Mr James Wright

I joined Kingston University London in September 2023 as Associate Professor and Professional Lead for Secondary Teacher Education. I lead the Secondary PGCE with Qualified Teacher Status, a future-facing course that prioritises inclusion, wellbeing and social justice while preparing the next generation of teachers to thrive in an evolving education landscape.

Professional background

I have extensive experience as a teacher-educator, working across a range of training routes to support both new and experienced teachers. Before joining Kingston University, I held senior roles as a lecturer in education, a Local Authority adviser and an independent consultant. I have also served as a Subject Leader in schools, where I taught across disciplines including Citizenship, Religious Education, English and Media, Philosophy, and Government and Politics.

This breadth of experience means my students are supported by someone who understands schools and the wider education system from multiple perspectives, helping them develop adaptability, resilience and the collaborative and questioning mindset needed to respond to different school contexts with confidence.

Leadership and national contribution

As a consultant for the Association for Citizenship Teaching (ACT), I have contributed nationally to curriculum development and policy. I am a member of the ACT Council and previously served on the Department for Education’s Expert Subject Advisory Group for Citizenship.

I have also written for Teaching Citizenship, the ACT journal, on themes including digital activism, curriculum design and the importance of empathy in teaching and learning and presented at national and international conferences on the theme of curriculum design.

My national policy and curriculum work helps to ensure the courses I lead are aligned with sector expectations and emerging priorities. Through my writing and research, Kingston students engage directly with contemporary debates in education, gaining the insight and confidence to shape the profession themselves, keeping them at the forefront of contemporary debates in education, preparing them to be thoughtful, innovative and collaborative teachers.

Research, impact and innovation

My research applies psychosocial approaches to education, with a particular focus on teacher education. I work with schools and colleges to develop strategies that promote mental health, wellbeing and critical literacy.

At Kingston, this means PGCE students learn evidence-informed strategies they can use to support their own wellbeing and to build inclusive classrooms where pupils feel valued. These approaches develop empathy, resilience and self-awareness — attributes that help trainees thrive both as teachers and as role models.

I have collaborated with ACT and the Office for the Mayor of London to create the London Curriculum for Citizenship, helping teachers inspire young Londoners to reflect on their identity as citizens and to use their voices for positive change. I also worked with the English and Media Centre to publish Diverse Shorts, an anthology widely used in schools across the United Kingdom and beyond. By engaging with innovative resources like these, Kingston trainees gain first-hand experience of how ambitious, inclusive and enterprising materials can transform classroom practice and inspire pupils to think critically about the world around them.

As part of the course I lead, PGCE students at Kingston University experience first-hand how inclusive and enterprising resources such as these can transform classroom practice. This helps develop creativity and collaboration skills, while also giving students the confidence to design engaging, socially just learning experiences of their own.

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• MA Psychosocial Studies and Education
• NPQ Leading Teacher Development
• PGCE Citizenship
• BA (Hons) Philosophy and Politics