Barry Dufour

Barry Dufour is a part-time Visiting Professor of Education Studies at De Montfort University’s School of Applied Social Sciences. He has taught at De Montfort since 2003 and previously at the University of Leicester and Loughborough University. His career spans pioneering work in social sciences education, teacher training, and curriculum development.

• PhD in Social Sciences (University of Hull, 2012)
• PGCE (University of Birmingham School of Education)
• Bachelor’s in Social Sciences (University of Hull)

His research interests focus on education studies, sociology, anthropology, and citizenship education, with significant contributions to understanding disruptive behavior in schools, music education decline, and cross-cultural school assessment. His recent publications Ofsted: Outstandingly Inadequate (2023) and George Orwell is Watching You! (2022) critique systemic issues in school inspections and behavior policies.

Scientific awards and memberships include:

• Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute (1977–present)
• Erasmus Scholarship (2010)
• Doctorate by publication (University of Hull, 2012)
• Vice Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award (2006)
• Visiting Fellowships (Loughborough, Leicester, Japan)

He has advised on school management, trained Ofsted inspectors, and collaborated with the National Holocaust Centre. Currently, he is working on a comparative study of Estonia and Finland’s education systems and a new academic volume The Study of Education (2024/2025).