Writtle University College and ARU have merged. Writtle’s full range of college, degree, postgraduate and short courses will still be delivered on the Writtle campus. See our guide to finding Writtle information on this site.

Dr Leanne Gray

Leanne Gray For media enquiries please contact the Press Team
Lead for Initial Teacher Training
Faculty:
Faculty of Arts, Humanities, Education and Social Sciences
School:
School of Education
Location:
Chelmsford
Areas of Expertise:
Education and teaching
Courses taught:

Leanne has expertise in early years and primary education, with a particular interest in early mathematics. Prior to joining the university, Leanne was a primary school headteacher. Leanne is the Lead for ITT in Chelmsford and holds strategic responsibility for ITT mentoring as part of our newly accredited provision to award Qualified Teacher Status.

[email protected]

View Leanne’s ResearchGate profile

View Leanne’s ORCiD profile

Background

Beginning her teaching career in 2005, Leanne has spent over 15 years teaching across the whole primary age range in schools in London and Essex. She became an Advanced Skills Teacher in mathematics and early years before moving into a senior leadership role. She was a deputy head in primary schools in both Southwark and Tower Hamlets before moving to a headship in Essex. She has extensive experience of working with pupils with English as an additional language.

Research interests
  • Early counting
  • Primary mathematics
  • Early years education
  • Outdoor learning
  • Learners with English as an additional language in mathematics
  • Mentoring

Leanne’s doctoral research focused on preschool counting and explored what development looks like in counting for a child during the nursery year. She is interested in early years and primary education, with a particular focus on mathematics, outdoor learning, and learners with English as an additional language. 

Teaching

Leanne currently teaches on the following modules:

  • Mentoring for Initial Teacher Training (MOD009353)
Qualifications
  • Educational Doctorate, The University of Birmingham
  • National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH)
  • MEd, The University of Birmingham
  • PG Cert, Anglia Ruskin University
  • PGCE (Primary), The University of Birmingham
  • BSc (Hons) Accounting and Finance, The University of Birmingham
Memberships, editorial boards
  • Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy
  • Member, British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics (BSRLM)
  • Member, EECERA
  • Member, British Education Studies Association (BESA)
  • Member, British Educational Research Association (BERA)
Research grants, consultancy, knowledge exchange
  • 2024-2025: “Exploring Early Childhood Studies students' beliefs about mathematics” BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants (£9,909)
Selected recent publications

Gray, L and Harris, M. (2024) Enjoyment, Confidence, and Broader Experiences of Teaching Mathematics to the Under-fives: accounts from students of Early Childhood Studies, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, doi:10.1080/1350293X.2024.2331219

Gray, L and Wisbey, M. In Bradbury, A. Musgrave, J. & Perkins, H. (2023) A Practical Guide To Early Childhood Studies Graduate Practitioner Competencies. London. Learning Matters.

Wood A, Gray, L, Bowser-Angermann, J., Gibson, P., Fossey M. and Godier-McBard, L. (2022) Social media and Internet-based communication in military families during separation: An international scoping review, New Media and Society, doi:10.1177/14614448221117767

Wood, A., Bowser-Angermann, J., Gray, L, Fossey, M. and Godier-McBard. L. (2022) ‘Dropping in and out’: social media and internet-based communication amongst Naval families during separation. Naval Children’s Charity. Available at: navalchildrenscharity.org.uk (pdf)