Education Studies BA (Hons)

Ellie Hill

Ellie joined the School of Education at Worcester in 2013, as Senior Lecturer working within the School of Education. Her expertise and interest lies in Student Experience at University, Religion and Values Education, Inclusion, the Impact of Social Media, School Leadership and Classroom Observation.

Prior to her role at the University of Worcester, Ellie held a post of Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Northampton for four years. There she was Head of Year 3 BA QTS and supported the trainee teachers as they prepared for their first year as qualified teachers.

The preparation for this role came from Ellie's earlier career in Primary Education which culminated in headship of a village primary school for 5 years. The school was placed in special measures by Ofsted during her first term, thus ensuing an upward climb to leave the school as Good when she moved into lecturing in Higher Education.

Gareth Dart

Gareth joined the University of Worcester in 2007. He is currently the Education Studies year one lead as well teaching on various modules of the degree and on Masters courses. He is proud to lead a module in which students can make all the choices about what they study, where they study and how they wish to be assessed! He has specific interests in teacher education and special and inclusive education in the contexts of resource poor countries, particularly in southern Africa. He is the international Co-ordinator for the School of Education.

Sharon Smith

Sharon joined the School of Education at Worcester as a full time member of staff in 2013 as a Senior Lecturer in Education. Sharon previously worked for the University in other capacities. She has worked closely with the University of Worcester for some years delivering Foundation Degrees and engaging in research within the University through funded seconded projects.

Prior to her role at the University of Worcester, the majority of her teaching has been within Further Education and she has also been involved in teaching a range of adult learners including those with learning difficulties and disabilities (and learners with Acquired Brain Injury). In addition, she has worked in schools with pupils with Special Educational Needs. Her expertise has been extensively in training teaching assistants and early years practitioners.

Sharon is involved in the development of online resources to assist  lecturers to support  learners with individual needs such as SCIPS https://scips.worc.ac.uk/, Guide project Perspectives of Inclusive education and Inclusive education and

Student Centred Adult Learning Engagement in Higher Education (SCALE) .

Dr Peter Gossman

Peter has worked in a range of FE and HE institutions in the UK and NZ in both Education and Academic Development roles, initially at Lincoln University just four songs south of Christchurch on the South Island.

He has worked on a large NZ project investigating the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning as well as publishing on a variety of subjects, particularly in relation to 'good' teaching and conceptions of teaching and he has published in a range of academic journals.

Ruth Felstead

Ruth joined the University of Worcester after a career involving teaching and management within Further and Adult Education in Birmingham.  She has taught students of all ages with the youngest being fourteen and the oldest over seventy. She has also worked for the West Midlands Fire Service as an Equality and Diversity Officer training firefighters and managers in equality and diversity public sector duty.

Ruth moved into teacher education in 2009, firstly within Further Education, and from 2014 at the University of Worcester, where she has taught on BA Education Studies, BA Special Educational Needs, Disabilities and Inclusion, and the Foundation Degree in Learning Support. She is currently working towards a PhD in the History of Education in Birmingham and Worcestershire.