Tom Perry

Dr Tom Perry is an Associate Professor and Director of Postgraduate Research at the School of Education, Learning and Communication Sciences, University of Warwick. He is a social scientist, education researcher and educator working at the intersection of research, policy and practice. His work focuses on generating and applying robust social science evidence to address real-world challenges in education, with particular emphasis on addressing systemic inequalities through evidence-informed policy and practice.

Tom Perry has specialist methodological expertise relating to systematic review and evidence synthesis; quantitative methods and secondary data analysis; evaluation, improvement and enquiry; mixed methods social science; and knowledge mobilisation, exchange and use. His substantive research areas include applied cognitive science; educational equity and effectiveness; school accountability, improvement and evaluation; and sustainable school workforce development. His research has been widely cited and featured in national news media including the Times Educational Supplement, SchoolsWeek and BBC Radio 4.

His most recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on evidence-informed education, research methodology, educational equity, and school systems. The articles show consistent engagement with both theoretical frameworks and practical applications in educational settings, with particular attention to methodological rigor and policy relevance. His work spans both empirical research and methodological contributions to the field.

• Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy (from Nov 2024)
• Member of the ESRC Peer Review College (from April 2024)
• Accredited researcher, Office for National Statistics (ONS) (from May 2019)
• Professional Affiliate, Chartered College of Teaching (from July 2018)

Dr Perry actively supports prospective PhD students and serves in multiple advisory and expert roles, including as External Examiner for MSc programs at Exeter and Leicester universities. He is engaged with numerous research projects with funders including the Education Endowment Foundation, Nuffield Foundation, and ESRC, demonstrating strong connections between academic research and practical educational contexts.