In our new ‘Spotlight on’ series, we’re highlighting how our researchers are leading their field and transforming lives. Professor Stephen Gorard, from our School of Education, is a pioneer in evidence-informed improvements to educational opportunities.
Stephen has dedicated his career to forging an evidence-based approach to education, with a keen focus on providing help for disadvantaged students.
Educational opportunities and outcomes both in the UK and globally are still heavily influenced by factors such as family background, region, income, and disability.
Stephen is at the very forefront of research into this ‘pupil poverty attainment gap’.
He has also published hundreds of books and articles on how to improve the quality and relevance of research in education, making him the most published and cited education researcher in the UK.
His work has been referenced in UK and EU government work, appearing regularly in Hansard, having a direct impact on domestic and international education policy.
Evaluations led by Stephen are cited on thousands of school websites demonstrating the evidence-base for schools’ decisions about programmes and interventions for disadvantaged pupils.
Most recently, Stephen has published work evaluating Pupil Premium funding for the UK Department for Education.
Stephen has also led government-funded research capacity building programmes and devised several methods and techniques for undertaking research that are now widely used worldwide.
Both in Wales and North East England, Stephen has worked to defend and improve local community schools.
Recently, he has worked with eight Durham primary schools to improve the use of robust research evidence. Schools selected two approaches – student tutoring and Learning by Questions – and were helped to implement these for the benefit of disadvantaged students.
Stephen also looked at the disruption caused by the Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) crisis to a Durham school that was locked out of its main building and all resources and equipment in 2023
Stephen began his working life as a systems analyst, before becoming a teacher for 13 years and then undertaking a PhD researching school choice. He became a Senior Lecturer within two years of completing his PhD, and a Professor within four years.
He joined Durham in 2013, as part of an initiative to attract new expertise to the University. Stephen is now Director of the Durham University Evidence Centre for Education (DECE). He dedicates much of his time to the development of new researchers, to help continue the excellence he has established.
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