ECLS Emeritus Staff

Our Emeritus members of staff are affiliated to the School of Education, Communication and language Sciences and are individuals with whom we continue to work collaboratively with, who have an ongoing interest in an aspect of ECLS work. Currently we have one member of staff who we have active links with:

Dr. Ann Briggs
Emeritus Professor of Educational Leadership
Email: ann.briggs@ncl.ac.uk

Background

Ann joined Newcastle University from the University of Leicester in 2006 as Professor of Educational Leadership. Before her career in higher education, Ann worked in secondary schools and further education colleges as a teacher, lecturer and middle manager. In her roles of teacher, supervisor and researcher she has worked with students and research colleagues from a wide range of international settings and phases of education. This has served to expand her understanding of education on a worldwide basis, and has hopefully enabled her to develop the insight and understanding of educational leadership in colleagues and students.

Ann's teaching, research and writing link leadership themes with learning: the management of teaching and learning, the accessibility of learning, learning environments and learning resources. Her research has given her particular understanding of the tensions between the systems at work within education and the people who work and learn there. She is particularly interested in the professional identities of middle leaders in colleges, schools and universities.

Ann’s work has a strong focus on post-compulsory education; she was a project team leader for the national baseline study of 14-19 education in England, and has researched educational partnerships which offer academic and vocational learning routes to young people. She is co-editor of the text Research Methods in Educational Leadership and Management, which will reach its third edition in 2012. She is a past Chair of the British Educational Leadership, Management and Administration Society (BELMAS) and a former Board member of the Commonwealth Council for Education Administration and Management (CCEAM).

Qualifications

  • PhD, 2004, University of Leicester (BELMAS thesis prize winner)
  • MBA in Educational Management (with distinction), 1997, University of Leicester
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Education, 1971, University of Bristol
  • BA Hons English Language and Literature, 1969, Royal Holloway College, University of London.

Research Interests

Ann's research interests are: management of post-compulsory education, 14-19 education, middle leadership in colleges, schools and universities, professional identities in educational settings, the accessibility of learning and learning resources, the management of teaching and learning, 'new headship' in schools, and analytical modelling techniques.

Other Expertise

Consultancy on the development of middle leaders in schools and colleges.
Leadership and management of 14-19 education provision

Current Work

Ann retired in 2009 and is now living permanently in New Zealand. Through her role as Emeritus Professor, she continues working with Newcastle colleagues and engages in leadership development work with local New Zealand schools. She is National Secretary of the New Zealand Educational Administration and Leadership, Society (NZEALS).

Selected Publications

  • Briggs, A.R.J., Clark, J. and Hall, I.R. (2011) Building bridges: Understanding student transition to university, Quality in Higher Education 17(2).
  • Briggs, A.R.J. Leading educational partnerships: new models for leadership? Chapter 13 in Bush, T., Bell, L. and Middlewood, D. (eds) The principles of educational leadership and management, 2nd Edition, 2010.
  • Gorard, S., Lumby, J., Briggs, A.R.J., Morrison, M., Hall, I., Maringe, F., Shaheen, R., Wright, S. and See, B.H. National Report on the 14-19 Reform Programme: Baseline of evidence 2007-2008, QCA, 2009.
  • Briggs, A.R.J. Exploring professional identities, Chapter 7 in Chi-kin Lee and Ling-po Shiu (eds.) Developing teachers and developing schools in changing contexts, Hong Kong Institute of Educational Research, 2008.
  • Briggs A.R.J. and Coleman, M, ed. Research methods in educational leadership and management. 2nd Edition. London: Paul Chapman, 2007.
  • Briggs, A.R.J, Bush, T. and Middlewood, D. From immersion to establishment. The challenges facing new school heads and the role of 'New Visions' in resolving them. Cambridge Journal of Education 2006, 36(2), 257-276.
  • Briggs, A.R.J. Middle management in FE. London: Continuum, 2006.
  • Briggs, A.R.J. Making a difference: an exploration of leadership roles within sixth form colleges in maintaining ethos within a context of change. British Educational Research Journal 2005, 31(2), 223-238.

Funding

  • Briggs, A.R. J, Clark, J. and Hall, I. Bridging the gap, funded by Newcastle University (2009).
  • Gorard, S., Lumby, J., Briggs, A.R.J., Morrison, M., Hall, I., Maringe, F., Shaheen, R., Wright, S. and See, B.H. National Report on the 14-19 Reform Programme: Baseline of evidence 2007-2008, QCA, (2009).
  • Briggs, A.R.J, Hall, I, Mercer, D, Smith, F, Swann, T. and Falzon, C. Leading partnerships for 14-19 educational provision. Lancaster: Centre for Excellence in Leadership, (2007)
  • Hall, I. and Briggs, A.R.J. Evaluation of FCP2 programme in Tyne and Wear (2007)
  • Lumby, J., Harris, A., Morrison, M., Muijs, D., and Sood, K., Glover, D., and Wilson, M., with Briggs, A.R.J., and Middlewood, D. Leadership, development and diversity in the Learning and Skills Sector. Funded by the Learning and Skills Development Agency (2005).

Memberships

  • Member and Past Chair of the National Council of British Educational Leadership, Management and Administration Society (BELMAS)
  • Member and National Secretary of New Zealand Educational Administration and Leadership Society (NZEALS)