Tracy Edwards

Tracy is a lecturer within the 'Digital and Transformative Pedagogy' subject area and a specialist in special educational needs, leadership in education, and inclusive practice.

After initially training as a History Teacher, Tracy spent twenty years working in two highly successful Inner London Schools: a mainstream secondary, and an all-age specialist setting. In these two schools, she served in a variety of roles including Head of Humanities, Leader for Key Stage Three and Assistant Head with responsibility for Curriculum and Assessment. She developed a diverse teaching portfolio which included A-Level Philosophy, BTEC Health and Social Care and teaching Core and Foundation subjects to Year 7 learners in a special school, following a Primary Curriculum. She has also taught a developmental curriculum to Primary pupils with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties.

Most recently, as co-director of a Teaching School Alliance, based in a special school, Tracy led a large team of Specialist Leaders in Education. With this team, she delivered an ambitious programme of school-to-school support, both across the UK and internationally. During this time, she had a part-time secondment to the role of RE Adviser to a Local Authority. 

Throughout her career, Tracy has led a number of international research projects and played an active role in national policy dialogues around the assessment of learners with low prior attainment, and worked with the Department of Education on the implementation of the recommendations of The Rochford Review. She has also worked as an education consultant and coach, working to develop leadership capacity in relation to vulnerable learners.

Tracy holds an MA in Education, Gender, and International Development from University College London, and a PhD from the University of Aberdeen. Her PhD thesis was submitted in early 2023 and titled ‘Conceptions of the Teachers and Associated Dilemmas’. She is also a Fellow of the Farmington Institute at Harris Manchester College, Oxford, in recognition of her work on the use of ‘Lesson Study’ to support the spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development or young people with the label of ‘Moderate Learning Difficulties’.

Currently, Tracy is researching ethical dilemmas encountered by leaders in international schools, with responsibility for inclusion and/or pupil wellbeing. She is interested in the role of philosophy in supporting practitioner development, and decision-making processes, in education.

• MA Inclusive Practice in Education (Module leader for Inclusive Pedagogy, Autism and Learning, Participation and Learning)
• MSc Digital Pedagogy (Module leader for Global Perspectives and Debates on Digital Pedagogy)
• Distance Learning PGCE
• Postgraduate Certificate in SEN Coordination
• Postgraduate Certificate in Leading SEN in International Contexts (pending university validation)