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Research Profile

  • Jane Murray PhD is an Associate Professor and Co-Leader at the Centre for Education and Research in the Faculty of Health, Education and Social Sciences, where she researches and writes in the field of Education and teaches and supervises Education students to Level 8. Jane holds Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Education and has wide-ranging expertise in the field of Education, with specialisms in early childhood pedagogy, social inclusion and participatory educational research. She has published extensively on Education topics, including many peer-reviewed journal articles. As Principal Investigator, Jane led the The National Gallery TOP for NPAT research team that was awarded the 2020 BERA/Anna Craft Creativities in Education Prize.

    Jane is often invited to speak at Education events in the UK and overseas. She is a member of the European Early Childhood Educational Research Association, for which she co-convenes the Young Children’s Perspectives Special Interest Group. She is also a member of Reconceptualising Early Childhood Education (RECE), the Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC) and Early Education, and a Professional Affiliate of the Chartered College for Teaching. Jane is a member of the Organisation Mondiale pour l’Éducation Pré-Scolaire (OMEP) for which she sat on the UK Executive from 2013 to 2018 and the Association for Professional Development in Early Years (TACTYC) where she was on the Executive Committee and Trust Board between 2014 and 2021.

    Jane served on the National Children’s Bureau Policy Advisory Group in the UK (2010-2014) and has worked with government Education departments and ministries in the UK and overseas, including Bhutan, Ethiopia, Georgia, and Estonia. Currently, Jane sits on the Trust Boards of Preston Hedge’s Academy Trust, Northampton Arts Collective and ASK Education.

  • Jane has extensive experience of teaching children and adults in many diverse contexts. She is a qualified teacher and holds the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) and Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). Jane was previously programme leader for the BA (Hons.) Early Years Education (QTS) degree and the pathway leader for the MA Education (Early Years) degree at the University of Northampton. She is a highly experienced PhD examiner and PhD supervisor. Currently, Jane supervises 16 doctoral students who are studying a wide range of topics in the field of Education, from young children’s perspectives on play to students’ well-being in higher education. If you are interested in studying for a PhD in Education with Jane, please email to arrange an informal discussion.

  • Jane’s research and consultancy portfolio features international, national and local projects, including funded research undertaken for organisations as diverse as UNICEF, the European Commission, Northampton Leisure Trust, The National Gallery and The Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Jane’s selected research and consultancy projects are listed below:

    • 2021: University of Northampton Business Innovation Grant. ‘The Value of a Maintained Nursery School’. (PI). (£5000).
    • 2019-2021: National Lottery Community Fund: ‘ACEs Action Northamptonshire’ Pilot Study. (Consultant). (£5000).
    • 2018-2021: European Commission Horizon 2020 Project: ‘Children’s Hybrid Integration: Learning Dialogue as a way of Upgrading Policies of Participation’ (CHILD UP). (Co-I). H2020-SC6-MIGRATION-2018-2019-2020 (H2020-SC6-MIGRATION-2018) (Co-I) (€2,999,831)
    • 2018-2022: The National Gallery and The Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Take One Picture for Northampton Primary Academy Trust. (PI). (£35,000).
    • 2018-2021: European Commission Erasmus+ ‘Science Outside the Classroom’ (SOtC). (Research PI). 2018-1-UK01-KA201-047490. (€122,830).
    • 2016-2019: European Commission Erasmus+ Project ‘Cyber Safe Generation: Digital education by design’ (CyGen). (Co-I). A 3-year, 4-country funded project led by the University of Northampton, UK. 2016-1-UK01-KA203-024399 (€266,652).
    • 2016-2019: European Commission Erasmus+ Project ‘Below 10’. (Co-I) A 3-year Erasmus+ funded project with nine organisations in six European countries. 2016-1-IT02-KA201-024125. (€447,510).
    • 2016-2017: UNICEF: Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices concerning Children with Disabilities in Bhutan. RFP/2015/003. (Co-I). ($75,618).
    • 2016-2017: Islington Borough Council, London, UK: Parents’ Perspectives: How do 15 hours of free education and care for two-year-olds affect their family lives? A case study in an inner-city school. (PI). (Pro bono publico).
    • 2015-2017: University Centre for Employability and Engagement: Evaluation of the University of Northampton Changemaker Student Awards Project. (PI). (£11,000).
    • 2014-2015: UNICEF Project RFPS-USA-2014-501798: Developing a Social and Emotional Learning support package for country offices and governments. (Co-I). (£300,000).
    • 2014-2015: Northamptonshire County Council, UK: Evaluation of the Bookstart Corner Programme. (PI). (£10,000).
    • 2014-2016: Inspire Teaching School Alliance, UK ‘Being a Teacher Researcher’ and ‘Specialist Leaders: Educational Researchers’ Projects (Consultant). (£5,113).
    • 2014: University Centre for Employability and Engagement: Evaluation of Higher Education and Schools’ Engagement (HESE) Aspiration and Achievement Project Project (PI). (£6,000).
    • 2014: University Centre for Employability and Engagement, UK: Evaluation of Reading Ambassadors’ Programme. (PI). (£6,000).
    • 2014: School of Education, University of Northampton, UK: Evaluation of the Early Years Foundation Degree Taster Days 2014. (PI). (£3,000).
    • 2013-2015: Brooke Weston Teaching School Alliance: Developing and implementing action research training for NQTs. (Consultant). (Pro bono publico).
    • 2013-2014: Northampton Leisure Trust, UK: Northampton Play Streets Evaluation. (PI). (Pro bono publico).
    • 2013: University of Stavanger and Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia: Provision of CPD focused on inclusion and Assessment for Learning for teachers’ summer school at the Tbilisi State University, Georgia (Consultant). (£2638).
    • 2012-13: Deutsches Jugendinstitut, Germany: Systematic Review of Inclusive Daily Childcare Services for Children with Disabilities in England. (Co-I). (€2,500).
    • 2011-2014: European Commission Education and Culture Lifelong Learning Programme: Access to Lifelong Learning in Higher Education – ALLinHE. (Co-I).  517978-LLP-1-2011-1-NL-ERASMUS-E (€449,140).

  • For publications, projects, datasets, research interests and activities, view Jane Murray’s research profile on Pure, the University of Northampton’s Research Explorer.

  • Jane has published extensively on many varied Education topics, including many peer-reviewed journal articles. Jane’s books include ‘Building Knowledge in Early Childhood: Young Children Are Researchers’ (Murray, 2017, pub. Routledge), and ‘The Routledge International Handbook of Young Children’s Rights’ (Murray, Swadener and Smith, 2019). Jane has extensive editorial experience, including her current role as Editor-in-Chief for the International Journal of Early Years Education, an established peer-reviewed journal published by Taylor and Francis. A comprehensive list of Jane’s publications is available on PURE.