Andrea Higgins
Lecturer
- higginsa2@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 (0)29 2087 9003
- CUCHDS room 1.20, Tower Building, 70 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT
Overview
Summary
I am a highly skilled and well-regarded educational psychology practitioner with over 34 years of experience of working in local authorities across both England and Wales and have held a number of positions including senior leadership and management roles in services across the UK. Now the Programme Director for the only professional training course in Educational Psychology Wales, I am passionate about using our understanding and thinking as psychologists to promote change and improve outcomes for vulnerable CYP.
Biography
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September 2017 – onwards |
Programme Director, Cardiff Doctoral programme |
Responsible for leadership, management and coordination of all elements of the DEdPsy Professional Training Programme. |
|
September 2015- August 2017 |
Professional tutor on the Doctorate in Educational Psychology Programme |
Participation in all aspects of the DEdPsy Professional Training Programme. Co-ordination of a post qualification doctorate Programme |
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August 2012 – August 2015
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Principal Educational Psychologist Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (RCTCBC) |
Leader of a federated Educational Psychology Service (20 plus EPs) that provides a service for children 0 -19 years, their families, schools and other agencies for both RCTCBC and Merthyr Tydfil.
Additional responsibilities for Portage workers and team leader of a workforce of 10, meeting the educational needs of looked After Children |
|
May 2010 - August 2012 |
Achievement Leader (Lead EP) Cardiff City Council |
Leadership and management of the following teams: educational psychology (16 EPs); autism outreach; early years SENCos; Looked After Children Education Team Link Advisor for two special schools Strategic lead for Wellbeing in addition to membership of various projects and strategic groups |
|
December 2006 - April 2010 |
Joint Principal Educational Psychologist Derbyshire County Council |
Joint management of a large team of EPs (32FTE plus admin) Leadership and management of a support service for preschool children with special educational needs (10 teachers and 4 home visitors) Strategic lead for Autism plus active role in various strategic groups (e.g. Anti-Bullying, CAMHS liaison, Behaviour and Attendance) |
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Jan 2004 – November 2006 |
Senior educational psychologist
Derbyshire County Council |
Manager of a district team of EPs Link EP for a patch of schools Strategic tasks including authorship of the 'Derbyshire File for Autism Friendly Schools' |
|
May 1986 – December 2003 |
Educational psychologist Derbyshire County Council |
Link EP for a diverse range of schools across Derbyshire including special schools
|
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September 1984 –April 1986 |
Educational psychologist Staffordshire County Council |
Link EP for a patch of schools |
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January 1983 – September 1983 |
Supply teacher Staffordshire County council |
Supply teaching jobs across the age range and educational sectors |
|
September 1980 – December 1982 |
Teacher Nottinghamshire County Council |
Teacher in a middle school. Specialisms in slow learners, PE and mathematics |
Publications
Areas of special interest
Improving educational outcomes for Looked After Children
Emotional health and wellbeing including that of pupils in International schools
Autism spectrum disorders
Working effectively with families
Positive psychology and its application in education
Publications and achievements
Outstanding Achievement award AEP 2019
Mitchell, S.and Higgins,A. (2020). Minority within a minority: Stakeholders’ perceptions of deaf education in Wales.Educational & Child Psychology. Vol. 37 No. 1
Wigford, A., and Higgins, A. (2019). Wellbeing in international schools: Teachers’ perceptions. Educational & Child Psychology. Vol. 36 No. 4
McQuire, C., Mukherjee, R., Hurt, L., Higgins, A., Greene, G., Farewell, D., Kemp, A., Paranjothy, S. (2018) Screening prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in a region of the United Kingdom: a population-based birth-cohort study. Preventive Medicine.
Marsh, A. and Higgins, A. (2017). A developing educational psychology service work allocation model. Educational Psychology in Practice.
Higgins, A. (2017). Children Looked After Friendly Schools. Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil Councils
Higgins, A and Hart, J. Derbyshire File for Autism Friendly Schools Derbyshire County Council 2004
Higgins, A. and Hart, J. Training module as part of ‘Working with pupils with autism’ EQUALS 2004
Higgins, A. and Priest, S. Resolving conflict in schools Chapter 14 Challenging Behaviour in Schools 1994 Routledge
Recent presentations at major conferences
Keynote speaker at the national conference of the Association of Educational Psychologists. Cardiff, November 2019
Contributor to Fostering Masterclasses presented across South Wales (2017-2018)
Workshop presenter at conference for all schools in South Central Wales ‘Meeting the Wellbeing Needs of Children who are Looked After’. Cardiff, Jan 2018.
Main speaker at the launch of the resource for Children Looked After Friendly Schools that is now being distributed across all schools in South Wales
Workshop presenter at the International School Psychology Association Conference Manchester UK, July 2017
Keynote speaker at UK Conference for CAMHS Psychiatrists (Learning Difficulties), Cardiff, May 2014.
Thesis Supervision and Examination
- Number of current doctoral students/supervisees: 3
- Number of theses supervised to completion: 11
- Number of theses examined as an internal examiner: 14
- Number of theses examined as an external examiner: 11