Members of the Department of Teacher Education

Donna has had varied career experiences which have led to her current position at the University of Birmingham. From research scientist via industry to secondary school teaching and currently teaching in Higher Education (HE).

She has taught Science and Biology to A-level in Birmingham secondary schools, most recently at the University of Birmingham school where she was a Teaching Fellow ...

Tracy Whatmore joined the School of Education in September 2012. She is a Senior Lecturer, Primary Link Tutor for MA Education and Deputy Head of the Department of Teacher Education. Previous roles have included Partnership Co-ordinator, Primary Lead for School Direct, Acting Head of Primary English and Admissions Tutor. Tracy currently teaches Professional Studies and Primary ...

Kalsoom has worked across several primary schools, in England and abroad. She has a strong background in Mathematics Education and has worked in leadership roles as well as supporting roles.

She is currently Lecturer in Primary Education (Mathematics), specifically teaching on the PGDipEd course in the School of Education. She is also personal tutor to students who are completing their Masters ...

As a Teacher Education lecturer at the University of Birmingham Dubai, Noshaba supports prospective and early career teachers in critically exploring the relationship between pedagogy, policy and practice as the programme lead of the PGCEi and MA (Education) Learning and Teaching programmes. Prior to joining the University of Birmingham, Noshaba has held Pastoral and Science department leadership ...

Ben worked in maintained nursery schools and primary schools in Wolverhampton and Shropshire before becoming lecturer in Higher Education on ITE programmes. Prior to teaching, Ben had obtained a BSc, MSc and PhD in Zoology, Conservation Biology and Evolutionary Theory respectively. His PhD thesis investigated the evolution of complex social phenotypes and the genomic architecture of complex ...

Karen Brodie is the Primary Education Lecturer for the PGCE Primary Course and has worked in the education sector in the U.A.E., as a teacher trainer, for many years.

A qualified and experienced practitioner, with extensive Primary teaching practice, Karen is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the U.K

Helen joined the School of Education as a Lecturer in Secondary History Education in March 2021. Prior to joining the University of Birmingham, she worked as a Regional Manager at the widening participation charity The Brilliant Club.

After 9 years working as a secondary history teacher, Helen completed a PhD on the history of education in England in 2018 at Birkbeck College. University of ...

David works in the Initial Teacher Education team as a lecturer in Secondary Mathematics Education. He teaches on the PGDipEd (QTS) Secondary Mathematics programme and the Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE)course. David also supervises students on the MA Teaching Studies programme. He previously worked with the Outreach team offering mathematics support to a range of schools and students ...

Gemma has worked in teacher educator since 2010 and is currently Lecturer of Geography Education, specifically teaching on the PGDipEd (QTS) Geography course in the School of Education. She also supervises on the MA Teaching Studies course.

Before joining the University, Gemma held a number of teaching and leadership posts in Birmingham schools She is an active member of the ...

After reading Physics at the University of Birmingham and training to be a Science teacher at Sheffield Hallam University, Dan has taught Physics in a range of schools for 15 years. Until recently Head of Science at King Edward VI Five Ways School, Dan is a Chartered Physicist, an Ogden Trust Teacher Fellow and Teacher Network Coordinator for the Institute of Physics. He is particularly ...

Donna has had varied career experiences which have led to her current position at the University of Birmingham. From research scientist via industry to secondary school teaching and currently teaching in Higher Education (HE).

She has taught Science and Biology to A-level in Birmingham secondary schools, most recently at the University of Birmingham school where she was a Teaching Fellow ...

Colin Diamond has worked in the field of educational leadership for many years in England. He has been a Head of Faculty, Associate Headteacher, Local Education Authority Adviser, Assistant Director and Director of Education/Children’s Services.

He led improvements in two local authorities taking them from government intervention to strong performance. He has also worked for the Department ...

Maddy is a lecturer and researcher in educational leadership with a background in early years education and TESOL. She is currently teaching on several MEd modules within the Department of Teacher Education and has a key role in supporting the apprentices on the Educational Leadership Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship. In addition, she contributes to the undergraduate and Primary ITE programmes. Her ...

Celia Greenway is Director of Student Engagement in the University responsible for the personal academic tutor system and the enhancement of student engagement. She is a Reader in Education who leads Early Years Education and Child Development.

Initially as a practitioner Celia taught in schools and nurseries across Worcestershire. Prior to joining the University, she was responsible for ...

Sarah is passionate about the role that outstanding Religious Education has in shaping young people's lives and equipping them for the modern world as reflective and tolerant thinkers. She has an extensive vocabulary of teaching and learning strategies which inspire teacher trainees and pupils in school to enquire and respond to religion in a creative and reflective way whilst developing ...

Sally joined the university as a teacher educator in 2013 and is currently Lecturer in Secondary English Initial Teacher Education, specifically teaching on the PGDipEd (QTS) Secondary English course in the School of Education. She also supervises on the MA Teaching Studies course and is currently the Department of Teacher Education lead for Quality Assurance and Enhancement.

Before joining the ...

Karl joined the School of Education, University of Birmingham in June 2020 as a Reader in Education Policy. Previously he was a Senior Lecturer in Education, and Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at University College Cork, Ireland.

His research and teaching focuses on challenging multiple inequalities in education, in childhood and in young people’s lives. His most recent ...

Beth Marley is a lecturer in Primary Education on the PGDipEd and School Direct Primary courses. She is the Programme Lead for the School Direct SEND PGCE. Beth has taught in all phases in primary schools for over 20 years.

Nicola worked in primary schools in Worcestershire and Birmingham before becoming an adult education tutor and then a Higher Education lecturer on childhood studies and ITE programmes. Her research interests include children and families with EAL, children as researchers and parental involvement in early years education.

Alison Taysum is Programme Leader for the Masters-Level Degrees Diploma Apprenticeship (DA) and non-DA, working with outstanding colleagues in Educational Leadership Academy (ELA): Dr Karl Kitching (Research Director), Dr Meng Tian (Senior Lecturer Educational Leadership), and Dr Dawn English (Dubai Campus) led by Professor Colin Diamond CBE, also in The Department of Education (under the lead of ...

Meng Tian joined the Educational Leadership Academy, Department of Teacher Education in 2021. Her teaching and research interests lie in distributed leadership, social justice leadership, leaders’ and teachers’ professional development, and educational leadership policy-making. Currently, she teaches in the MA Educational Leadership DA Programme and MA Education Programme (Leadership ...

Sandy taught Science and Chemistry to A-level in secondary schools for 14 years where he held various Teaching and Learning posts, including that of Advanced Skills Teacher part funded by Birmingham City Council. This included a secondment to the Royal Society of Chemistry as a School Teacher Fellow as part of the ‘Chemistry for Our Future’ project looking at strategies to overcome ...

Kirsty works part time, and leads the PGDipEd Primary Mathematics Specialist course.  Since joining the university in 2006, Kirsty has established and taught the General Primary and Early Years mathematics courses and the Primary Mathematics Specialist course. Prior to this, she was Research Officer on the ESRC funded project ‘Purposeful Algebraic Activity’ at the ...

A UK Qualified Teacher, Executive Coach and Mentor, Sanam has been working within the Middle East for over 12 years. With extensive knowledge and 20 years of teaching and leadership experience working within the UK and UAE Education sectors, Sanam brings a wealth of experience to her role as School Partnerships Strategies Manager to the University of Birmingham, Dubai.

As the first recruit from ...

Joanne is an Honorary Associate Professor in the School of Education, University of Birmingham. She joined the University as a Lecturer then Senior Lecturer in Physical Education and held the positions of Programme Lead for Physical Education PGDipEd (QTS), Director of MEd/MA Teaching Studies and Programme Lead for PGDip Teaching Studies. Her research interests cover the areas of Physical ...

Hywel Thomas is Emeritus Professor of the Economics of Education and he was the Director of the Centre for Research in Medical and Dental Education at the University of Birmingham (now the Health Professional Education and Research Unit (HPERU)). He was Head of the School of Education for 10 years, from 1993 -2003. His work on GP education was recognised with an Honorary ...