Simon Bird has 25 years’ experience of working in education and local government, including as director of corporate affairs at Hackney Learning Trust, policy analyst for the Local Government Information Unit, and a freelance consultant for national government and local authorities. In recent years, he has worked in international education and development, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, as a researcher, consultant and advisor for the German development agency, GIZ, Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), and UN agencies.

His ESRC-funded PhD mixed methods research at King's focuses on how Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) impact the outcomes of children in care and in need.

Research Interests

• Children in care and children in need
• Poverty and social mobility
• UK education policy and school improvement
• Gender equality and girls’ education
• Education and international development