Lecturer in Teacher Education

Catherine is a lecturer in Teacher Education at the University of Glasgow, working in initial teacher education, PGDE and the Masters in Inclusion programmes. She is also a PhD student at the University of Glasgow. Prior to this, she was a secondary school teacher in Scotland for 23 years, working as an English teacher and an Additional Support for Learning teacher. Her research focuses on widening participation to HE for highly able Scottish young people from areas of high deprivation.

Catherine has a PhD in Education, an MEd in Inclusive Education (distinction) from the University of Glasgow, PGCE in English (merit) from the University of Strathclyde and MA in English Literature and Philosophy, University of Glasgow.

Catherine's research interests revolve around inclusive education and the experiences of young people in schools. She is interested in how widening participation to HE (Higher Education) for young people from areas of high deprivation illuminates understandings of ability, including high ability, talent and potential. Her research interests include working in secondary schools, HE, and initial and continuing teacher education. As an active member of SNAP (Scottish Network for Able Pupils), she is interested in the role of teacher practices and how these can operate within educational structures to influence educational opportunities, and in how teacher knowledge and beliefs might change and impact these practices.  

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Course Lead:

• MEduc Year 2 - What if? 
• PGT MEd Inclusive Education - Learner and Curriculum
• PGT MEd Inclusive Education - Highly Able Learners 

Teaching:

• MEduc Year 4 - Education in Practice
• MEduc Year 4 - Curriculum Enquiry 4: Literacy
• PGDE - Research and Enquiry Led Learning and Teaching

European Council for High Ability: National Correspondant 

Gifted and Talented International: Reviewer

Conferences

Reid, C (2023) Misrecognition: Scottish Young People from Areas of Deprivation, Scholarship, and Widening Participation in Higher Education In: World Council for Gifted and Talented Children biannual conference, Virtual, 5-6 & 12-13 August 2023  

Widening Participation (WP) in British Higher Education (HE) has been justified as a tool for promoting social mobility for deprived young people with potential and talent. Interviews (n=26) and surveys (n=330) of highly able Scottish students from areas of high deprivation indicate that young people are highly motivated by a passion for learning and interest in their subject as well as by social mobility. This paper uses quantitative and qualitative data to show how highly able WP use scholarship to claim position within the academic field, despite institutional misrecognition. 

Reid, C (2023) Keynote Panel In: Izobraževanje v prihodnosti, Virtual, Slovenia, 22-23 August 2023  

Reid, C (2023) Keynote Presentation - Seeing Potential: Recognising and support the aspirations of gifted students from areas of deprivation In: Didaktika in metodika poučevanja/Didactics and teaching, Virtual, Slovenia, 23 November 2023  

Improving access to education for all students, including those from marginalised groups, is an issue across many countries in Europe and beyond. One key aspect of this is supporting students to transition successfully between school and appropriate tertiary education, particularly higher education (HE). However, evidence from recent research in Scotland suggests a mismatch between teacher and pupil conceptualisations of higher education and its salience in gifted young people’s lives. This is particularly relevant for young people from areas of high deprivation whose educational access is often perceived merely as a route towards social mobility. This presentation will explore how mismatched teacher and pupil perceptions can circumscribe young people’s opportunities. It will examine the role that wider educational contexts and policies play in creating and restricting young people’s opportunities and will consider how supporting teachers towards wider understandings of educational purpose can help them support gifted, marginalised students to educational success.