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Dr Alison Ekins

Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Education

I have worked at Canterbury Christ Church University for the last ten years.

I currently work part time, for one day a week, in the Directorate of Special Educational Needs and Inclusion, in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Education.

I led on the development of the National Award for SEN Coordination programme, which I set up in 2009, and I now teach on that programme, as well as other Master's programmes in SEN and Inclusion. In addition to this, I am also a doctoral supervisor, supervising a number of Ed D and PhD students.

When I am not working at CCCU, I work in a secondary school as Head of the Foundation Learning Department and am Director of SEN in an Academy Trust.

My areas of specialism are SEN, inclusion, multi-professional working, and strategic leadership in schools.

I have worked closely with the National Award for SEN Coordination Training Providers group who are linked to NASEN (National Association of Special Educational Needs).

My doctoral research was focused on an exploration of the development of inclusive practices in two case study schools. This is now published as a research book by Routledge.

I am currently involved in multi-professional research with colleagues in the Faculties of Health and Social Care and Education. This research is focused on ways to understand the needs of, and support, mainstream teachers who are working with children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.

I am also part of a multi-professional group researching ways to improve multi-professional collaboration, communication, and understanding through the activities that teacher educators provide to their diverse student cohorts, and the understandings of different professional practices that we can embed into our own teaching.

I am regularly involved in supporting clusters and groups of schools to take forward their own research and knowledge exchange projects.

Research Projects

  • A qualitative exploration of how school leaders inspire teachers. Researcher(s): Mr Mark Green. Supervisor(s): Dr Ian Durrant, Dr Alison Ekins. [Postgraduate Research Project]
  • A tender cut: The parents’ voice. How parents of autistic adolescents, without intellectual disability (‘ID’), who self-harm and have suicide ideation, navigate and access support for themselves as parents.. Researcher(s): Ms Janine Hamilton. Supervisor(s): Dr Sarah Christie, Dr Alison Ekins. [Postgraduate Research Project]
  • An exploration of autistic adolescent female’s educational experiences within mainstream secondary school. Researcher(s): Miss Esther Whitney. Supervisor(s): Dr Alison Ekins, Dr Judy Durrant. [Postgraduate Research Project]
  • An exploration of how newly qualified SENCos understand their professional identity and implications for the ongoing development of the professional role. Researcher(s): Mrs Liz Harby. Supervisor(s): Dr Sue Soan, Dr Alison Ekins. [Postgraduate Research Project]
  • An exploration of the role and experiences of tutors and wellbeing support officers, in supporting students with SEND on a one-to-one basis, in an out of school education programme.. Researcher(s): Mrs Rosalyn Farrow. Supervisor(s): Dr Alison Ekins, Dr Ruth Rogers. [Postgraduate Research Project]
  • Doctoral Research Project. Researcher(s): Mrs Fay Chambers. Supervisor(s): Dr Alison Ekins, Dr Sarah Christie. [Postgraduate Research Project]
  • Policy problematizations and designated teachers perceptions of the barriers to Children in Care participating in decisions about their education. Researcher(s): Mr Simon Graydon. Supervisor(s): Dr Ruth Rogers, Dr Alison Ekins. [Postgraduate Research Project]
  • Tensions within autistic people and the relationship their autism has with the formation of their personal and cultural identity as an autistic person. Researcher(s): Mr Joel Umpleby-Wesson. Supervisor(s): Dr John-Paul Riordan, Dr Alison Ekins. [Postgraduate Research Project]

I am an external examiner at two other higher education institutions.

I have recently been a governor and Chair of Governors at a local special school.

I work part time as Head of Department in a large secondary school, and as Director of SEN across a growing Academy Trust.

People search

Contact me

alison.ekins@canterbury.ac.uk
01227922549

Based in

Faculty of Arts Humanities and Education
School of Teacher Education