Key details
Rebecca D.S Bolan
Academic Portfolio Lead for Early Years and Primary Education
Rebecca Thistle is a Senior Lecturer and Academic Portfolio Lead for Early Years and Primary Education in the School of Education.
Her specialism is early years and comparative education. She initially trained in the UK and has since had experience of working and researching with young children in the UK and internationally.
Prior to joining the university in 2015, Rebecca taught at two other London universities on the BA Hons Early Years and BA Hons Psychology degree. Prior to this, she worked in the marketing and recruitment department at a Midlands University and also the Government funded 'Aimhigher' initiative.
Responsibilities within the university
- Academic Portfolio Lead and Senior Lecturer for Early Years and Primary Education
- Year 2 lead on the BA Hons Early Years.
- Senior Lecturer on the BA Hons Early Years.
- Lectures on the PGCE Early Years.
- Lectures on the MA Education.
- BA and MA supervisor.
- Marketing lead for the School of Education
Recognition
- Lead Governor for Early Years and SEN at primary school.
- Member of the Early Childhood Studies Degree Network (ECSDN).
- Member of the ECSDN Strategy Group.
Research / Scholarly interests
Rebecca's research interests are in early years teaching and child development, enhancing learning resources and environments to benefit the development of young children. She has also conducted international research using a comparative approach between the UK and the Gambia, exploring the value individuals place on higher education. More recent research was involved in higher education learning and teaching styles on early year's degrees.
Rebecca is currently completing her PhD at the University of Warwick. Her research is examining early years practice in England and Ghana.