Research

My particular research interest is underperforming secondary schools. Initially this focused around Ofsted and the persistently high number of secondary schools judged as underperforming each year since Ofsted was set up in 1992. More recently, my research interests have broadened out to look at specific factors affecting school and pupil performance, including socio-economic factors, social deprivation and geographical issues, impacting on school performance, around the north-south divide in England. I am now also developing an interest in mental health issues and wellbeing in relation to the performance of teachers and pupils, and thus on sustaining overall school improvement in challenging circumstances.