Saffron is a PhD candidate in the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) in the School of Education, Communication & Society at King’s College London.

After receiving a BSc in Biomedical Science, she completed her PGCE in Secondary Biology at the University of Oxford in 2014 and taught for almost 7 years. During this time, she held roles such as Head of Biology, KS3 science coordinator and NQT mentor. After returning to the University of Oxford to complete her MSc in Teacher Education whilst teaching full time, she left the classroom to pursue her PhD.

PhD Research

Saffron’s PhD research stems from her time as a teacher and explores the question: "In what ways does initial teacher education (ITE) in higher education institutions in England prepare teachers for an ethnically diverse society?"

Her research focuses on a long-standing, pressing policy priority in English ITE to develop culturally responsive pedagogy and practice, so teachers can empower all students and prepare them for a diverse and multicultural world as well as make provision for Black and Minority Ethnic students.

Persistent education-related issues in minority communities including underachievement, school exclusions, racialised low expectations and stereotypes of ethnic minority students, and lack of a diverse curriculum are yet to be prioritised in many English schools. ITE courses responding directly to these issues is one way to address these concerns.

There is now evidence ITE institutions recognise the need to address cultural diversity and race through accurate content and appropriate curriculum materials, yet little is known about what is being used for pedagogy across ITE programmes in England.

Saffron believes that there is an urgent need for more research into current provision in ITE institutions to gain a detailed picture of this critical area so that provision can be evaluated and strengthened.

Supervisors: Professor Meg Maguire and Dr Emma Towers.

Find out more on Saffron's PURE research profile.