Curriculum and Ofsted Lead
The role of Curriculum and Ofsted Lead is central to ensuring that Initial Teacher Training curricula are current, future-facing and informed by up-to-date research. The introduction of the Core Content Framework (CCF) and the emphasis it places on ‘learn that’ knowledge and ‘learn how to’ skills has moved thinking about good teacher education forward. In this role, I support colleagues across the School of Education to take maximum advantage of the opportunities the CCF provides for curriculum design and implementation so that trainee teachers are fully prepared to make the most of their early career in teaching.
I have worked in further and higher education for over 30 years. I have taught in colleges, in the community, and in universities. I have worked for some time now in teacher education for the Post Compulsory Education and Training sector. I worked as a core member of the Sunderland University Centre for Excellence in Teacher Training (SUNCETT) team for over 10 years. In this role, I supported teachers and trainers to develop their practice and organisations. This work showed the importance of making the most of tacit knowledge. It gave me the insight to recognise the importance of 'learn how to' to trainee classroom practice and confidence.
Of equal importance is assuring the timely progress of all trainees to become the best beginning teachers. In this work, I support colleagues across the School of Education to monitor trainees' 'in flight' progress and ensure support is timely and final outcomes for trainees are outstanding. Working with colleagues to monitor the impact of well-planned and delivered curricula allows us to review curriculum design and implement improvements where required. A curriculum based on powerful knowledge and skills is the basis of trainee progress. Ensuring every trainee has access to this curriculum and that they make the most of these opportunities is crucial to our success and standing as a School of Education.
Teaching and supervision
Research interests for potential research students
Publications
Article
Nixon, Lawrence and Cooper, John B. (2020) Less but Better? Teaching Maths in Further Education and Collateral Growth. Education Sciences, 10 (3). e61. ISSN 2227-7102
Gregson, Margaret and Nixon, Lawrence (2011) Unlocking the Potential of Skills for Life (SfL) Tutors and Learners: a critical evaluation of the implementation of SfL policy in England. Unlocking the Potential of Skills for Life (SfL) Tutors and Learners: a critical evaluation of the implementation of SfL policy in England. ISSN 2040-0993
Nixon, Lawrence and Gregson, Margaret (2011) The role of Phronesis and Techne in pedagogical action and dialogue. Educational Theory. ISSN 0013-2004
Gregson, Margaret and Nixon, Lawrence (2009) Assessing Effectiveness: ways of seeing impact. International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences. Assessing Effectiveness: ways of seeing impact. International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, 21 (3).
Nixon, Lawrence (2008) Let the teachers teach? Post-16 Educator. Let the teachers teach? Post-16 Educator, 45. pp. 23-27.
Nixon, Lawrence, Gregson, Margaret and Spedding, Patricia (2007) Pedagogy and the intuitive appeal of learning styles in post-compulsory education in England. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, Vol 59 (1). pp. 39-51. ISSN 1363-6820
Book Section
Gregson, Margaret, Duncan, Sam, Brosnan, Kevin, Derrick, Jay, Husband, Gary, Nixon, Lawrence, Spedding, Patricia, Stubley, Rachel and Webber Jones, Robin (2020) Quality. How do we evaluate the quality of teaching and learning? In: Reflective Teaching in Further, Adult and Vocational Education. 5th ed. Reflective Teaching. Bloomsbury, London. ISBN 9781350102019
Nixon, Lawrence (2015) Curriculum. What is to be taught and learned? In: Reflective Teaching and Adult Learning in Further and Vocational Education and Community Learning. Bloomsbury, London, pp. 197-222. ISBN 978-1-98093-792-2
Nixon, Lawrence (2015) Learning. What can we understand student development? (Chapter 2). In: Reflective Teaching and Adult Learning in Further and Vocational Education and Community Learning. Bloomsbury, London, pp. 35-60. ISBN 978-1-98093-792-2
Nixon, Lawrence (2015) Pedagogy: How do we develop the art, craft and science of our teaching? In: Reflective Teaching and Adult Learning in Further and Vocational Education and Community Learning. bloomsbury, London, pp. 247-274. ISBN 978-1-98093-792-2
Gregson, Margaret and Nixon, Lawrence (2015) 12.2 Unlocking the potential for improvement in Skills for Life teaching and learning at the local level. In: Readings for reflective teaching in further, adult and vocational education. Reflective Teaching . Bloomsbury, London, pp. 200-205. ISBN 9781472586506
Gregson, Margaret and Nixon, Lawrence (2015) 14.1 Ways of seeing impact. In: Readings for reflective teaching in further, adult and vocational education. Reflective Teaching . Bloomsbury, London, pp. 232-236. ISBN 9781472586506
Gregson, Margaret, Spedding, Patricia and Nixon, Lawrence (2015) 16.1 Helping good ideas to become good practice: Enhancing your professional practice through Joint Practice Development (JPD). In: Readings for reflective teaching in further, adult and vocational education. Reflective Teaching . Bloomsbury, London, pp. 268-273. ISBN 9781472586506
Spedding, Patricia, Gregson, Margaret and Nixon, Lawrence (2015) 15.3 Tackling Prejudice Together: What are trainee teachers' experiences of prejudice in educational contexts? In: Readings for reflective teaching in further, adult and vocational education. Reflective Teaching . Bloomsbury, London, pp. 255-259. ISBN 9781472586506
Nixon, Lawrence, Gregson, Margaret and Spedding, Patricia (2015) 2.5 Challenging the intuitive appeal of learning styles. In: Readings for Reflective Teaching In Further Adult and Vocational Education. Reflective Teaching . Bloomsbury, London. ISBN 9781472586506
Reports, briefing/ working papers
Nixon, Lawrence, Gregson, Margaret, Spedding, Patricia and Mearns, Andrew (2008) Practitioners’ experiences of implementing national education policy at the local level. An examination of 16–19 policy. Technical Report. Institute of Education, University of London, London.
Nixon, Lawrence, Gregson, Margaret, Spedding, Patricia and Mearns, Andrew (2008) Practitioners’ experiences of implementing national education policy at the local level. An examination of 16–19 policy research information. Project Report. Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Nixon, Lawrence (2007) What practitioners in FE Colleges say about the conditions, attitudes and implementations of National Education Policy. UNSPECIFIED. DfES Publications.
Nixon, Lawrence and Blench, Graeme (2007) More Effective Observation of Teaching Practice: Evaluation Report. UNSPECIFIED. DfES Publications.
Conference or Workshop Item
Gregson, Margaret, Nixon, Lawrence and Kearney, Sheila (2013) Joint Practice Development: new research policy and practice partnerships in action in the FE and Skills Sector. In: British Education Research Association Conference, 3 - 5 Sep 2013, Falmer, University of Sussex.
Gregson, Margaret and Nixon, Lawrence (2013) Knowing Different: the impact of professional development on educational practice. In: American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, 27 Apr - 01 May 2013, San Francisco.
Nixon, Lawrence (2013) I might smell like a mule I don’t think like one: enacting an inclusive curriculum. In: America Education Research Association Annual Conference, 27 Apr - 1 May 2013, San Francisco, California. (Unpublished)
Nixon, Lawrence (2012) Putting Speaking With Others into Practice in the Initial Teacher Education Curriculum. In: American Education Research Association Annual Conference, 13 - 17 Apr 2013, Vancouver, Canada. (Unpublished)
Nixon, Lawrence If you believe they put a man on the moon… Research findings, classroom innovation and conversation. In: British Educational Research Association Conference. (Unpublished)
Book
Gregson, Margaret, Duncan, Sam, Brosnan, Kevin, Derrick, Jay, Husband, Gary, Nixon, Lawrence, Spedding, Patricia, Stubley, Rachel and Webber Jones, Robin (2020) Reflective Teaching in Further, Adult and Vocational Education (5th Edition). Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781350102002
Gregson, Margaret, Nixon, Lawrence, Pollard, Andrew and Spedding, Patricia (2015) Readings for Reflective Teaching in Further, Adult and Vocational Education. Reflective Teaching . Bloomsbury, London. ISBN 9781472586506
Gregson, Margaret, Hillier, Yvonne, Biesta, Gert, Duncan, Sam, Nixon, Lawrence, Spedding, Patricia and Wakeling, Paul (2015) Reflective Teaching in Further Adult and Vocational Education (4th Edition). Reflective Teaching . Bloomsbury, London. ISBN 9781780937922
