The Centre for Education and Employment Research aims to speak to those who make education happen – the policy makers and practitioners. Its findings are published in books, reports and articles. Many are covered in news items and Centre staff are often asked to comment on the issues of the day. The Centre has been directed since its inception by Professor Alan Smithers and one of its first members was Dr Pamela Robinson who is now Deputy Director. At one time they acted as research managers to a large team of researchers and research students. But it was found that educational research is as much art as science and not everyone, no matter how well qualified, is capable of it. Alan Smithers, Pamela Robinson and John Williams conduct all the research themselves, hiring help as necessary. They have the invaluable support of Mandy Bungey, an IT specialist, and a team of 20 interviewers and clerical assistants. Research assistants and students are appointed for particular projects. CEER has attracted grants from a wide range of sources – listed in box below – enabling it to take an independent stance in a field where the narrative is often driven by what people want to believe rather than what is, in fact, the case.

GRANTS & COMMISSIONS

Association for Science Education; Association of School and College Leaders; BP; British Aerospace; British Association; British Nuclear Fuels; BT; Cadbury Schweppes; Catholic Education Office, Melbourne; Commonwealth Science Council; Council for Industry and Higher Education; Department for Education; Department of Trade and Industry; Economic and Social Research Council; Education Forum of New Zealand; Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council; Engineering Council; Gatsby Charitable Foundation; Girls’ Schools Association; Granada Television; Greater Manchester Police; Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference; Hewlett Packard; Higher Education Funding Council for England; Home Office; IBM, Joint Matriculation Board; Leverhulme Trust; Lloyds Bank; Marconi; Mercers’ Company; National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT); National Council for Vocational Qualifications; National Union of Teachers; New Zealand Business Roundtable; New Zealand Treasury; Nuffield Foundation; P.H. Holt Trust; Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council; Royal Society of Chemistry; Save British Science; Sefton LEA; Sir Richard Sutton’s Settled Estates; Stockport Learning Partnership; Sutton Trust; The Royal Society; The Stanley Kalms Foundation; Times Educational Supplement; Unilever.