Dr Nathan Fretwell

Profile

I am a sociologist of education with a longstanding interests in relationships between families, schools and other educational services. I joined the School in July 2025 as Lecturer in Inclusion, Childhood and Youth. Prior to this I was Senior Lecturer in Education and Early Childhood at Middlesex University and have previously taught at London Metropolitan University and the University of Essex. I am an experienced qualitative researcher and have a long history of working in education research having formerly been a member of the Institute for Policy Studies in Education (IPSE) at London Metropolitan University. I hold a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Essex and maintain an interest in both the philosophy of education and continental philosophy more broadly.

I currently serve as Secretary for The International Education Studies Association (TIESA).

Responsibilities

• Programme Leader - BA Education

Research interests

My research interests and expertise centre on relationships between families and education. I am particularly interested in home-school relations, family support in educational contexts, education, childhood and family policy, and community/educational activism and social movements. Over the last few years I have conducted extensive research into the phenomenon of parental activism in education and have spoken with parents engaged in a range of campaigns across areas as diverse as school funding, academisation, SEND, and the closure of schools and early years settings. More recently I have undertaken a pilot study of family support workers in schools which explores the role they play in supporting and assisting families in challenging socio-economic circumstances. In addition to the preceding I am currently co-writing a book on education and childhood policy for Policy Press.

Qualifications

• PhD Philosophy, University of Essex
• MA Philosophy, University of Essex
• PG Cert Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, London Metropolitan University
• BA (Hons) Philosophy, London Metropolitan University

Professional memberships

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Secretary, The International Education Studies Association
• Member, British Educational Research Association
• Member, British Sociological Associations

Student education

I currently serve as Programme Leader for BA Education. I also teach across the UG and PG Childhood Studies programmes.

Postgraduate research:
I would be partiuclarly keen to hear from any prospective doctoral researchers interested in undertaking projects around families and education, family support, or educational activism broadly construed.