I am a headteacher, researcher and writer based in London. My work explores the relationship between communication, participation and education, with a particular interest in oracy, drama and the ways children develop confidence through socially meaningful interaction.
Alongside leading a primary school, I write about educational leadership, inclusion, curriculum, school culture and the role of the arts within education. Much of my recent work has focused upon oracy and communicative participation, particularly for children who may not immediately present as confident speakers within traditional classroom environments.
I completed a Doctorate in Education at the University of Dundee, where my research explored the possible effects of devised drama upon the applied oracy skills of primary-aged pupils identified as having developing oracy abilities. The study examined how communication can emerge through rehearsal, embodiment, fictional role and collaborative interaction, and considered wider questions surrounding participation, visibility and assessment within educational settings.
This website brings together professional reflection, research-informed writing and wider commentary on education. Some posts are practical, some more personal, and others draw directly upon research and ongoing academic work. Across all of them, I am interested in how schools create spaces where children feel able not simply to achieve, but to participate, contribute and find their voice.
Outside of research and school leadership, I am particularly interested in creativity, theatre, public speaking and the role of storytelling within learning and community life.
Stephen Mitchell 