Prof Catherine Lee

Catherine is Professor of Inclusive Education and Leadership and a National Teaching Fellow, an award which recognises her work nationally to improve equality, diversity and inclusion in schools and universities. As Deputy Dean for Education in the Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care she has responsibility for the student experience and learning and teaching across the Faculty. Catherine's areas of expertise are education and teaching, equality, diversity and inclusion.

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Proud to be placed number 96 on the Pride Power List 2019

Background

Catherine is dedicated to improving equality, diversity and inclusion in education. Originally a teacher in schools, through her teaching, curriculum-design and Continuing Professional Development (CPD), she educates students on the importance of inclusion in their chosen careers. Nominated for national diversity awards, Catherine also uses her national profile to improve life for those on the margins.

Catherine has published books and articles on equality, diversity and inclusion in education. Her research has featured in the national and international press, and she has advised the DfE on LGBT equality and diversity. Catherine’s research has also featured on BBC Panorama.

Catherine is a mentor on the LGBT Courageous Leaders programme. Courageous Leaders is the UK’s only LGBT teacher leadership programme and supports teachers to achieve positions of school leadership.

Research interests

• Leadership
• Equality, diversity and inclusion
• Heteronormativity and homophobia in schools
• Teacher identity and well-being
• Autoethnography
• Supporting the student experience

Areas of research supervision

Catherine is an experienced supervisor on the EdD and PhD programmes and would be pleased to supervise or examine students with interests in:

• Leadership in education
• Equality, diversity and inclusion
• Autoethnography
• SEN-D
• Teacher wellbeing
• Safeguarding
• Inclusion in schools

Qualifications

• PhD, Institute of Education, London (UCL)
• PG Cert Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Anglia Ruskin University
• MPhil, Institute of Education, London (UCL)
• MA Education, Anglia Ruskin University
• BEd Hons, Liverpool John Moores University
• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)

Selected recent publications

Edited Book

Lee, C (2020) Courage in the Classroom: LGBT Teachers Share their Stories: John Catt Publishers Melton, Suffolk https://www.amazon.in/Courage-Classroom-teachers-share-stories/dp/1912906961

Monograph

Thompson-Lee, C. (2017) Heteronormativity in a Rural School Community: An Autoethnography, Sense Publications. Rotterdam, New York.

Journal Articles:

Lee, C (2021) Inclusive Relationships and Sex Education: Why the Moral Panic? Management in Education. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F08920206211016453

Lee, C (2021) How do Male and Female Headteachers Evaluate their Authenticity as School Leaders? School Leadership & Management. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0892020621999675

Lee, C. (2021). Promoting Diversity in University Leadership: The argument for LGBTQ+ Specific Leadership Programmes in Higher Education. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603108.2021.1877205 .

Lee, C. (2020). How does Openness about Personal, Sexual and Gender Identities Influence Teacher Leaders’ Self-Perceptions of Authenticity?. Educational Management Administration and Leadership. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143220929036

Lee C (2020) Why LGBT Teachers May Make Exceptional School Leaders. Frontiers. Sociology. 14 July 2020 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2020.00050

Lee, C. (2020) Courageous Leaders: Supporting and Celebrating LGBT School Leaders. Impact: Journal of the Chartered College of Teaching.

Lee, C. (2020). Courageous Leaders: Promoting and supporting diversity in school leadership development. BELMAS Special Issue Feb 2020 https://doi.org/10.1177/0892020619878828

Lee, C. (2019). Courageous Leaders: Promoting and supporting diversity in school leadership development. Management in Education October 8, 2019 34(1), 5-15.  https://doi.org/10.1177/0892020619878828

Lee. C. (2019) Capturing the Personal through the lens of the Professional: The use of third party data in Autoethnography. Methodological Innovations: Vol. 12 Issue 1, pp. 205-220. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F2059799119825576

Lee, C. (2019) Fifteen Years on: The Legacy of Section 28 for LGBT+ teachers in English Schools. Sex Education. Vol 8, Issue 1, pp1-16 ISSN 1472-0825. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681811.2019.1585800

Lee, C. (2019) How do Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Teachers Experience UK Rural School Communities? Social. Sciences. Volume 8, Issue 9 pp.249-258. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci8090249

Lee. C (2018) Culture, Consent and Confidentiality in Workplace Autoethnography: Journal of Organizational Ethnography Vol. 7 Issue: 3, pp.302-319. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOE-06-2017-0032

Recent presentations and conferences

Conference Presentations:

Lee, C (2021) How do LGBTQ+ teachers in rural schools, experience their school communities? Keynote address, Oxford University Conference Queer Rural Connections 15^th July 2021

Lee, C (2020) Courageous Leaders: Promoting and Supporting Diversity in School Leadership: Keynote Address, Inaugural Leeds Beckett Conference on LGBTQ Education 10^th July 2020.

Lee, C (2020) Promoting and Supporting Diversity in School Leadership: Virtual Paper Presented at the Asia International Conference on Education in Tokyo 24^th March 2020.

Lee, C and Robinson, J. (2019) Courageous Leaders: Promoting and Supporting Diversity in School Leadership: Paper Presented at the London International Conference on Education 10^th December 2019.

Lee, C. (2019) Heteronormativity in a Rural School Community: Paper presented at the Courageous Leaders Conference University of East London 4^th December 2019.

Lee, C (2019) Life-Long Learning and Pretended Family Relationships. Paper presented at the ARU Women’s Network events at Anglia Ruskin University 23^rd October 2019 in Cambridge and 8^th November 2019 in Chelmsford.

Lee, C (2019) Courageous Leaders: Promoting and Supporting Diversity in School Leadership. Paper presented at Cambridge Festival of Ideas at Anglia Ruskin University 22^nd October 2019.

Lee, C. (2019) How does Sexual and Gender Identities Influence Authenticity as a School Leader. Paper presented at the Courageous Leaders Conference Cambridge 12^th June 2019.

Lee, C. (2018) How do LGBT+ Teachers Experience UK Rural Schools? Paper presented at British Education Research Association Conference Northumbria University 11th September 2018.

Lee, C. Robinson, J and Shaw A. (2018) LGBT+ Toolkit for LGBT+ Inclusive schools. Paper presented at launch of LGBT Ed in London at Ambition Academy Trust on 2nd June 2018.

Lee, C. (2018) Heteronormativity in a Rural School Community. Paper presented at University of Suffolk Storytelling Conference 11th July 2018

Lee, C. (2018) Fifteen Years on: The Legacy of Section 28 for LGBT+ teachers. Paper presented at the Courageous Leaders Conference at the University of East London 11^th July 2018.

Lee, C. (2017) Heteronormativity in a Rural School Community. Paper Presented at the Courageous Leaders Conference at UCL Institute of Education in London on 4th May 2017.

Lee, C. (2016) Embracing Diversity in Leadership development. Paper presented at inaugural Courageous Leaders Conference Hearts Academy Trust, Essex 12^th June 2016.

Media experience

Catherine has been interviewed on BBC Essex local Radio and ITV Anglia News.

She has also featured in the national and international LGBTQ+ press including Pink News, Diva Magazine and Georgia Voice.

Catherine has contributed to BBC Panorama.