Anthea Gulliford

@birmingham.ac.uk

Associate Professor Educational Psychology, Programme Director
University of Birmingham

Anthea Gulliford


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https://researchid.co/antheag

RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS

Psychology, Education, Applied Psychology
25

Scopus Publications

Scopus Publications

  • Editorial
    Anthea Gulliford, Denise Miller
    Educational and Child Psychology, 2025
  • ‘If you see something that’s not right, we need to challenge it.’ A critical review and qualitative exploration of Educational Psychologists’ perceptions of social justice and practice in local authority services in the West Midlands
    Daniel Cumber, Anthea Gulliford
    Educational and Child Psychology, 2024
    Aims There has been relatively little research into social justice in educational psychology in the UK. A qualitative exploration of Educational Psychologists (EPs’) views of social justice in educational psychology practice in England was undertaken, aiming to comprehend how EPs understand and define the term in relation to their role; and what EPs can do to work towards social justice, noting perceived barriers to working towards social justice in EP practice. Method 11 EPs employed in four West Midlands Local Authorities (LAs) took part in semi-structured interviews, analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Limitations This was a small-scale exploratory case study design. It was likely to have recruited participants who were already attuned to social justice agendas. Thus, responses were relatively uniform in their orientation. The study also did not capture the voices of EPs working outside of local authority settings, or privately, or outside of the West Midlands who also may have significant contributions to how best to facilitate social justice work. Conclusions The final psychological framework presented may inform EP reflection, to develop and further refine cycles of EPs’ own social justice praxis.
  • Barriers to school attendance as experienced by young people and their parents: A Narrative Oriented Inquiry
    Hannah Want, Anthea Gulliford
    Educational and Child Psychology, 2024
    Aim: Although there is a complex interplay between bio-psycho-social-cultural factors in the development of school attendance difficulties, research into the family experience of Barriers to School Attendance (BtSA) is limited. The aim of this study was to enhance understanding of the family experience of BtSA by exploring how those affected tell their stories. Method: Adapted Narrative Oriented Inquiry (NOI) was used to explore the stories told by participants. Guided narrative interviews were undertaken with two families who held ongoing experiences of BtSA. Data was analysed using holistic-form and categorical-content analysis. Findings: Holistic-form analysis reflected how transition to secondary school was key for each family. This was followed by a deterioration in the young people’s mental health and by challenges within the home. Key themes were interpreted within the narratives, in relation to the experiences of BtSA: aspects of school; individual experiences and the impact on the family system; and the parental experience. Limitations: Findings are reflective of the individual experiences of the families, so further research with families from varying backgrounds is needed to explore the family experience of BtSA further. Conclusions: The key themes discussed here remain pertinent to the post-pandemic understanding of BtSA. The idiographic data supports the notion that hearing individual stories allows for an in-depth understanding of a complex phenomenon. This informs the work of educators and psychologists to assess and understand the contexts and interactions of BtSA across the individual, family and school levels, aiming to optimise interventions appropriate to family systems and their functioning.
  • School non-attendance
    Caroline Bond, Catherine Kelly, Cathy Atkinson, Anthea Gulliford
    Educational and Child Psychology, 2024
  • Supervision as a mechanism in teacher wellbeing: A Q-methodological study of school staff viewpoints
    Kirsty Beech, Anthea Gulliford, Nathan Lambert
    Educational and Child Psychology, 2023
    AimsThe study aimed to explore the viewpoints held by school staff regarding the topic of supervision.RationaleDespite recognition of the potential benefits of supervision for school staff, supervision remains largely uncommon within schools. Barriers relating to terminology and potential connotations, suggest low uptake may in part relate to perceptions of supervision. Thus, it seems important to further understand how the topic of supervision is construed by school staff.MethodOnline Q-methodology was utilised. Twenty-one school staff members, working in a range of roles and settings, with varying experiences of supervision, completed a Q-sort activity and a post-sort questionnaire.FindingsTwo viewpoints were identified. Viewpoint 1 perceived supervision to be necessary, achievable within school resources, and of benefit to the whole-school system. Viewpoint 2 was more cautiously optimistic, perceiving barriers to implementation but highlighting the importance of embedding supervision within school systems.LimitationsThe viewpoints cannot be generalised, and the viewpoints identified in the current study are not exhaustive. Adaptations to the design, particularly relating to online Q-methodology, are suggested.ConclusionsThe findings reiterate the need to avoid a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to supervision and to develop a shared understanding and a culture of supervision in schools. To support Educational Psychologists developing, implementing, and evaluating supervision structures in schools, a Staff Supervision Development Protocol was developed.
  • A qualitative investigation of implementation of app-based maths instruction for young learners
    Educational and Child Psychology, 2021
  • Language counts when learning mathematics with interactive apps
    Laura A. Outhwaite, Anthea Gulliford, Nicola J. Pitchford
    British Journal of Educational Technology, 2020
    When available in multiple languages, educational apps can deliver the same mathematics instruction in the child’s first language or different language of instruction. This pilot study examined the feasibility of a maths app intervention compared to standard mathematical practice with 61 children aged 5–6 years attending a bilingual immersion school in Brazil. The apps were delivered in either the child’s first (L1, Brazilian Portuguese) or second (L2, English) language, while app content, time on task, and school setting were consistent across the two treatment groups. Time on task in the comparison group was less. After 10 weeks, results showed children made significant mathematical learning gains with the apps, for both languages of instruction, compared to standard practice: the finding is discussed in relation to the threat of time spent on task. Children using the apps in Brazilian Portuguese (L1) completed more app topics than children using the apps in English (L2) and proficiency in language of instruction correlated positively with app progress. As children’s L1 was significantly stronger than their L2 proficiency, this suggests the apps were most effectively implemented in their L1. This study advances the conjoining of bilingual educational theories to educational apps in a controlled, real‐world, bilingual immersion setting and highlights important directions for improving app‐based mathematics instruction for bilingual children. Practitioner Notes What is already known about this topic Educational maths apps, available in multiple languages are increasingly popular. Emerging evidence demonstrates the benefits of maths apps for supporting children’s mathematical development. To understand “what works” in the use of maths apps we need to consider factors that may impact outcomes, including children’s proficiency in the language of instruction. What this paper adds When delivered in the child’s first or second language, maths apps can support the acquisition of basic maths skills. To maximise engagement and learning with maths apps, children should have a sufficient level of proficiency in the language of instruction. Implications for practice and/or policy When deciding to implement maths apps with young children, educational practitioners and parents should consider the individual child’s proficiency in the languages spoken.
  • A new methodological approach for evaluating the impact of educational intervention implementation on learning outcomes
    Laura A. Outhwaite, Anthea Gulliford, Nicola J. Pitchford
    International Journal of Research and Method in Education, 2020
    Randomized control trials (RCTs) are commonly regarded as the ‘gold standard’ for evaluating educational interventions. While this experimental design is valuable in establishing causal relationships between the tested intervention and outcomes, reliance on statistical aggregation typically underplays the situated context in which interventions are implemented. Developing innovative, systematic methods for evaluating implementation and understanding its impact on outcomes is vital to moving educational evaluation research beyond questions of ‘what works’, towards better understanding the mechanisms underpinning an intervention’s effects. The current study presents a pragmatic, two-phased approach that combines qualitative data with quantitative analyses to examine the causal relationships between intervention implementation and outcomes. This new methodological approach is illustrated in the context of a maths app intervention recently evaluated in a RCT across 11 schools. In phase I, four implementation themes were identified; ‘teacher support’, ‘teacher supervision’, ‘implementation quality’, and ‘established routine’. In phase II, ‘established routine’ was found to predict 41% of the variance in children’s learning outcomes with the apps. This has significant implications for future scaling. Overall, this new methodological approach offers an innovative method for combining process and impact evaluations when seeking to gain a more nuanced understanding of what works in education and why.
  • Resilience amongst young carers: investigating protective factors and benefit-finding as perceived by young carers
    Gemma Gough, Anthea Gulliford
    Educational Psychology in Practice, 2020
    This exploratory study considers young carers’ perceptions of factors contributing to their adjustment and benefit finding within their caregiving role. Benefit-finding, defined as the “process of deriving positive growth from adversity”, is a key construct within the domain of positive psychology. A strengths-based perspective was adopted with young carers, informed by resilience theory and positive psychology whereby protective factors associated with adjustment were explored. A mixed methods design was utilised encompassing a preliminary qualitative phase and a sequential quantitative phase. A Focus Group in Phase 1 explored factors perceived by educationally achieving young carers as supporting them to adjust. Phase 2 continued the exploration of the adjustment factors within a survey design for a population of young carers. Significant relationships were identified between self-efficacy, social support and school connectedness and young carer adjustment. Key methodological considerations are addressed and the theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
  • Examining the Circles of Adults process for Children Looked After: the role of self-efficacy and empathy in staff behaviour change
    Jennifer Turner, Anthea Gulliford
    Educational Psychology in Practice, 2020
    The Circles of Adults (CoA) group problem solving process has been used by educational psychologists (EPs) when supporting vulnerable educational placements, but its effects upon staff or student outcomes have not been explored. CoAs were used in the current research with staff supporting Children Looked After (CLA) in secondary schools. A quasi-experimental explanatory, sequential, mixed-methods design investigated changes in participant causal attributions, perceived self-efficacy, and perceived implementation of subsequent actions. Participation in the CoA had no significant effects upon causal attributions or self-efficacy; however, staff perceived greater self-efficacy and success in implementing actions following the CoA. They valued the process, reporting enhanced group cohesion and task focus. Insights and empathy were deepened regarding the focus student, as were awareness of group processes and reflection. Threats in small-scale research are considered and a possible mechanism for the CoA’s effect as a supervisory approach is proposed.
  • A grounded theory of educational psychologists’ mental health casework in schools: connection, direction and reconstruction through consultation
    Maria Evrydiki Zafeiriou, Anthea Gulliford
    Educational Psychology in Practice, 2020
  • Raising early achievement in math with interactive apps: A randomized control trial
    Laura A. Outhwaite, Marc Faulder, Anthea Gulliford, Nicola J. Pitchford
    Journal of Educational Psychology, 2019
  • Closing the gap: Efficacy of a tablet intervention to support the development of early mathematical skills in UK primary school children
    Laura A. Outhwaite, Anthea Gulliford, Nicola J. Pitchford
    Computers and Education, 2017
  • Fine motor skills predict maths ability better than they predict reading ability in the early primary school years
    Nicola J. Pitchford, Chiara Papini, Laura A. Outhwaite, Anthea Gulliford
    Frontiers in Psychology, 2016
  • Evidence-based practice in educational psychology: The nature of the evidence
    Norah Frederickson, Andy Miller, Tony Cline, Tony Cline, Anthea Gulliford, Susan Birch
    Educational Psychology Opics in Applied Psychology Second Edition, 2015
  • Raising educational achievement: What can instructional psychology contribute?
    Norah Frederickson, Andy Miller, Tony Cline, Tony Cline, Anthea Gulliford, Susan Birch
    Educational Psychology Opics in Applied Psychology Second Edition, 2015
  • Managing classroom behaviour: Perspectives from psychology
    Norah Frederickson, Andy Miller, Tony Cline, Tony Cline, Anthea Gulliford, Susan Birch
    Educational Psychology Opics in Applied Psychology Second Edition, 2015
  • Coping with life by coping with school?: School refusal in young people
    Norah Frederickson, Andy Miller, Tony Cline, Tony Cline, Anthea Gulliford, Susan Birch
    Educational Psychology Opics in Applied Psychology Second Edition, 2015
  • Educational psychology: Opics in applied psychology: Second edition
    Norah Frederickson, Andy Miller, Tony Cline, Tony Cline, Anthea Gulliford, Susan Birch
    Educational Psychology Opics in Applied Psychology Second Edition, 2015
  • Preface to the second edition
    Norah Frederickson, Andy Miller, Tony Cline, Tony Cline, Anthea Gulliford, Susan Birch
    Educational Psychology Opics in Applied Psychology Second Edition, 2015
  • Understanding teaching assistant self-efficacy in role and in training: Its susceptibility to influence
    Helen Higgins, Anthea Gulliford
    Educational Psychology in Practice, 2014
  • Parental perspectives on nurture groups: The potential for engagement
    Valerie M. Taylor, Anthea Gulliford
    British Journal of Special Education, 2011
  • Physical exercise and children's selfconcept of emotional and behavioural well-being: A randomised controlled trial
    David Lamb, Anthea Gulliford
    Educational and Child Psychology, 2011
  • Editorial
    Educational and Child Psychology, 2006
  • Life as an educational psychologist
    Anthea Gulliford
    Educational Psychology in Practice, 1999