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Dr Alison Black

Dr Alison Black

Senior Lecturer in Education

 4938

 +44 (0) 1392 724938

 Baring Court BC109

 

Baring Court, University of Exeter St Luke's Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK

 Office hours:

My office hours are are usually Thursday 10-12 in term time. Please do feel free to email me in advance if you want to book a particular date or time slot within or outside of these hours.

Overview

Alison is a Senior Lecturer in the Graduate School of Education, working on a range of programmes the school offers.  She is specialism lead for the MA Education SEN.

Alison gained her PhD here at Exeter in 2012, the title: Future secondary schools for diversity : where are we now and where could we be?'  She analysed government statistics to reveal an unexplored phenomenon (over-representation of secondary aged students in special schools in England).  In addition she developed, carried out and analysed semi-structured interviews and an on-line survey instrument, involving open-ended questions and rating scales.  This led to the creation and development of a scenario describing a school of the future (futures studies methodologies), which were subject to the scrutiny of educational experts in number of focus groups, which were used to evaluate and develop the scenario further.

She graduated from Edge Hill University College with Qualified Teacher Status in 2001,and has taught as a year 4 teacher in primary school (with experience as a Science coordinator). She then took up position as Year 7 teacher (and year 9 science teacher) in a new secondary school, gaining promotion to head of year seven. 

She has conducted quantitative research in the area of the placement of pupils with SEN in her doctoral study and subsequently in trends analysis.  She analysed government data on pupils with SEN and their trajectories through schools.

She also utilises mixed methods research, with expertise in semi-structured interviews, observations, survey research, thematic analysis, descriptive and inferential statistical analysis.

 

 

Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy, Inclusive Education, University of Exeter, October 2009 – March 2013 (degree awarded May 2013)

Masters in Education, Special Educational Needs, University of Exeter, Sept 2008 - October 2009

BSc (Hons) in Natural and Applied Science and Primary Education with QTS, Edge Hill University College, Sept 1997 - June 2001

 

Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice, University of Exeter (including award of Aspire Fellowship by University of Exeter/Higher Education Academy) 2016

Associate of Higher Education Academy, Learning to Teach in Higher Education (LTHE Stage 1&2), University of Exeter with Higher Education Academy, September 2010-May 2011

 

Research group links

Research

Research interests

Proficient in methods that require elements of statistical analysis and measurement/comparison of variables. Developed competence in a range of qualitative techniques, such as thematic analysis. Taken a mixed-method approach to own research, employing a range of qualitative and quantitative data gathering and analysis tools, and triangulating these data sources.

Research projects

Alison is a researcher on a number of projects at the University of Exeter:

"Inclusion and the academisation of English secondary schools: trends in the placement of pupils with significant SEN and those permanently excluded" ESRC June 2017-current. This ESRC funded project aims to analyse secondary data from the National Pupil Database (NPD) about pupils vulnerable to exclusion from ordinary schools in England, both those with Special Educational Needs (SEN) that enter secondary schools at year 7 and all pupils permanently excluded from secondary schools. This will examine changing proportions of entry and exit since 2003 (when NPD records began) for these pupils in relation to the increasing autonomy of secondary schools from local authorities (LAs). The specific aim is to examine whether greater school autonomy from LAs is related to lower placements in ordinary secondary schools and thus greater separate special school and alternative provision placements.This study will be the first to examine the relationships between changes in the SEN system in its relation to changes in the wider school organisation and policy system using national data trends in England.

"Lesson Planning for Diversity" Society for Educational Studies May - November 2014. This project set out to explore the processes involved in planning and reviewing lessons in relation to teachers' understandings of learner difference and diversity.  By examining the practices, thoughts and beliefs of teachers whose lesson planning is judged to be of a high quality, the research project will reveal ways in which policy standards of catering for diversity (as seen in the Teachers' Standards) can be met.

'Empowering Partnerships: Enabling Engagement' EPSRC January 2013 - December 2017. Work with subject experts, education experts, schools and Early Career Researchers to communicate research to enhance the school curriculum and to raise aspirations of young people from diverse backgrounds. Manage and facilitate project and project themes/ strands, develop project evaluation strategy.

 

Research grants

  • 2017 ESRC
    Inclusion and the academisation of English secondary schools:trends in the placement of pupils with significant SEN and those permanently excluded
  • 2014 Society for Educational Studies
    An examination of how teachers plan for and manage diversity in their lesson plans.

Links


Publications

Key publications | Publications by category | Publications by year

Key publications

Black A, Bessudnov A, Liu Y, Norwich B (2019). Academisation of Schools in England and Placements of Pupils with Special Educational Needs: an Analysis of Trends, 2011–2017. Frontiers in Education, 4(4).
Norwich B, Black A (2015). The placement of secondary school students with Statements of special educational needs in the more diversified system of English secondary schooling. British Journal of Special Education, 42(2), 128-151. Abstract.

Publications by category

Journal articles

Black AE (In Press). A picture of special educational needs in England – an overview. Frontiers in Education
Black A, Lawson HA, Norwich B (In Press). Lesson planning for diversity. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs
Black A (2023). ‘But what do the statistics say?’ an overview of permanent school exclusions in England. Emotional & Behavioural Difficulties, 27
Liu Y, Bessudnov A, Black A, Norwich B (2020). School autonomy and educational inclusion of children with special needs: Evidence from England. British Educational Research Journal, 46(3), 532-552.
Black A, Bessudnov A, Liu Y, Norwich B (2019). Academisation of Schools in England and Placements of Pupils with Special Educational Needs: an Analysis of Trends, 2011–2017. Frontiers in Education, 4(4).
Black AE (2018). Context and Implications Document for: Future secondary schools for diversity: where are we now and were could we be?. Review of Education, 7
Liu Y, Bessudnov A, Norwich B, Black A (2018). Estimating the causal effects of academisation of English schools with the data from the National Pupil Database. International Journal for Population Data Science, 3(2).
Black AE (2018). Future secondary schools for diversity: where are we now and where could we be?. Review of Education, 7
Black AE, Gibson S, Baskerville D, Berry A, Norris K, Symeonidou S (2017). 'Diversity' 'Widening Participation' and 'Inclusion' in Higher Education: an International study. Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning
Black AE, Gibson S, Baskerville D, Berry A, Norris K, Symeonidou S (2017). Including students as co-enquirers: matters of identity, agency, language and labelling in an International participatory research study. International Journal of Educational Research
Black AE, Lawson H (2016). Exploring a vocational teaching resource for young people with severe learning difficulties - ‘A stepping stone to…’ what?. Cambridge Journal of Education Abstract.
Norwich B, Black A (2015). The placement of secondary school students with Statements of special educational needs in the more diversified system of English secondary schooling. British Journal of Special Education, 42(2), 128-151. Abstract.
Black A, Costello R, Craft A, Katene W (2015). ‘It’s all about developing the whole child’. European Physical Education Review, 21(3), 362-378. Abstract.

Chapters

Craft A, Horin OB, Sotiriou M, Stergiopoulos P, Sotiriou S, Hennessy S, Chappell K, Slade C, Greenwood M, Black A, et al (2016). CREAT-IT: Implementing Creative Strategies into Science Teaching. In  (Ed) New Developments in Science and Technology Education, 163-179.

Publications by year

In Press

Black AE (In Press). A picture of special educational needs in England – an overview. Frontiers in Education
Black A, Lawson HA, Norwich B (In Press). Lesson planning for diversity. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs

2023

Black A (2023). ‘But what do the statistics say?’ an overview of permanent school exclusions in England. Emotional & Behavioural Difficulties, 27

2020

Liu Y, Bessudnov A, Black A, Norwich B (2020). School autonomy and educational inclusion of children with special needs: Evidence from England. British Educational Research Journal, 46(3), 532-552.

2019

Black A, Bessudnov A, Liu Y, Norwich B (2019). Academisation of Schools in England and Placements of Pupils with Special Educational Needs: an Analysis of Trends, 2011–2017. Frontiers in Education, 4(4).

2018

Black AE (2018). Context and Implications Document for: Future secondary schools for diversity: where are we now and were could we be?. Review of Education, 7
Liu Y, Bessudnov A, Norwich B, Black A (2018). Estimating the causal effects of academisation of English schools with the data from the National Pupil Database. International Journal for Population Data Science, 3(2).
Black AE (2018). Future secondary schools for diversity: where are we now and where could we be?. Review of Education, 7

2017

Black AE, Gibson S, Baskerville D, Berry A, Norris K, Symeonidou S (2017). 'Diversity' 'Widening Participation' and 'Inclusion' in Higher Education: an International study. Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning
Black AE, Gibson S, Baskerville D, Berry A, Norris K, Symeonidou S (2017). Including students as co-enquirers: matters of identity, agency, language and labelling in an International participatory research study. International Journal of Educational Research

2016

Craft A, Horin OB, Sotiriou M, Stergiopoulos P, Sotiriou S, Hennessy S, Chappell K, Slade C, Greenwood M, Black A, et al (2016). CREAT-IT: Implementing Creative Strategies into Science Teaching. In  (Ed) New Developments in Science and Technology Education, 163-179.
Black AE, Lawson H (2016). Exploring a vocational teaching resource for young people with severe learning difficulties - ‘A stepping stone to…’ what?. Cambridge Journal of Education Abstract.

2015

Norwich B, Black A (2015). The placement of secondary school students with Statements of special educational needs in the more diversified system of English secondary schooling. British Journal of Special Education, 42(2), 128-151. Abstract.
Black A, Costello R, Craft A, Katene W (2015). ‘It’s all about developing the whole child’. European Physical Education Review, 21(3), 362-378. Abstract.

alison_black Details from cache as at 2023-05-29 06:06:37

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Teaching

Senior lecturer, University of Exeter, (Sep 2012-current). MA Education (Special Educational Needs)

Responsible for the SEN element of Primary and Secondary PGCE courses.

Associate Lecturer, Plymouth University, (Oct 2013-July 2014). BA Education Studies ‘Introduction to Perspectives on Disability and Inclusive Education’.

Modules

2022/23


Supervision / Group

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