Diversity, Equality and Achievement in Education

Gianna Knowles is Principle Lecturer and Head of Partnership (Initial Teacher Education) at London South Bank University. She has also worked with teacher trainee students from across Europe at the University of Jönköping in Sweden. Before working in Higher Education Gianna gained over 12 years experience of teaching in primary schools in England, in London and the Midlands. She has worked in Local Authority Advisory services, working with individual teachers and whole-schools staffs to develop school wide practice and policy. Gianna has experience of being an OfSTED Inspector and reviewer for the Quality Assurance Agency. Her research interest is in the area of social justice, inclusion and diversity.

Vini Lander is the Head of Primary Programmes at the University of Chichester. She was also Deputy Director of Multiverse for 5 years. This was TDA funded professional resource network on achievement and diversity. As part of her role in Multiverse, Vini has delivered training sessions to student teachers and teacher educators on diversity, inclusion and achievement across England. Vini has also delivered lectures to teachers and teacher educators in Berlin Hamburg and Munich./par1/Vini worked in mainstream schools teaching science and A level Biology for a number of years. She also worked in a specialist role with pupils for whom English as an Additional Language. At the University of Chichester, Vini teaches on the primary undergraduate, postgraduate and Masters level programmes./par1//par1/Vini′s research interests lie in the field of race, ethnicity and diversity, particularly with reference to initial teacher education. She has completed her doctoral research in this area.