Year of graduation: 2022
Supervisors: Dr Geoff Taggart & Prof Helen Bilton
Research focus: My research was conducted within the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector. It examined the supervision experiences of ten Nursery Managers. Supervision is a relatively new practice to the sector and was made a statutory requirement of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) (DfE, 2012). Following the completion of my Masters degree, I was keen to continue with my studies. The EdD stood out as it has been specifically designed for professionals in the field of education. At the time, I had several friends who were studying for an EdD and were excited about their studies. They managed to balance work and study. If they could do it – so could I!
Reasons for choosing to do the EdD degree at the University of Reading: Further and higher education has literally changed my life and enabled social mobility. It was, therefore, appropriate to continue my studies via a course that had been designed to enable accessibility for working professionals. I was keen to link theory with practice and contribute to research within the early years sector.
Career since graduation: As Education and Academy Director, I oversee children’s pedagogy and the andragogy of adults. I advocate for lifelong learning and believe it is important to lead by example. Gaining my doctorate sets an educational standard within the organisation. I hope to publish my research and make it accessible to the early years workforce.