Jo Bishop

Jo Bishop is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Education at the University of Huddersfield, within the School of Business, Education and Law. She is a member of the Huddersfield Centre for Research in Education and Society (HudCRES) and actively supervises PhD students. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to quality education and reduced inequalities.

Her research interests include education policy, educational and social inequality, youth employment, inclusion in schools, and the role of paraprofessionals in secondary education. She employs ethnographic and historical methods to examine the experiences of young people, particularly those at risk of becoming NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training), and explores alternative education provisions and mentoring interventions. Her work also addresses gender and trans* issues in formal education.

Her recent publications focus on the mental health implications for NEET youth, the mapping of early intervention programs across England, and a critical analysis of educational paraprofessionals within performative school cultures. These works reflect a strong interdisciplinary approach combining sociology, policy analysis, and educational theory.

Jo Bishop is actively involved in the 'Mapping the provision of NEET early interventions in England' (MINE) research project (2021–2026), collaborating with colleagues on national-level research involving local authorities. She has delivered multiple oral presentations and provided consultancy on NEET-related research and stakeholder engagement.

She has contributed to policy discussions through commissioned reports and expert media commentary, including on youth engagement and urban experiences. Her research has been disseminated through books, peer-reviewed articles, and chapters, with an emerging impact in the field of educational sociology and youth policy.