Dr Philip Nicholson

  • Lecturer in Education Studies (School of Education)

Biography

Phil is a Lecturer in Education Studies. He joined the University of Glasgow in January 2025, having held positions at University College London (Institute of Education) and the University of Suffolk. He is a sociologist of education, with a particular interest in the relationship between policy, pedagogy and inequality.

Phil is also a member of the ESRC Education Research Programme 2021-2026 which explores and compares the relationship(s) between research, policy and practice across the four nations of the UK. 

Research interests

  • Sociology of education
  • Education policy
  • Pedagogy
  • Educational inequality and privilege 
  • The relationship(s) between education research, policy and practice  

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2026
Number of items: 1.

2026

Nicholson, P. and Moss, P. (2026) A critical review of policy and research on the transition from early childhood education and care to compulsory primary education in England from 2000-2024. In: Perry, Bob and Dockett, Sue (eds.) Research and Practice in Transition to School: National and International Perspectives from the First Quarter of the 21st Century. Springer. (Accepted for Publication)

This list was generated on Thu Apr 24 21:22:16 2025 BST.
Jump to: Book Sections
Number of items: 1.

Book Sections

Nicholson, P. and Moss, P. (2026) A critical review of policy and research on the transition from early childhood education and care to compulsory primary education in England from 2000-2024. In: Perry, Bob and Dockett, Sue (eds.) Research and Practice in Transition to School: National and International Perspectives from the First Quarter of the 21st Century. Springer. (Accepted for Publication)

This list was generated on Thu Apr 24 21:22:16 2025 BST.

Prior publications

Conference Proceedings

Philip Nicholson (2024) Beyond a public/private binary: Comparing maintained and independent schools in England Philip Nicholson.

Philip Nicholson, Andrew Wilkins (2023) Knowledge brokers and policy interlocutors working against performativity: Using activity theory to examine the role of local authorities in supporting pedagogical change in the first year of compulsory school education in England Philip Nicholson.

Report

David James, Philip Nicholson, David Atkins (2023) Music Education in Suffolk: Mapping provision and moving towards music for all Philip Nicholson.

Conference item

Philip Nicholson (2022) A sociocultural analysis of the factors that support and constrain the enactment of responsive pedagogies in the first year of compulsory school in England. Philip Nicholson.

Teaching

I currently teach on the MSc Education Studies programme.

Additional information

Academic and professional body membership

  • 2021-present: Member, British Educational Research Association
  • 2022: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
  • 2022: Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCap)

Selected conference contributions and presentations

  • Nicholson, P. (2024). Beyond a public/private binary: Comparing maintained and independent schools in England. British Educational Research Association, 2024, Manchester.
  • Nicholson, P. & Wilkins, A. (2023). Knowledge brokers and policy interlocutors working against performativity: Using activity theory to examine the role of local authorities in supporting pedagogical change in the first year of compulsory school education in England. British Educational Research Association, 2023, Birmingham.
  • Nicholson, P. (2022). A sociocultural analysis of the factors that support and constrain the enactment of responsive pedagogies in the first year of compulsory school in England. European Early Childhood Education Research Association, 2022, Glasgow.