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Rita Owen

Senior Lecturer in Primary Education

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Academic Course Leader for School Direct Salaried and Senior Lecturer for English and Early Years across Initial Teacher Training programmes.

Biography

Working across a range of teacher training courses at the university, I am committed to shaping inspirational provision for those entering the profession. I am able to draw on my own rich and varied experience in schools and a career that has afforded me opportunities to work in leadership roles across a range of diverse contexts. As a Deputy Headteacher, Associate Headteacher (Head of School), Advisory teacher and SLE, I have enjoyed extensive opportunities to work alongside teachers, often in challenging contexts, to improve outcomes for young children.

Qualifications

  • BEd (Hons): English, University of Bath, 1984
  • MA Acred, Additional accredited masters modules, Universities of Roehampton and Kingston, 1989
  • PG(Dip), Early Childhood Education (MA in Early Childhood Studies), University of Roehampton (Froebel College), 1991

Accreditation

Accredited facilitator for OLEVI: Outstanding Teacher and Improving Teacher Programmes (NCTL DfE).

Membership of professional bodies

EECERA (European Early Childhood Education Research Association).

UKLA (United Kingdom Literacy Association).

Teaching & Research

Teaching

Undergraduate: Module Tutor – BE5005 2nd Year English

Post-graduate Level: Post-Graduate School Direct route – Professional Studies

Research

My current PhD research enables exploration of fundamental themes in early childhood and, in particular, the pedagogy of listening and the documentation of children’s experience and learning in the preschools of Reggio Emilia.

Additional research interests unfold around international and critical perspectives in Early Childhood Education particularly those related to Te Whariki and Reggio Emilia.

External responsibilities

Specialist Leader of Education (NCTL) for Early Years and English, supporting the development of quality first practice in Foundation Stage settings and KS1 contexts and improving provision and outcomes for young children.

Member of the NQT verification panel for Wiltshire.