Sandie Schagen’s CV

Curriculum vitae – Dr Sandie Schagen

Full name                    Sandra Helen Schagen

Date of birth                14 April 1948

Telephone                    0(044) 1494 571426

Mobile                         0(044) 7749 202337

E-mail                          sandie@schagen.co.uk

Qualifications

1985                PhD (Theology) Nottingham University.
(Thesis title: ‘Concepts of resurrection and immortality in Intertestamental Judaism
and in the New Testament’)

1979                PGCE English and religious education, Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham.

1973                BD first class, King’s College, University of London.

Key skills

My varied background has enabled me to develop a wide range of skills and personal attributes, including:

• The ability to write (or edit) reports, proposals and other documents, using a style and language level appropriate for the intended audience
• A high level of numeracy, and competence in understanding and interpreting statistical data
• The ability to scope a research or evaluation project, decide on the most effective methodology and design instruments to achieve the desired outcome

• Expertise in making research and evaluation findings accessible to a range of audiences, including policymakers, practitioners and the general public
• A logical, analytical approach to project planning and problem solving
• An eye for detail, good at identifying errors or inconsistencies

• Excellent organisational and time management skills, able to prioritise tasks, manage multiple projects successfully and meet deadlines
• Confidence when giving oral presentations to small groups or large audiences
• A professional attitude in dealing with clients, discussing contractual matters and negotiating as necessary
• Good interpersonal skills, effective as a team member or leader, and as a supervisor or line manager.

Posts held since graduation

2013 to date    Consultancy work as a member of ERA

2011-12           Voluntary work at Omega Schools, Accra, Ghana.

2009-10           Freelance work at Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand.

2008-09           Visiting Chief Researcher at NZCER, Wellington, New Zealand.

2001-08           Principal Research Officer at NFER, Slough, UK.

1993-2001       Senior Research Officer at NFER, Slough, UK.

1990-93           Church Relations Officer at Christian Aid, London, UK.

1986-90           Commissioning Editor at Bible Society, Swindon, UK.

1985-86           Teacher at King Edward VII School, Coalville, Leicestershire, UK.

1982                Temporary lecturer in New Testament at Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina, USA.

1977-78           Analyst/programmer at Charnwood Borough Council, Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK.

1975-77           Arts-based program adviser at Westfield College, University of London, UK.

1973-75           Computer programmer at International Computers Ltd (ICL), London, UK.

ERA: Educational Research and Analysis

In 2013 I formed a partnership with three former colleagues from NFER.  Our consultancy is called ERA: Educational Research and Analysis.  We offer extensive experience in qualitative and quantitative evaluation, with an emphasis on statistical methodology.

With ERA colleagues, I have been involved in developing:

• a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework in conjunction with a proposal for Department for International Development funding for girls’ high schools in Ghana
• methods of detecting maladministration at key stage 2 for the Department for Education
• a methodology for evaluating a new mathematics GCSE syllabus for Pearson.

We have recently completed a longitudinal evaluation of summer schools and academic apprenticeships for the Sutton Trust.

Earlier work

 At Omega Schools, Ghana

From November 2011 to September 2012 I worked on a voluntary basis with Omega Schools, a group of low-cost private schools to the west of Accra, Ghana.  My work involved:

• helping to design analysis and feedback of test results for teachers, school managers and the Omega education team
• training teachers and school managers in the use of feedback to improve the performance of schools, classes and individual pupils
• running workshops for school managers and subject specialists on test development, report writing and time management
• editing and quality assuring teacher guides with detailed lesson plans, chiefly in English and mathematics.

At the Ministry of Education, Wellington

I was employed on a freelance basis at the Ministry, working in Research Division and Schooling Division.  My principal tasks were:

• producing a synthesis of research and evaluation relating to the implementation of the New Zealand Curriculum
• the revision of a PISA 2006 science report, which required extensive editing to improve readability and highlight the messages arising for schools and policymakers
• reviewing research reports, making recommendations for any necessary revision, and writing submissions for the Minister to approve their release
• writing working papers, one on science achievement in international studies, and one on resilient students in New Zealand (building on findings from an OECD study)
• scoping the evaluation of current and future ICT professional development initiatives, and recommending the most appropriate methodology.

At NZCER

In April 2008 I undertook a one-year contract as Visiting Chief Researcher at the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER).  During my time there, I was principal author of two lengthy reports, based on findings from national surveys of principals, teachers, trustees and parents in New Zealand schools.  I contributed two short literature reviews to another major project, one dealing with adult literacy and numeracy, the other with the youth transition to the labour market in New Zealand.

I also led or co-led three smaller projects:

• analysing the extent of severe behaviour in secondary schools in the Wellington and Hutt Valley regions (based on a teacher survey) for the Post-primary Teachers Association (PPTA)
• exploring (via focus groups held by videoconferencing, and an online survey) the experience of students learning in virtual classrooms, for the Ministry of Education
• investigating the factors which encourage young people to undertake higher education courses in science, engineering or technology (again using an electronic questionnaire) for the Institute of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ).

In these projects I had main or sole responsibility for writing the proposal, dealing with the client, designing the research instruments and analysis, and writing the reports.

I was also a member of the Research Management Team at NZCER, and contributed to a number of discussions from the perspective of having managed similar work in a different organisation.

At NFER

 In 1993 I joined the staff of the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), the largest independent UK agency specialising in educational research.  During the next 15 years I gained extensive experience in both quantitative and qualitative research methods.  As a Principal Research Officer, I led and managed projects relating to a wide range of educational issues.  I also had two management roles:

• I was responsible for managing staff allocations for the whole of the Slough Research Group, which comprised over 30 researchers and six administrative staff, engaged at any given time in some 30-40 projects.
• I was a Research Staff Manager, with line management responsibility (direct or indirect) for a group of six researchers.

The rest of my time was spent as Project Director for a number of projects, which involved supervising the research teams, dealing with contractual matters, advising on research strategies and instruments, editing reports when necessary, and ensuring that quality assurance procedures were followed and deadlines met.

In 2001 I took over responsibility for NFER’s expanding health education portfolio.  We subsequently tendered successfully for a wide range of health education and promotion research projects, including:

• a large-scale annual survey of smoking, drinking and drug use among young people, conducted jointly with the National Centre for Social Research
• an evaluation of the Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Training Package for teachers
• an evaluation of the impact of the A PAUSE sex and relationships education programme
• an evaluation of the National Healthy School Standard, a joint project with the Thomas Coram Research Unit
• a longitudinal evaluation, and then a further evaluation, of the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme, in collaboration with nutritionists from Leeds University.

Much of NFER’s work involves the evaluation of educational initiatives, often for government departments but also for local authorities, education-related agencies or corporate clients.   Projects in this category under my supervision included:

• the evaluation of the accelerated Key Stage 3 initiative for the then DfES
• a survey of the implementation of the national entitlement to language learning at Key Stage 2, also for the DfES
• an evaluation of the Community Leadership Strategy, for the National College for School Leadership
• a number of evaluation projects relating to the development and implementation of the Face 2 Face With Finance resources for NatWest Bank/The Royal Bank of Scotland
• the evaluation of the Learning Money Matters programme, for the Personal Finance Education Group (pfeg).

 

I have a particular interest in school management and systems, and while at NFER I researched topics such as the organisation of school sixth forms, and primary-secondary continuity and progression.  I was also involved in a number of studies designed to assess the impact on attainment of different types of school and school systems.

 

Selected publications

 

Below I give the references for a small selection of my publications, to illustrate the range of my interests.

 

McMeeking, S., Smith, R., Lines, A., Dartnall, L. and Schagen, S. (2003). Evaluation of the Community Development Programme in Financial Literacy and Basic Skills (Summary Report). London: Basic Skills Agency.

Noden, P., Rutt., S, Schagen, S. and West, A. (2007). Evaluation of the Two Year Key Stage Three Project (DfES Research Report 836). London: DfES.

Page, M., Schagen, S., Fallus, K., Bron, J., De Coninck, C., Maes, B., Sleurs, W. and Van Woensel, C. (2005). Cross-Curricular Themes in Secondary Education. Report of a CIDREE Collaborative Project. Brussels: CIDREE.

Regan, C. and Schagen, S. (1998). Teaching Justice: a Research and Conference Report on Contemporary Social Issues in the Curriculum. Ireland: Network of Curriculum Development Units in Development Education; Slough: NFER.

Rudd, P., Lines, A., Schagen, S., Smith, R. and Reakes, A. (2004). Partnership Approaches to Sharing Best Practice (LGA Research Report 54). Slough: NFER.

Schagen, S. (2008, September 26). National standards — a good idea? New Zealand Education Review. p. 7.

Schagen, S., Davies, D., Rudd, P. and Schagen, I. (2002). The Impact of Specialist and Faith Schools on Performance (LGA Research Report 28). Slough: NFER.

Schagen, S. and Hipkins, R. (2008). Curriculum changes, priorities and issues: Findings from the NZCER secondary 2006 and primary 2007 national surveys. Wellington, New Zealand: NZCER.

Schagen, S., Johnson, F. and Simkin, C. (1996).  Sixth Form Options: Post-compulsory Education in Maintained Schools. Slough: NFER.

Schagen, S. and Kerr, D. (1999). Bridging the Gap? The National Curriculum and Progression from Primary to Secondary School. Slough: NFER.

Schagen, S. and Lines, A. (1996). Financial Literacy in Adult Life: a Report to the NatWest Group Charitable Trust. Slough: NFER.

Schagen, S. and Schagen, I. (2002). The Impact of the Structure of Secondary Education in Slough: Final Report. Slough: NFER.

Schagen, S. and Wylie, C. (2009). School resources, culture and relationships:  Findings from the NZCER secondary 2006 and primary 2007 national surveys.  Wellington, New Zealand: NZCER.

Spielhofer, T., Walker, M., Gagg. K., Schagen, S. and O’Donnell, S. (2007). Raising the Participation Age in Education and Training to 18: Review of Existing Evidence of the Benefits and Challenges (DCSF Research Report 012). London: DCSF.

Spielhofer, T., O’Donnell, L., Benton, T., Schagen, S. and Schagen, I. (2002). The Impact of School Size and Single-Sex Education on Performance (LGA Research Report 33). Slough: NFER.

Weston, P. and Schagen, S. (1995). The Post-16 Experience of Full-time Students (Cohort Study of TVEI Extension Students: Briefing No.8). Sheffield: ED.

Weston, P., Schagen, S., Lines, A. and MacDonald, A. with Hutchison, D., Hewitt, D. and Self, T. (1995). The Impact of TVEI on Young People. Final Report of the Cohort Study of TVEI Extension Students. Sheffield: ED.