Suzanne Lawson

suzanne-lawson

Principal Lecturer - Head of Strategic Partnerships (Secondary and FE)

Institute of Education

Secondary and Post Compulsory Education

Contact Details

email: s.lawson@worc.ac.uk
tel: 01905 542600

Suzanne is the Head of Strategic Partnerships. Prior to joining the University as course leader in 2013, she was a senior lecturer, deputy course director and route leader in PGCE Design and Technology at Birmingham City University. She became the Head of Strategic Partnerships in August 2021. Suzanne is a member of the secondary UCET committee, the UCAS Teacher Training Advisory Group and the Midlands ITT Provider Group (ITAG).

She is a principal lecturer with over 15 years of teaching and middle management experience in design and technology in a range of secondary schools. She is currently an external examiner at Liverpool John Moores University. She has an MA in Educational Management with research interests in food education and ITTE mentoring. She has written and edited books on design and technology and mentoring and is a senior fellow of the HEA.

Qualifications

  • B.Ed (Hons)
  • MA Education Management
  • HEA Senior Fellow

Learn Upon Training completed

  • Safer Recruitment
  • Introduction to the Prevent Duty as it affects Higher Education
  • Safeguarding Essentials

Teaching & Research

Teaching Interests

Currently
  • PGCE Secondary Professional Studies
  • PGCE Secondary (Full-Time) level 6 and level 7 
  • PGCE Secondary Tutor (Secondary Partnership) 
  • MA Dissertation Supervisor 
Previously
  • Personal Development Tutor (Secondary) 
  • Masters in Teaching and Learning Tutor

Research Interests

  • Research interests include design and technology education, food education in the secondary classroom, design and technology (textiles), initial teacher training and mentoring

Professional Bodies

  • Member of UCAS ITT Advisory Panel
  • Member of the UCAS Secondary Committee University representative on the NCTL Initial Teacher Training Providers Regional Network (2016-present)

Publications

Lawson, S.  and Ambrose-Brown, H. (2020) Preparing to teach textiles. In: Learning to Teach Design and Technology in the Secondary School: A Companion to School Experience (4th edition). Learning to Teach Subjects in the Secondary School . Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon, pp. 85-100. ISBN 9780367336783 (hardback), 9780367336813 (paperback), 9780429321191 (eISBN)

Lawson, S. and Wood-Griffiths S (2020) Where will future secondary food teachers come from in England? In Rutland, M. and Turner, A. Food Education and Food Technology in School Curricula – International Perspectives: Coffs Harbour:Australia

Editor – Lawson, S. and Wood-Griffiths, S. (2019) Mentoring Design and Technology Teachers in the Secondary School, Oxon: Routledge

Lawson, S.  and Wood-Griffiths S.  (2019) A skills audit: identifying gaps in beginning design and technology (D&T) teachers’ subject knowledge, skills and understanding. In Lawson, S. and Wood-Griffiths, S. (eds) (2019) Mentoring Design and Technology Teachers in the Secondary School, Oxon: Routledge.

Beattie, L., Lawson, S. and Wood-Griffiths, S. (2019) Helping D&T teachers plan, deliver and evaluate lessons. In Lawson, S. and Wood-Griffiths, S. (eds) (2019) Mentoring Design and Technology Teachers in the Secondary School, Oxon: Routledge.

Lawson, S. and Wood-Griffiths, S. (2019) A stakeholder view of mentoring – reflections from those who mentor and have been mentored. What lessons can be learned? In Lawson, S. and Wood-Griffiths, S. (eds) (2019) Mentoring Design and Technology Teachers in the Secondary School, Oxon: Routledge

Number 9, June 2018: An Institutional Review of the Course Leader Role by Will Bowen-Jones, Sarah Greer, Suzanne Lawson, Carolyn Nisbet, Catriona Robinson and Helen Scott, University of Worcester (download pdf)

Lawson, S. and Whitehouse, K. (2017) Challenging the competent trainee taking risks in the classroom. In Wright, T. (ed) How to be a Brilliant Mentor, Oxon: Routledge Editor – Benson, C and Lawson, S. (2017) Teaching Design and Technology Creatively. Oxon:Routledge.

Lawson, S. and Wood-Griffiths, S. (2017) Creativity in Food. In Benson, C. and Lawson, S (eds) Teaching Design and Technology Creatively, Oxon: Routledge 

Lawson, S., Wood-Griffiths, S. and Winson, A. (2015) Textiles Technology. In Owen Jackson, G. Learning to Teach Design and Technology, Oxon: Routledge 

Lawson, S. (2013) Does Food Fit? In Owen-Jackson, G. Debates in Design and Technology Education, Oxon: Routledge.

Lawson, S. (2012) Investigating pupils’ perceptions of their   experience of food technology in the English secondary curriculum, in PATT26 conference proceedings. Paper presented at Patt 26 in Stockholm, Sweden                                                

Lawson, S. (2010) The Warburton Challenge, Designing, 86: Summer 2010 p30-31. 

I have presented at external workshops and conferences including:

  • the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) conference on Enhancement activities on PGCE courses (November 2015).
  • the UCET development meeting on pedagogical approaches to special needs education (June 2017).
  • the UCET working group on implementation of the Carter Review into Teacher Education (September 2016).

External Roles

  • Member of UCAS ITT Advisory Panel 
  • Member of the UCAS Secondary Committee 
  • University representative on the NCTL Initial Teacher Training Providers Regional Network (2016-present)

Other Positions held outside the University

  • University of Wales (Newport) BA and PGCE Secondary Course (May 2012)
  • University of South Wales (Newport) Introduction to Teaching Course (May 2013) 
  • Sheffield Hallam University and Morely SCITT programme validation (May 2015)
  • Birmingham City University and Haybridge SCITT (June 2017)
  • Huddersfield University – External Examiner for PGCE Secondary (2014-2018)
  • Liverpool John Moores University – External Examiner for PGCE Secondary (2019-present)

Other Relevant Information

  • 2018-present Co-opted Governor Christopher Whitehead Language College
  • 2014 - 2017 Co-opted Governor North Bromsgrove High School
  • 2015 Panel member cheating committee University of Worcester
  • 2015 Panel member BA Clinical Psychology Course Validation
  • 2015 SAP project Working with Teaching Assistants