Programme Director: Vivian Hill

 

Vivian is the Director of Professional Educational Psychology Training and has overall responsibility for the management of the programme. Vivian Hill is based in the Department of Psychology and Human Development.

 

Vivian taught in inner London and trained to be an Educational Psychologist at the Institute of Education. On qualifying she worked for Wandsworth EPS, becoming a Senior Educational Psychologist in 1994 and Acting Principal Educational Psychologist in 1997. During this time she worked for many years in a community based Child and Adolescent Mental Health team.  Vivian joined the Institute of Education as Programme Director in 1997. She was chair of the BPS DECPTC in 2000 and in 2001–2002 chaired the BPS working group that developed the curriculum for extended training in educational psychology. She is currently the Chair of the BPS DECP Committee and organises the annual Trainee Conference. She currently leads the BPS Medicalization of Childhood working group and led the recent House of Commons debate on this subject.

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Vivian has a keen interest in the role of research in developing the professional knowledge base of applied educational psychologists. Areas of research interest include: the links between emotional development and experience on cognitive development and learning, attachment theory, contemporary models and understandings of intelligence, the educational experiences of children in public care, Autistic Spectrum disorders, Children’s mental health and well-being, the rights of children with disabilities, specific learning difficulties and equal opportunities. She is an experienced child protection trainer and has been involved in responding to critical incidents in schools. Vivian actively promotes and engages in multi-disciplinary training activities and has been involved in a number of documentaries for the BBC, Channel Four and Teacher’s TV. Vivian continues to work in the Schools and Community Psychology Service in the London borough of Wandsworth.

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Tutor and Year 2 Co-ordinator: Helen Upton

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​Helen is a Senior Educational Psychologist with the Wandsworth Schools & Community Psychology Service. She has also worked as an Educational Psychologist in the multicultural city of Hong Kong. Her areas of professional interest include the social and emotional development of children and young people, person centred ways of working and quality standards in EP practice. Helen is trained in Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) and is also a BWY qualified yoga and mindfulness teacher, which she incorporates into her work as an EP. Helen is a past member and ex-chair of the DECP training committee.

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Tutor and Year 3 Co-ordinator: Nicola Mollet

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Nicola is a senior educational psychologist in Surrey County Council. She is particularly interested in the role of the family and has completed a certificate in family therapy. Linked to this area, she co-developed and ran a Sure Start Parent Group in the community offering support in thinking about children’s learning through play.

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Tutor and Year 1 Co-ordinators: Cynthia Pinto & Melernie Meheux

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Cynthia is based in the London Borough of Hillingdon. She is particularly interested in social emotional and mental health and is involved in the local THRIVE network in Hillingdon where she works. She delivers the FRIENDS intervention in schools and has recently begun to use the Sandwell Whole School Approach to Well-Being. Her research examines the peer relationships of pupils with SEN. Cynthia is an associate member of the DECP.

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Mel is based in Luton Borough Council. Her professional interests include attachment, the Social, Emotional and Mental Health of children and supporting children who have been excluded or are at risk of permanent school exclusion. She is also a qualified Play Therapist and incorporates this in her EP practise.

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Senior Lecturer and Research Co-ordinator: Ed Baines

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Ed has been a lecturer in the Dept for some years and joined the programme in 2007. Prior to that he was a researcher on a range of projects in psychology and education. His research experience and interests are centred on social development, social interactions and learning. He is particularly interested in collaborative group work and grouping practices in classrooms and children and adolescents’ peer relations and social life in and out of school. He has worked extensively with teachers and pupils in school classrooms to develop evidence-based practices in terms of group learning and he has published widely on these topics. Ed is Associate Editor of the British Journal of Educational Psychology. He oversees the two research methods modules on quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods and the thesis module and also teaches on other courses in the department.

 

Programme Administrator: 

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The Programme Administrator oversees all non-academic elements of the programme, managing the teaching timetables, handbooks, and Moodle course pages. They are the initial point of contact for trainees, tutors, supervisors and academic staff for the programme. The Programme Administrator is based in the Centre for Doctoral Education.

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University Tutors:

 

 

Chris Clarke, Aquila Diocese of Canterbury Academies Trust (Kent)

After working for Kent Educational Psychology Service for 6 years he moved over to multi academy trust and now delivers psychological support for children, schools and families in 20 schools. Chris’ interests include autism, neuropsychological perspectives of children’s development, literacy and psychological supervision especially for senior leaders in schools.

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Shaun Clifford, Hertfordshire Children’s Services

Shaun’s professional interests include supervision and peer mentoring, solution focussed thinking and Video Interaction Guidance/Video Enhanced Reflections on Practice.

 

Mark Coates, London Borough of Islington

Mark is a main grade EP in Islington, with a specific interest in the experiences of young people in local authority care, particularly around factors that support their progress and contribute to positive outcomes for this group.

 

Tom Connor, London Borough of Hillingdon

Tom works as the Principal Educational Psychologist in Hillingdon. Tom has previously had specialist EP roles connected with teenagers at risk of exclusion, and Autism Spectrum Conditions.

 

Nicholas English, London Borough of Sutton

Nicholas has an interest in autistic spectrum conditions and emotional support literacy assistants (ELSA's). He is a Principal Educational Psychologist in Sutton.

 

Vicki Evans, London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Vicki currently takes a lead role in the area of Early Years and also manages the Portage Service. Her professional interests include developing EP practice in working with children and young people with autism and developing practice in the areas of consultation, narrative and solution focused ways of working.

 

Amanda Holgate, London Borough of Islington

Amanda is a Senior Educational Psychologist in Islington with responsibility for managing the Educational Psychology Service delivery in the early years. She has a special interest in supervision, and also in supporting the development of children with Autistic Spectrum Condition and with speech, language and communication needs particularly in early years settings.

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Frances Lee, Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Frances is a senior educational psychologist in AFC. Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. Frances’ research and professional interests include mental health and wellbeing, evidence based therapeutic approaches, the processes and impact of reflective supervision and person centred approaches. She is also the Deputy Chair in the DECPTC training committee.

 

 

Shona MacGregor, London Borough of Lambeth

​Shona’s professional interests include learning/assessment issues in relation to bilingual children and the needs of refugee and asylum-seeking pupils who have experienced trauma. Shona is currently involved in an SEN and ethnicity research project in Lambeth.

 

Karen Majors

Karen’s academic and professional interests are concerned with all aspects of children’s emotional and social development and how schools can support this. Areas worked on include children’s friendships, imaginary friendships, bullying pupil support groups, and the application of therapeutic approaches such as CBT and play therapy.. Karen also has an interest in professional learning and development. Research interests are concerned with qualitative methodologies including Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA).

 

 

Michelle Samson, London Borough of Islington

Michelle’s particular area of interest is working with children and young people with SEMH needs, including those who are at risk of exclusion. She works in Islington’s Pupil Referral Units and is currently developing her practice in Trauma Informed approaches, Emotion Coaching and Attachment awareness.

 

Karen Schumacher, London Borough of Wandsworth

Karen works for Wandsworth Schools & Community Psychology Service. Her areas of interest include early child development, the needs of children with complex and profound learning difficulties and mindfulness. She has a teaching background in English as an Additional Language and is particularly interested in developments in the support offered to refugees and asylum seekers.

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