Education and Childhood Research Group (ECRG)

By Ronnie Houselander Cook Throughout my EdD, I have often felt that my work sits between different worlds. I have moved between different expectations, roles and ways of working, and this has sometimes made me wonder which room my work belongs in. However, through the unwavering support of my supervisors, Dr Tim Clark and Professor Jane Andrews, and the wider ECRG community, … Continue reading "Zineing in the in-between: Making zines in your research practice"

Earth Day (22 April 2026) saw the launch of a new children’s book, Taking a Close Look at Microfibres. Co-created by school pupils and researchers from UWE Bristol’s Science Communication Unit (SCU) and Education and Childhood Research Group (ECRG), the book supports children and teachers to explore an often invisible aspect of air quality: airborne … Continue reading "A new book for Earth Day: Taking A Close Look at Microfibres"

By Emma Thomas, Terra Glowach, Kalpa Ghelani and Dr Verity Jones Over the coming months, we will host public workshops, school sessions, family river walks, creative encounters, and online opportunities to contribute to our river work – join us! What have you learned from rivers? As Channel 4’s Dirty Business casts national attention on the shocking scale … Continue reading "What have you learned from rivers?"

By Dr Verity Jones, Associate Professor in Education Recently, much of my thinking, particularly in collaboration with Chris Bear (Cardiff University), has led me to think more deeply about death as an ecological, educational and ethical concept that demands a futures lens. In our work on food systems, we ask what it would mean to … Continue reading "Thinking about death for the future"

By Dr Sarah Whitehouse, Programme Leader for the International Doctorate in Education, and Senior Lecturer : Education and Humanities I was reflecting on a keynote lecture delivered by Caroline Daly at the UCET (Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers) conference in November 2025. In her address, Daly offered a powerful metaphor for the current education … Continue reading "Education, curriculum reform and the canary in the mine"

By Dr Verity Jones, Associate Professor in Education The Climate Change Primary Education and Research Network (CCPERN) began 2026 with an energising and thought‑provoking meeting that reaffirmed why this community matters so deeply. Bringing together teachers, researchers, practitioners, and organisations committed to sustainability education, CCPERN continues to offer a vital space for sharing practice, fostering … Continue reading "Building capacity, community, and climate literacy – reflections from the CCPERN January meeting"

By Dr Verity Jones, Associate Professor in Education The annual Geography Teacher Educator Conference took place in Manchester this year. At a time when teachers, teacher educators and researchers are navigating curriculum change, intensifying accountability pressures and the urgent challenges of climate and environmental crisis, conferences like this feel more important than ever. They offer … Continue reading "Why geography teacher educator conferences matter: Reflections from Manchester"

By Dr Anish Harrison and Professor Alpesh Maisuria In November 2025, we submitted written evidence to the House of Commons Education Select Committee inquiry into “Reading for Pleasure”. The inquiry comes at a critical time with national data showing that children’s enjoyment of reading is now at its lowest level since records began in 2005 … Continue reading "Reading for pleasure, public libraries, and voices at the margins"