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
Publications by category
Journal articles
Black AE (In Press). A picture of special educational needs in England – an overview.
Frontiers in Education Full text.
Black A, Lawson HA, Norwich B (In Press). Lesson planning for diversity.
Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs Full text.
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.
Full text.
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, 3-3.
Full text.
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 Full text.
Black AE (2018). Future secondary schools for diversity: where are we now and where could we be?.
Review of Education,
7 Full text.
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 Full text.
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 Full text.
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 EducationAbstract:
Exploring a vocational teaching resource for young people with severe learning difficulties - ‘A stepping stone to…’ what?
This article examines the purposes of education with a particular focus on young people with severe learning difficulties (SLD). The topic is explored with reference to a specific case, whereby some of the key findings of an evaluation of the first year of ‘The Greenside Studio’, an English special school’s vocational teaching resource for young people with SLD, are presented. A conceptualisation of different ‘sides’ to the Studio is discussed in relation to the purposes of education for these learners in which the view of vocational learning as a stepping stone to paid employment and independence is presented as problematic. With a broader interpretation of vocational education this stepping stone is reconfigured as a bridge to life after school, whatever form that takes. It is argued, however, that the nature of this life must be viewed aspirationally.
Abstract.
Full text.
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:
The placement of secondary school students with Statements of special educational needs in the more diversified system of English secondary schooling
© 2015 NASEN. This article examines the pattern of placement of students with significant special educational needs at Statement and School Action Plus levels in English secondary schools, comparing sponsored and converter academies, maintained schools and the newly created free schools, studio schools and university technical colleges for 2013 and 2014. The analysis shows a clear pattern of differences: converter academies (which are governed by their own governing body) had significantly lower proportions of students with significant special educational needs overall than maintained (those remaining under local authority management) and sponsored academies (those considered to be weak/failing schools forced to become academies with outside sponsors that oversee the schools). There was a similar pattern of findings for most areas of special educational needs, except visual impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. The pattern of placement of students with Statements in the newly created free schools also showed that some free schools have unusually high proportions of students with special educational needs. These findings are discussed in terms of the increasing stratification of English secondary schools and the potential of small secondary schools to be more inclusive.
Abstract.
Full text.
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.
Full text.
Publications by year
In Press
Black AE (In Press). A picture of special educational needs in England – an overview.
Frontiers in Education Full text.
Black A, Lawson HA, Norwich B (In Press). Lesson planning for diversity.
Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs Full text.
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.
Full text.
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, 3-3.
Full text.
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 Full text.
Black AE (2018). Future secondary schools for diversity: where are we now and where could we be?.
Review of Education,
7 Full text.
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 Full text.
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 Full text.
2016
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 EducationAbstract:
Exploring a vocational teaching resource for young people with severe learning difficulties - ‘A stepping stone to…’ what?
This article examines the purposes of education with a particular focus on young people with severe learning difficulties (SLD). The topic is explored with reference to a specific case, whereby some of the key findings of an evaluation of the first year of ‘The Greenside Studio’, an English special school’s vocational teaching resource for young people with SLD, are presented. A conceptualisation of different ‘sides’ to the Studio is discussed in relation to the purposes of education for these learners in which the view of vocational learning as a stepping stone to paid employment and independence is presented as problematic. With a broader interpretation of vocational education this stepping stone is reconfigured as a bridge to life after school, whatever form that takes. It is argued, however, that the nature of this life must be viewed aspirationally.
Abstract.
Full text.
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:
The placement of secondary school students with Statements of special educational needs in the more diversified system of English secondary schooling
© 2015 NASEN. This article examines the pattern of placement of students with significant special educational needs at Statement and School Action Plus levels in English secondary schools, comparing sponsored and converter academies, maintained schools and the newly created free schools, studio schools and university technical colleges for 2013 and 2014. The analysis shows a clear pattern of differences: converter academies (which are governed by their own governing body) had significantly lower proportions of students with significant special educational needs overall than maintained (those remaining under local authority management) and sponsored academies (those considered to be weak/failing schools forced to become academies with outside sponsors that oversee the schools). There was a similar pattern of findings for most areas of special educational needs, except visual impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. The pattern of placement of students with Statements in the newly created free schools also showed that some free schools have unusually high proportions of students with special educational needs. These findings are discussed in terms of the increasing stratification of English secondary schools and the potential of small secondary schools to be more inclusive.
Abstract.
Full text.
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.
Full text.
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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
2019/20
