Stephen Rayner

My current role is Deputy Head of the Manchester Institute of Education.

I have experience as a teacher, senior leader and education adviser, working in and with schools in the West Midlands. I have been a governor of eight schools over a period of more than 30 years. In July 2017, I completed a professional doctorate at the University of Manchester and was appointed to a part-time post as Lecturer in Educational Leadership and Programme Director of the MA Education (Teach First Leadership) programme. The title of my doctoral project was Academisation: A dynamic process of systemic change in England. I presented my thesis in Journal Format and four of the chapters have been published.

Note for those preparing applications for doctoral study

Please be aware that I am retiring from the University at the end of 2024 and am therefore unable to supervise further doctoral researchers or to support their applications.

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, 2020

Doctor of Education, University of Manchester, 2017

Master of Business Administration, University of Leicester, 1999

Master of Arts, University of Cambridge, 1974

I teach on several education-leadership programmes, including:

MA Educational Leadership in Practice (Course Unit Director for EDUC61761 Project-Based Enquiry; Course Unit Director for EDUC61751 Educational Leadership as a Social Practice; teaching on EDUC62731 Leading Educational Change)

MA Education (Leadership in Learning)

MA Educational Leadership (dissertation supervisor)

PGCertHE (Course Unit Director for EDUC60662 The Local Academic Culture of Higher Education)

Co-supervisor of doctoral students.

I have a part-time (0.7) contract with the University. I work flexible hours. Please contact me in advance to check. I aim to answer emails within 48 hours, unless my out-of-office reply states otherwise.

Former Editorial Board member and Deputy Editor (2019-2023)of the journal Management in Education.

Member of the following organisations:

British Educational Leadership Management and Adminstration Society 

British Educational Research Association

Society for Research into Higher Education

Jen Barker (EdD): The work practice of headteachers and Trust CEOs

Sarah Bibi (PhD): Teacher leadership and wellbeing (working title)

Huili Si (PhD): The governance and management of transnational higher-education partnerships (working title)

Ignacio Wyman (PhD): School networking in Chile (working title)

My formal office hours vary from week to week. Please contact me for an appointment, either in person or by Zoom.

For most queries, it is best to contact me by email. I aim to reply within 2 working days.