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311.
Dr Claire Thomson
BA(Hons) MPhil PhD FHEADr Claire Thomson offers strategic leadership and management in the area of learning and teaching, student engagement and graduate outcomes. She has established The Hub, a purposely-equipped, student-facing support centre, designed around new and innovative ways of working to implement the strategic aims of the University. Claire leads a dynamic team with responsibility for all aspects of student support, teaching and learning excellence, and graduate outcomes.Claire and the wider Hub team implement research-informed enhancement across Lincoln Bishop University, creating transformative experiences, embedding student engagement projects, and developing skills to support academic study and employability. Claire is committed to the continuous professional development of Lincoln Bishop University staff, to ensure an accessible, inclusive, personalised student experience, and high-quality delivery of teaching and learning for which the University has a sector-leading reputation.Claire’s research background is in medieval studies, but current research interests are in the area of learning and teaching in higher education and the development of new methodologies for the delivery of effective and engaging learning, teaching and assessment. Research interests focus on the development of student-centred, blended learning approaches that utilise digital technologies and new methodologies for the delivery of effective and engaging learning, teaching and assessment. A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Claire joined the University in 2000. -
312.
Dr Julia Lindley-Baker
Julia Lindley-Baker teaches on undergraduate programmes in Special Educational Needs and Inclusion(SENI) across the university. Having originally trained as a special needs teacher with a focus upon the primary age range, she has taught and held senior leadership positions in a range of different settings, always with a special education focus. Julia joined the staff of Lincoln Bishop University in 2010, following ten years as Vice Principal of a special educational needs college. Teaching Julia co-ordinates and teaches on a wide variety of modules drawing upon her knowledge and understanding of SENI. Her teaching interests include the sociology and history of special needs, pedagogy of special needs and the diverse nature of inclusive practice. She also has extensive experience of delivering inset and CPD for teachers and teaching assistants. She has delivered training locally, nationally and internationally. She is recognised as a senior fellow by the higher education academy (SFHEA). -
313.
Dr Mark Larrad
Mark’s early career as a professional musician led to studies at the University of Liverpool where he gained his doctorate in 1992. Following his first academic appointment as a lecturer at the Royal Northern College of Music Mark trained as a primary school teacher, holding teaching and leadership roles in four schools. Subsequently, as a lecturer in higher education for many years, Mark worked in the field of initial teacher education and has supported student teachers on all routes, from employment-based and assessment only to traditional undergraduate and postgraduate pathways. In a bid to refresh his classroom practice, he returned to the classroom, firstly as lead teacher at a special school for children with severe behavioural problems, and then as a supply teacher in primary and secondary schools. He joined the staff of Lincoln Bishop University as senior lecturer in the School of Teacher Development in 2017. Mark’s current research is centred within the realm of comparative approaches to teacher education with a particular focus on Spain. He has taught undergraduates at the University of Granada, where he has collaborated in a joint research project, and has also taught at schools in Granada and Armilla. As a musicologist, Mark’s research was centred on Spanish and Catalan music of the 19th and 20th centuries in which role he was invited, recently, to give a lecture in Barcelona on the Catalan operas of Granados at the Institut d’Estudis Catalans (2017 being the centenary of the Spanish/Catalan composer’s tragic death). His cross-cultural studies in music provided many insights into his educational research where he believes an understanding of regional identity is fundamental to his work. Mark would love to hear from anyone with a professional or research interest in Spanish education or comparative approaches to teacher training and can be contacted at mark.larrad@lincolnbishop.ac.uk -
314.
Dr Helen Bushell-Thornalley
Helen has oversight of Secondary PGCE for Physical Education and Dance, leadership in secondary mentor training and Educational Ethnography research in the Education Master's programme team. Helen had an International career of fourteen years, playing Hockey for England and Great Britain and coaching professionally within this sport. During the 2018 Helen was part of the former Women’s International group during the Hockey World Cup. Helen’s first degree is in Sports Science and her subsequent qualification as a secondary Physical Education teacher at Brunel University. Throughout her school career, she was Head of Department of Physical Education department and then as Head of Sixth Form in an outstanding school of over 1200 pupils in London. Helen then moved from her role in leadership to work with undergraduate, PGCE, GT, OTT and Master's in Education degree students at St Mary’s University. Helen took on a leading role within mentoring and coaching Secondary Physical Education Specials at St Mary’s University for four-years QTS degrees and PGCE programmes. During ten years at that institution, Helen held leadership roles in Education at Academic, and Programme Director levels and course leads and completed her Master’s degree from Surrey University. This research developed an institutional Academic Tutoring System ATS, focusing on tutor support for degree classifications and target setting for undergraduate QTS students through Action Research. In 2012 Helen embarked on her Doctorate in Education at Lincoln Bishop University. The focus of Helen’s research is in Physical Education and School Sport and how the Olympic movement has politically influenced practices in the UK, from its origin in Victorian Britain and then during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. -
315.
Mark Plater
Mark Plater coordinates and teaches on the Secondary PGCE Religious Education programme. He also teaches various undergraduate and Master's level theology modules, with an emphasis on world religions and education. He has a special interest in fieldwork, and leads annual visits to London, Europe and India in addition to various day trips. Mark joined the staff of Lincoln Bishop University in 2006 following a wide-ranging career in secondary school teaching, advisory work and four years as Director of Education at the Diocese of Southwell, Lincolnshire. Teaching Mark’s teaching contribution is varied, including secondary PGCE teaching and various undergraduate and postgraduate Theology modules. The Theology modules include World Religions, Religious Conflict and Dialogue, Asian Beliefs, Green Theology and Holocaust Education. Mark also coordinates the 3forRE scheme, and the Farmington Fellowships programmes at Lincoln Bishop, both of which are for classroom based RE research. -
316.
Dr Mary-Louise Maynes
Louise has been teaching at Lincoln Bishop University since 2008, initially as a visiting tutor and as a full-time member of staff from 2012. Prior to working at Lincoln Bishop Louise worked as a primary teacher in Kent and Lincolnshire and as a museum educator, working with children and young people in a variety of museums including the Natural History Museum in London.Louise teaches on the undergraduate Early Childhood Studies and Health and Wellbeing in Early Childhood Programmes. Her teaching interests include play, the history and sociology of childhood, early literacy, and research involving young children. She also teaches on the MA in Children’s Literacies and Literature where she teaches a module on researching with children and supervises students undertaking their final dissertation. Louise is a member of the MA Education Ethics Committee and also supervises PhD students. Louise leads the Literature and Literacies Research and Knowledge exchange unit Research & Knowledge Exchange Units - Literature and Literacies (LILI) | Lincoln Bishop University. She is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy. -
317.
Dr Matt Dunn
Matt is Dean of the Faculty of Education, with a portfolio encompassing a wide range of education and professional programmes.Following a career in teaching and school leadership spanning 25 years, Matt moved into higher education in 2018 to pursue his love of education and leadership in a new context. Matt’s role as Dean focuses on leadership and management of strategic developments and scrutiny of standards, supporting the Faculty of Education Leadership Team in delivering the highest quality student experience, aligned with Lincoln Bishop’s values, vision and mission.Matt’s research interests centre around the Threshold Concept Framework (TCF) and its application to education and learning. Whilst his doctoral thesis and early career research focused on applying the TCF in the school sector, Matt is now engaged in collaborative research in HE, working with colleagues, applying the TCF to teacher education. -
318.
Paul Brenham-Foster
Paul is a graduate of the University of North Wales, Bangor and has taught in Primary Education for over 25 years, specialising in Early Years Education. Before becoming a full time member of the Academic Staff at Lincoln Bishop, he was seconded to the University from Derbyshire’s largest Nursery and Infant School, where he was a member of the Senior Management Team, Foundation Co-ordinator and Nursery Teacher, overseeing a department of 16 teaching staff and teaching assistants and over 200 foundation stage children. In February 2014, Paul was identified by OFSTED as an outstanding teacher, leader and manager.Previously to this, Paul was Assistant Headteacher of a Derby City School which became one of the first full service extended schools and part of the pilot of Sure Start Children’s Centres which was purpose built onto the school. Paul played a lead management role in setting up the provision including breakfast and after school clubs, daycare and holiday playschemes and this lead to involvement with Derby Children’s University and Paul was one of the original staff who set this up, allowing children to gain accreditation for their Out of Hours Learning, writing and delivering custom course content.Paul was involved in developing the role of Teaching Assistants as remodelling the workforce was introduced as part of his role as a School Governor. He has been involved with delivering training seminars and conferences for local authorities on Out of Hours Learning, Ensuring Outstanding Early Years Provision, Computing and New Technologies and was part of the Inner London Whiteboard Project in 2004.Although Paul has taught throughout the primary phase as a specialist in computing and new technologies, his passion is within Early Years, working with aspects such as physical literacy, drama, developing early imagination skills and Outdoor learning. As part of his management role within Early Years, Paul has been involved in moderation and training events as part of a cluster of Nursery and Infant schools and a Foundation Stage External Moderator. Paul has a long history of ITT, previously being on the Academic Board of Derby University for its Graduate Teacher Program and being a School Based Mentor for both Derby and Nottingham Trent Universities.Paul holds the Level 3 Award for Forest Schools and teaches this across the Primary Programmes and completed his MA dissertation on The Forest School Approach and Children’s Progress, Mental Health and Wellbeing. The MA research has been presented at local and national conference events and also as part of Masterclasses as a visiting tutor to some of the University partner 6th form colleges.Paul is currently studying for his Doctorate in Education (EdD) which research centring around Risky Play, teacher perceptions, the benefits and role it plays in children’s development as well as policy around the balance of risky play and safety. He is also one of the University Team of Mental Health First-Aiders and trained as a Domestic Abuse Champion. In 2025, Paul successfully completed the NPQ in Leading Teacher Development.TeachingPaul is the Cohort Leader for the PCGE 3-7 programme, Cohort lead for the PGCE part-time route and teaches across the range of Primary Programmes at Lincoln Bishop specialising in Early Years, Computing, Phonics, Drama, Design and Technology and he is the University Forest School Guru! He also supervises students on school placements as a University Based Mentor. Paul is a member of the following Academic Subject Specialist Teams:Early YearsEarly Years AssessmentCreative Arts – DramaEnglish - PhonicsComputing and New TechnologiesPaul is the lead for the Primary Assessment Only route for candidates who can demonstrate they are meeting the Teacher’s Standards in order to be awarded QTS.He also delivers part of the Mentoring and Coaching Training Days for school based mentors in the University Partnership, both on campus and out in schools. This content has been adapted as part of the University and Armed Forces Covenant seeing the training delivered to the RAF and Officers of Lincolnshire based Red Arrows Team. -
319.
Rafe Elliott
Rafe coordinates and teaches on the undergraduate programmes in Sport. Rafe is a sport scientist with current research interests in physical activity and health related behaviours. He also engages in consultancy and project work relating to the development of sport and promotion of physical activity and health across the East Midlands. Rafe joined the staff of Lincoln Bishop University in 2008, following six years at the University of Derby. Teaching Rafe teaches on a range of modules offered on the undergraduate programmes in Sport. Teaching interests include physiology of sport and exercise, physical activity and health, sports development, and measurement and evaluation in sport and exercise. -
320.
Revd Dr Peter Green
Dr Peter Green is a priest in the Church of England and whilst his role as Dean of Chapel is mainly focused on the pastoral support of members of the University community it also involves the option of contributing to its teaching and research activities. He served as a parish priest in the Black Country before becoming Chaplain and Head of Religious Studies at Abbots Bromley School in Staffordshire. He did his undergraduate degree at St. Andrews University and then, after studying Pastoral Theology at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, combined his work in parish and school with part-time study with the Open University through which he obtained an MA and a PhD in English Literature as well as a BA specialising in Religious Studies. In 2020 he completed the MLitt in Bible and the Contemporary World. Teaching Peter currently teaches a 30 credit, level 4 module on Ethics for those doing the single honours BA in Theology and Ethics in Society and a 15 credit, level 7 module on fiction, film, and fantasy as part of the MA in Theology and Religious Studies. He also contributes to the level 5 interdisciplinary history and theology module on war and commemoration.
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