.
To date she has published 3 books and 12 refereed journal articles. She is an editorial board member and a reviews editor of Educational Research and Evaluation and peer reviewer for a number of academic journals.
Beng Huat’s career began as a secondary school teacher in Singapore where she taught geography, English and religious studies for 16 years. For seven years she headed the humanities department and was also the chief editor of her school publications. She was also the school’s pastoral care and career guidance co-ordinator. In 1994 she completed her Masters in Education at Cardiff University specialising in education management and TEFL, having had an RSA diploma in TESOL from the British Council. She spent 3 years teaching GCSE and A-level geography in an FE college in South Wales. In 2000 she undertook her doctorate degree investigating the determinants of teacher supply and demand, the findings of which have led to two submissions to the House of Commons Select Committee. The first was a written evidence submission to the House of Commons Select Committee Inquiry into teacher retention which was published in the House of Commons fifth report of session 2003-2004, Vol. 1. The second was a written and oral submission of evidence to the House of Commons Select Committee Inquiry on 23 November 2011 on attracting, training and retaining the best teachers. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmeduc/1515/1515we06.htm
In her spare time Beng Huat enjoys painting, specialising in landscape and abstract painting. Although most of her paintings are in acrylic and watercolour, she also enjoys charcoal portrait drawings. Most of her paintings feature parks and woods in the Midlands. Some of her pieces have been exhibited and sold at charity events.
Selected Publications
Books
Gorard, S. and See, BH. (2013) Overcoming disadvantage in education, London: Routledge, ISBN 978-0415536899, 224 pages (for delivery December 2012)
See, B.H. (2011) Understanding teacher supply in England and Wales, Saarbrücken: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing. ISBN 978-3-8454-2076-9
Gorard, S., See, BH and Davies, P. (2011) Do attitudes and aspirations matter in education?: A review of the research evidence, Saarbrucken: Lambert Academic Publishing, ISBN 978-3-8454-4079-8, 209 pages
Gorard, S., See, B.H., Smith, E. and White, P. (2006) Teacher supply: the key issues, London: Continuum. ISBN 082648770X (hardback) 194 pages
Refereed journal articles
See, B.H., Gorard, S. and Torgerson, C. (2012/2013) Promoting post-16 participation of ethnic minority students from disadvantaged backgrounds: a systematic review of the most promising interventions. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, Issue 17.4
See, B.H., Torgerson, C., Gorard, S., Ainsworth, H., Low, G. and Wright, K. (2011) Factors that promote high post-16 participation of some minority ethnic groups in England: A systematic review of the UK-based literature, Research in Post-Compulsory Education, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 85-100
Gorard, S. and See, B.H. (2011) How can we enhance enjoyment of secondary school? The student view, British Educational Research Journal, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 671-690
Gorard, S. and See, B.H. (2009) The early impact of SES on participation and attainment in science, Studies in Science Education, Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. 93-129
Gorard, S., See, B.H. and Shaheen, R. (2009) Educating for citizenship: some lessons from England 2008, Citizenship Teaching and Learning, Vol. 5, No, 1, pp. 35-45
See, B.H. (2004) Determinants of teaching as a career, Evaluation and Research in Education, Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 213-242.
See, B.H., Gorard, S. and White, P. (2004) Teacher demand: Crisis, what crisis? Cambridge Journal of Education, Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 103-123
Official reports
See, BH, Gorard, S., Cooke, S. and Siddiqui, N. (2012) Improving literacy in the transition period: What do we need to know about what works?, London: Educational Endowment Foundation, 57 pages