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Current Research Projects

2021-2023 - The Mulberry Bush Nurturing Schools Project

2021-2023 - The Mulberry Bush Emotional Security Evaluation Project

2019-2021 - An evidence based guide to opening a successful secondary school nurture group 

2021-23 - Building Emotional Security in a therapeutic school environment

2021-23-  Evaluating the impact of whole school nurturing practices on the well being of staff and pupils

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Oxford Brookes University 2015-2020

• Programme Leader - National SENCo Award: Leading training for teachers wishing to acquire the National SENCO qualification at Masters Level

• Strand Lead MA Education (SEND): Overseeing Special Education pathway to an MA in Education

• Undergraduate Teaching: including Emotional Development and Attachment, SEN and Inclusion, Special Needs and Disability

• SEBDA-Brookes Mental Health courses (PG Certs): Course Content Adviser and Tutor

• Doctoral supervision: Compassion in Education

• Masters Supervision: Multiple students with a SEN,Mental Health and/or well being focus

• DFE Steering Group member: Advising DFE on the refresh of 'Mental Health and Behaviour- guidance for schools'

• Editorial Advisory Boards: Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties Journal; International Journal of Nurture in Education; Emotional Education Journal

• External Examiner: Doctorate in Ed Psychology – Dundee University 2020; PhD Bath Spa University 2018; MA thesis York University 2019 MA Revalidation University of South Wales 2017

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Chair, Social Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties Association (SEBDA) 2016-2019

• www.sebda.org

• Chaired the National Council

• Reported to the charity's Trustees

• Planned and delivered the SEBDA National Conferences

• Developed the national online SEBDA mental health courses

• Maintained the Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties Journal quarterly

• Represented SEBDA at DFE meetings

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Special Educational Needs Teacher

• Falmouth School, Falmouth, UK - Teaching secondary aged pupils with ADHD, Autism, Social Emotional and Mental Health needs

• The Glen, Education Support Centre, Douglas Isle of Man - Head teacher (PRU) for primary aged pupils with Social Emotional and Mental Health needs, autism and ADHD

• St Ninian's High School, Douglas, Isle of Man - Teacher for pupils with emotional difficulties, ADHD and Autism

• Ramsey Grammar School, Ramsey Isle of Man - SEN Unit Manager for pupils with learning difficulties and complex SEN

• Castle Rushen High School, Castletown, Isle of Man - SEN teachers for pupils with learning difficulties and complex SEN

• Special Educational Needs Adviser - Isle of Man Government - Advising primary and secondary schools on SEN issues and managing the SEN support in schools. Managing 15 nurture group initiatives. Developing the multi-agency IOM Parenting Network

• Roundwood Junior School, Arnold, Nottingham - Class teacher

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Conferences and Presentations

2021 - Oxfordshire Head Teachers Conference - Inclusive practice in Secondary Schools

2021 -  Oxford Brookes University SENDI Conference - Attachment and Inclusive practice in schools

2020 - University of Delhi, India:  Nurture Groups and well being (online)

2019  - University of Algarve, Portugal: Conference keynote presentation: Mental Health and Inclusion

2019 - European Network of Social and Emotional Competence (ENSEC), Budapest, Hungary Research paper: Secondary Nurture Groups 

2018 - Attachment Research Community Conference (ARC) – Birmingham UK Keynote: Attachment and Mental Health

2018 -  Royal College of Psychiatrists, London UK Workshop: The impact of impaired Emotional Development on learning in the Classroom

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Publications

2021 - An evidence based guide to opening a successful secondary school nurture group - International Journal of Nurture in Education vol. 7 (June 2021) Download here

2017 - Attachment and Emotional Development in the Classroom: Theory and Practice David Colley and Paul Cooper (Eds) Jessica Kingsley Publishing, London

2017 - Models of Emotional Development (with Paul Cooper) in Attachment and Emotional Development in the Classroom: Theory and Practice (JKP 2017) Jessica Kingsley Publishing, London

2017 - Emotional Development and missed early experiences: the nurture group approach in Attachment and Emotional Development in the Classroom: Theory and Practice (JKP 2017) Jessica Kingsley Publishing, London

2013 - Beyond the Boxall Profile for Young People T Rae with co-authors D Colley and H Stollery. Nurture Group Network, London

2012 -  ‘Setting up a nurture group in your secondary school’ Chp.8 Transforming Troubled Lives: Visser, Daniels and Cole (Eds) Emerald Publishing

2010 -  The Boxall Profile for Young People by M Bennathan, M Boxall and D Colley  Nurture Group Network, London

2009 - ‘Nurture Groups in Secondary Schools’ in Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties EBD Journal Vol.14, No.4 Dec 2009 pp. 291-300 Routledge

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Contact

ColleySEN@gmail.com

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