Dr Penny Smith

PhD in Education, University of Birmingham, 2010 

Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods, University of Birmingham, 2005 

MA in Social Policy and Administration, University of Nottingham, 1998 

BA (Hons) in Sociology (2:1), University of Warwick, 1994 

Penny has been a researcher since 2001 and holds a PhD in Education (school governance), a postgraduate certificate in Research Methods, an MA in Social Policy and Administration and a degree in Sociology. She has extensive experience working on research projects in Social Science Schools/Colleges in Education, Social Policy and Business Schools in universities and in the charitable sector. Penny has drawn upon mixed methods and methodologies including interviewing, survey design and systematic reviews amongst others. In recent posts at the University of Warwick and now at the University of Birmingham, Penny has worked on the What Works in SEND research, funded by the Department of Education and part of the Researching and Improvement for SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Excellence (RISE) led by the Council for Disabled Children (CDC). This research has been significant in its contribution to national policy development in SEND, at a time of considerable change in this field.

Penny’s research has varied in subject matter but has largely centred on education and diversity and inclusion, from a focus on school leadership and management, (school governance and academies) teacher education, and the prevention of children's social exclusion and projects carried out as part of the Disability, Inclusion and Special Needs (DISN) research group in the School of Education at the University of Birmingham including a project on access to libraries for adults with learning disabilities and the experiences of children and young people with epilepsy.

Other research projects have included a large of large qualitative Ministry of Defence commissioned study – the Lived Experience Study (University of Birmingham 2016-2018) - unprecedented in scope and scale, which aimed to increase understanding of how gender and ethnicity were relevant to the way in which civil servants and military personnel experienced employment in the MoD. This study has been influential on policy debates in the UK: the Lived Experience forming part of the work by the Defence Select Committee (UK Parliament). Penny also has experience of working in the charitable sector, specifically as Research Fellow at LOROS hospice (Leicester Organisation for the Relief Of Suffering) (September 2021 to July 2022). This focus on developing policy and practice for end-of-life care was led by an NHS consultant and was partnership with health academics, leaders and practitioners in Health Sciences, University of Leicester and University hospitals, Leicester.

High quality research findings have been key to Penny’s research, the importance of effective dissemination vital to making a lasting difference in terms of policy and practice. In her current role in What Works in SEND, findings have been shared with diverse audiences and have included: presentations, briefings and reports for government departments/policy makers (e.g. NHSE, DfE); journal articles and presentations for academics (e.g. Joint Universities Social Work Association conference; SCRN and COHR (Warwick Business School); SEND conference May 2024; third sector (e.g. CDC, NDTi), professionals in local authorities and health agencies at local, regional and national level and (e.g. designated health and social care officers, health providers); service users (e.g. Parent Carer Forums) and young people (e.g. Youth Voice Matters).

Penny’s research is on diversity and inclusion, with a current focus on children and young people with SEND and their experiences in education, health and social care. The What Works in SEND project focuses on aspects of SEND services, carrying out research (systematic reviews, surveys, qualitative interviewing) with a view to developing better experiences for this cohort of children and young people, and providing data for policy makers (DfE) to achieve this. 

Penny has a particular interest in qualitative research and analysis, having considerable experience in this. She has frequently drawn upon ethnographic approaches to guide analysis, establishing in-depth understanding of perspectives and individuals, groups and cultures. She has brought these skills to bear in interdisciplinary teams, including in universities, community and voluntary sectors in health, social care and education.