Soo Sturrock

Dr Sturrock has a first degree in Sociology (BSc), a PGCE (QTS primary) and an MA in Education. She completed her Doctorate in 2018. Soo is a principal lecturer, and the Programme Leader of the MA Education in the School of Education.  Her specialisms include primary English teaching, MA teaching and supervision and post graduate research. Her earlier employment includes working in early years, primary teaching in London and Brighton, and as an early literacy adviser (London). Since joining the School of Education in 2000, she has co-ordinated and taught on Education studies and English programmes and led the PGCE Primary for 12 years. She teaches across a range of courses including the MA Education, PGCE Primary and PGCE 3-7yrs, BA Primary Education and the Professional Doctorate in Education.

In her current role, she mainly works with full time education practitioners and supports their research as they work towards an MA degree. Soo also teaches on ITE routes and values her work with student teachers; she is gratified by the variety of contexts she works in and the diversity of students’ research questions and interests. Having worked in initial teacher education for many years, including leading the PGCE Primary. she has extensive experience of supporting ITE students whilst on school-based training, across routes and courses. Helping students to make progress and improve is a rewarding part of the role.

Soo’s teaching harnesses the power of talk, discussion and collaboration.  Her approach is underpinned by a commitment to student-centred practice, to knowing the individual student and tailoring support and feedback to that end. Leading by example - demonstrating, modelling, questioning and explaining - are central to her pedagogy. 

Her doctoral research focused on primary teachers’ experiences of policy reform, notably the 2010 White Paper. She presented at the Annual Conference of the British Educational Research Association, University of Sussex (2017): “The Moral(e) Crisis in English Primary Teaching”. She is especially interested in qualitative research related to teachers and professional identity.

Soo is registered to supervise doctoral students and welcomes enquiries. She regularly supervise students on the Doctorate and MA programmes, both in the UK and in partnership with the Mauritius Institute of Education. She is involved in progression panels on the PhD. She also works with PG and UG students on extended projects at both level 6 and 7. 

Her particular interests are in critical policy research, primary and secondary education, insider research and primary English education.

Education consultancy: Ministry of Education, Poland.

She is a member of the UCET CPD Committee and UKLA.

She has worked as an external examiner (Goldsmiths College and Oxford Brookes)