Deborah Caws

Deborah worked in state and academy Primary schools, teaching in the EYFS, KS1 and KS2, and in several senior leadership roles, including Vice Principal for over a decade. After completing a Master’s in Education in 2013, Deborah developed expertise in school-based teacher’s training and development. She transitioned into Higher Education at ARU in 2018, where she led on programmes relating to Primary Education, and the Postgraduate Certificate in Education. Deborah is a trustee for a local school-centred Initial Teacher Training provider, and a community leader for the Essex Chapter of Citizens UK.

• Teacher education
• Professional learning in education
• Community-based education
• Interdisciplinary education

Deborah is nearing completion of her PhD that explores Primary trainee teachers’ experiences of undertaking school-centred initial teacher training simultaneously with an academic Postgraduate Certificate in Education, including the impact of a dual programme on trainees’ professional learning.

• MAEd Leadership and Management, Open University
• Senior Fellow of Advance HE (SFHEA)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching (Higher Education) with FHEA, Anglia Ruskin University
• National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH), National College of Teaching and Leadership
• Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Mathematics Specialist Teaching with Mathematics Specialist Teacher (MaST), Kings College London
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Primary) with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), University of East London
• BA (Hons) Education and Community Studies, University of East London

• BERA Member

Caws, D. and Connolly, S. (Forthcoming) The prevalence of sexual harassment in schools: some discussions and implications for Initial Teacher Education. Research in Teacher Education.

Kirkman, P., Gnawali, L., Gautam, G., Ho, C., Bhatta, C., Caws, D., Barber, D. & Wall, S. (2026) Nepal Close-to-Research Professional Learning Communities (CtR-PLC) Pilot Evaluation Report. Cambridge: ARU / Nepal: University of Kathmandu Press.

Kirkman, P., D. Caws, C. Childs, S. Colebrooke, M. Issot, A. Kirkman, J. Parkin & Z. Thorn., (2023) What does it mean to be research-informed? Impact: Journal of the Chartered College of Teaching. Autumn 2023.

Parkin, J. and Caws, D. (2022).  Developing professional learning through an interdisciplinary community of practice.  Annual Learning and Teaching Conference, 24 June, Anglia Ruskin University.

Caws, D. (2025) Navigating discourses: trainee teachers’ experiences of the synergies and challenges of dual SCITT and PGCE programmes in England. BERA, University of Sussex, 9-11 September 2025.

Caws, D. and Mangione, D. (2025) Live Brief: a pedagogical approach to foster collaboration between students and professionals to work on and learn from the real-world. Engage Learning and Teaching Conference 2025. 24 June 2025.

Caws, D. (2025) Spheres of Influence: a pedagogical tool to explore trainee teachers' professional learning. Faculty of Arts, Humanities, Education and Social Sciences Research Conference – Dialogues. Anglia Ruskin University. 18 June 2025.

Brown, E. and Caws, D (2025) Mapping unchartered territory: rubrics cubed. Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching Conference. London School of Economics. 10 April 2025.

Ho, C., Brown, E., Caws, D., Richter, U. and Warnes, M. (2024). Interdisciplinary Pedagogies in Action: A Journey toward Transformative Sustainability in Higher Education. Symposium presented to the BERA University of Manchester 8-12 Sept 2024.