Dr Deborah Outhwaite SFHEA

Research Overview

My research interests centre on leadership preparation and development across the education system; structural reform of the school education system in England specifically; and gender and education internationally. I enjoy the application of perspectives from realist social theory and critical realism to the study of education. I prefer working from strong theoretical underpinnings, drawing on sociologists such as Margaret S. Archer and Pierre Bourdieu. My inclination as a social scientist throughout all parts of my career, is to employ a mixed methods approach, using both quantitative and qualitative analysis.

I consider my background to be that of professional education - particularly in partnership and collaborative working. I have an interest in academic development, particularly with regard to reflective practice and widening participation in Higher Education. Learning for professional life and organisational systems in teaching is a particular area of current interest, for example with the new Early Career Framework, and recently reformed National Professional Qualifications 2021.