This study reports research into the role and deployment of teaching assistants who were implementing a literacy intervention - the Fischer Family Trust Wave 3 (FFTW3). A conceptual framework was devised to inform and support the creation, progression and interpretation of the research, drawing upon a postmodern perspective and principles associated with pragmatism and phronesis or practical wisdom. A multiple-case study approach was adopted, using interviews and observations, focusing on six teaching assistants across two local authorities, with the aim of exploring the teaching assistants' implementation of the FFTW3 programme. Analysis was informed by a grounded theory approach where a constant comparison of data was used to create themes. The findings are presented as case reports for each teaching assistant, followed by a cross-case analysis. Findings revealed that the FFTW3 programme provided unique opportunities for sustainable intervention practices which, it is argued, have implications beyond the boundaries of this research. Furthermore, there was considerable evidence that despite supportive structures for the implementation of the programme, barriers to effective deployment persisted in most contexts. The findings raise questions in relation to policy agendas which have not sufficiently clarified the ways in which teaching assistants should be deployed or supported. The implications from this study have relevance for both school systems and educational policy.

This thesis focuses on the barriers that women principals face in Cypriot primary schools. This research had six aims including the overarching aim. The overarching aim of this research is to examine the career progress of female principals in Cyprus primary schools and to address the apparent under-representation of women in leadership positions. The research also aimed to establish the barriers that female leaders face in order to be promoted as principals, and how they can be overcome. Another aim was to establish how gender issues play a part in creating barriers to promotion as a school principal and how these may subsequently affect them in leading the school. A third consideration was to comprehend what barriers women may have faced in their childhood years and to establish whether, and to what extent, female leaders face internal and external barriers in Cyprus schools. The research also sought to identify the support or enablers that may facilitate women’s career progression. The enquiry was conducted using mixed method approaches, including both surveys and interviews. These quantitative and qualitative methods were combined to facilitate methodological triangulation. The data were collected sequentially, with the surveys preceding the interviews. This sequence was planned to obtain generalisable data first and to secure self-selected participants for the interviews. The quantitative data were collected through a whole population questionnaire survey administered to all women principals (C.187) in Cyprus primary schools, using Survey Monkey. Qualitative data were collected, from all twenty women principals who agreed to be interviewed. The findings show that societal culture and discrimination, the influence of the patriarchal family, family and domestic responsibilities, the intersection between women’s age, sex and the location of schools and professional development, were powerful influences on the career trajectory of these women primary school principals. These themes recur in several places, showing the pervasive nature of these influences on women principals in Cyprus. The thesis reports these findings and connects them to other literature on women principals. The present work is informed by contemporary feminist and gender theories.

This study described UK trainee teachers’ understandings of and attitudes to radioactivity and ionising radiation, in one School of Education. The investigation addressed three research questions. The first focussed on the understanding of alpha, beta and gamma radiations. The second looked at risk assessments involving alpha, beta and gamma radiations and, the third, explored attitudes to alpha, beta and gamma radiations. An innovative tool called ‘interviews about experimental scenarios’ (IAES) and survey questionnaires were administered to physics, chemistry, biology and history specialists. The collected evidence supported the hypothesis that increased time spent in formal science education correlates with a better understanding and more positive and rational attitudes. The trainee teachers were considered to be well-educated members of the public and, therefore, the findings to offer a reasonable ‘best-case scenario’ of the public understanding of science. However, understanding was incomplete and misconceptions existed. Unique to this research were the misconceptions that alpha, beta and gamma radiations reflect back from shiny surfaces similar to light and also refract in water. The study identified implications arising from its findings and made specific recommendations for communicators of science to the public, Initial Teacher Training and Continuing Professional Development for teachers.

Work-life balance is a relatively unexplored topic in the educational field, yet it was a significant element of the National Agreement (2003) which sought to enable teachers, including head teachers, to achieve a reasonable work-life balance. Subsequently the workforce reforms were introduced into schools in a phased manner in order to implement the Agreement’s principles. This study seeks to establish the meaning of work-life balance and goes on to examine the effectiveness of the workforce reforms in achieving their goal to support teachers in achieving such a balance. This is a qualitative study using multiple case study methodology. Data was gathered via semi-structured interviews with twelve teachers and six leaders from three secondary schools in the same locality. The differing perspectives of teachers and leaders in the schools are highlighted in order to identify the key factors which affect the ability of an individual to achieve a work-life balance. Following an analysis of the findings it is suggested that the workforce reforms had not been effective in this respect. Further, it is proposed that personal capacity and personal control are pivotal in enabling staff in secondary schools to manage the work and non-work aspects of their lives in order to achieve an acceptable balance.

Empirical research that has applied Self-Determination Theory (SDT) within classrooms suggests that the combined satisfaction of three basic psychological needs can be predictive of students’ motivation to engage with learning activities. These three basic needs are relatedness, which, for the purposes of the current research, takes the form of a positive teacher-student relationship, perceived self-competence, and autonomy. The current research suggests that, whilst SDT emphasizes the importance of autonomy as a basis for self-determined engagement with learning, the motivation to be autonomous is a potential outcome informed by the students’ perceived competence and the perceived quality of the teacher-student relationship. These findings were the basis for three posits regarding the impact of the satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs, central to SDT, upon students’ engagement with learning activities. These posits are: that firstly, an individual’s motivation to be autonomous (SDT; autonomy) is an outcome dependent upon students’ satisfied needs for both a positive teacher-student relationship (SDT: relatedness) and perceived competence (SDT: competence); secondly, that perceived competence is informed by and reciprocally informs the quality of the teacher-student relationship; and thirdly, that there is a potential cumulative connection between students’ perceived competence and the quality of the teacher-student relationship, in terms of the combined impact upon the quality and persistence of autonomous motivation. These interpretive claims emerged from and were supported by the findings across the main study and triangulation methods within the current research. The current research begins to unravel how the motivational interplay between the three SDT-centred basic psychological needs may inform students’ engagement with learning activities in formal learning settings. This led to the development of a proposed SDT-embedded motivational pathways model. This model is worthy of further testing, explanation and modification by educators through classroom-based research.

The concepts of school leadership and continuing professional development have become the cornerstone of much educational debate and enquiry. This mixed-methods study investigates the perceptions of teachers, head teachers and ministry officials in relation to what they feel are the defining constituents of continuing professional development and school leadership in three Caribbean islands. Drawing on data from questionnaires, interviews and focus-group discussions, the researcher examined participants’ views about their existing circumstances as they relate to the main concepts. The findings highlight three key but interesting view-points. First, leadership was characterized by three major constructs which are directly interrelated but more importantly, captures the essence of leadership from the island narratives. Second, respondents’ accounts showed that improvement in organizational practices and personal development were considered as the main purpose of CPD in addition to, highlighting some concerns regarding the way in which it is planned and executed. Third, the context in which teachers and school leaders operate seem to play an important part in shaping the way in which they perceive both concepts. These contextual factors appear to guide the manner in which leadership and CPD are practiced across the islands in question. This in turn supports the discourses in the leadership literature that it is not a concept which is easily defined. Added to this, the evidence also suggests that sustained learning particularly as it relates to CPD would require the combined processes of these leadership constructs and a supporting atmosphere of structured dialogues between policy-makers and practitioners.

Vol. 1 This volume presents research into educational approaches for supporting young people at secondary transfer. The volume consists of a critical literature review and an empirical study, supplemented with an introductory chapter and concluding commentary. The review explores a 'continuity vs discontinuity' debate and examines previous research into the 'Primary Ethos' approach for maintaining continuity at secondary transfer. The review reveals a clear need for further Primary Ethos evaluations which look beyond impact, and which seek to elicit the views of the pupils and other key stakeholders. The empirical study reports on an illuminative process evaluation of a West Midland secondary school's Year 7 ‘Foundation Group’ initiative for low attaining pupils. With the evaluation’s primary purpose being to inform initiative development and organisational learning, the RADIO model (Knight and Timmins, 1995) was used. Following the identification of 5 collaboratively negotiated process questions, semi-structured interviews were conducted with pupils, staff and the Head teacher. Data analysis resulted in the identification of 'supportive factor' themes, areas for development, and issues pertinent to the school. The researcher concludes by suggesting that the application of an attachment theory perspective may be useful in providing a framework for future exploration of Primary Ethos initiatives. Vol. 2 This volume presents five independent ‘Professional Practice Reports’ (PPRs) which reflect work undertaken by a Trainee Educational Psychologist for the purposes of an Applied Educational and Child Psychology Doctoral training programme with the University of Birmingham (2006-2009). The first paper, 'An account of a Trainee Educational Psychologist’s involvement in a planned change process in an organisation' (Chapter 2), describes how a primary school Head teacher and Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) were supported with addressing the emotional and psychological implications of an impending change process. The second paper, 'Working with a complex emotion in children and young people: a critique of ‘Anger Management’' (Chapter 3), reflects upon the theoretical perspectives relating to anger and critiques the most common approach to dealing with anger in children and young people: Cognitive Behavioural Anger Management. The third paper, 'A critique of the issues relating to the implementation of a Multi-Agency Social Communication Difficulties (SCD) Assessment Protocol' (Chapter 4), critiques some of the issues surrounding the implementation of a new Multi-Agency Social-Communication Difficulties protocol for primary aged pupils within a West Midlands Local Authority. The fourth paper, 'Reflections on the work of an Educational Psychology Service’s Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT)’ (Chapter 5), reflects on the work of the CIRT in relation to the literature and research base on critical incident response, crisis intervention and trauma work with schools. Finally, the fifth paper, 'Fostering Inclusion through Circles and Strengths (FITOS): A critique of the process issues relating to the design, implementation and evaluation of a longitudinal pilot project in a primary school' (Chapter 6), critiques the process issues relating to the design, implementation and evaluation of an intervention (FITOS) specifically tailored to address a primary school’s concerns regarding a lack of empathy amongst pupils for pupils with special educational needs. In order to draw the volume together the five papers are supplemented with an introductory chapter (Chapter 1) which provides the reader with contextual information, reflects on how the work has contributed to the author's developing role as an Applied Educational Psychologist and comments on the actual or potential worth of the PPRs in contributing to the knowledge base and practice of the Educational Psychology profession.

Research regarding students’ engagement with feedback from objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) is currently limited. Medical students at the University of Birmingham are provided with individual comments from examiners on their performance in summative OSCEs. This thesis explores student engagement with feedback in this context, and if engagement differs depending on the level of performance in the OSCE. A self-regulated learning (SRL) conceptual framework was devised to illustrate how effective learners incorporate feedback into their learning routines, highlighting the role of reflection in this process. Three empirical studies were conducted to appraise the SRL framework. An interview study (N=11) found that students at different performance levels in the OSCE had contrasting approaches to engaging with their feedback. However, two questionnaire studies (N=180 & 233) with sub-scales to assess the level of student engagement with feedback and their propensity to reflect on their learning, found that the majority of respondents claim to cognitively engage with feedback, whilst a lower number act to improve clinical skills or knowledge. The majority of the respondents were assessed as being reflective learners. Therefore there was no association between performance levels and these attributes. There was a statistically significant association between the engagement and reflection scales, suggesting that these may be related as hypothesised in the SRL conceptual framework, but a causal relationship cannot be asserted from these results. The findings of this research indicate a gap in the current level of engagement with feedback between cognitive engagement and action. Suggestions are made for activities to ameliorate this situation, which may be relevant for similar contexts.

This thesis examines the effects, and effectiveness, of developing relationships between pupils with attachment difficulties and significant adults. Research suggests that 40 percent of children are insecurely attached; which may not only prove a barrier to their learning, but also pose challenges for schools. While anecdotal evidence exists, pertaining to the benefits of individual support and particular strategies, little empirical research has taken place around teaching assistants’ efficacy. This study was designed to add to the current body of work. An innovative mixed-methods a priori purposive sampling process was used to ensure that relevant data was gathered. Firstly, the notion of The Attuned School was created by conducting a structured literature review. Ethnographic research followed, which culminated in a quantitative content analysis that identified four suitable contexts. Subsequently, Boxall Profiles were completed to sample individuals who may benefit from intervention. Ultimately, through two pairings, the significant adult-pupil dyad was explored. Attachment and secure base theories underpin the study; they give rise to the notion that schools, and significant adults, can become surrogate secure bases from which students can develop social, emotional and behavioural skills. The findings suggest that settings that have a family ethos, and reflective head teachers, are likely to be attuned. 1:1 intervention positively influenced the two case study pupils’ progress; their Boxall Profiles and Individual Education Plans provided evidence, as did participants’ voices. Noteworthy improvement was made in Section II (The Diagnostic Profile), which opposes prior studies. What also emerges is that a reflective significant adult ensures pupils with attachment difficulties receive equal opportunities and are not discriminated against. Consequently, the thesis makes recommendations; however, further research is also suggested.

This study explores theories of human rights in order to assess how these are reflected in human rights education (HRE). It uses and develops Dembour‟s (2006) four way categorisation of human rights schools, that is, the natural law, deliberative, protest and discourse schools. The thesis is text-based and uses a hermeneutic methodology. HRE is examined mainly at a higher level such as teacher education, using academic texts as sources rather than manuals for schools. A particular question for the research is how the issue of diversity is addressed both in the human rights theories and in the writing on HRE, in the context of the need to envision HRE for a pluralist society. The findings of the study are that the perspective of the protest school is the one most deployed in HRE, but that the other schools have potential for deepening how human rights and HRE might be approached at teacher education level. The study proposes a model for HRE that combines three perspectives: (a) overlapping consensus and normative dialogue, (b) empowerment and (c) double responsibility. These are argued to enable teachers to address complex issues of rights as they relate to diversity and difference.