Leah Dowty

Leah Dowty is a Senior Lecturer in Initial Teacher Education at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), affiliated with the Faculty of Arts, Creative Industries, and Education and the Department of Education and Childhood. She serves as Co-Lead of the Early Years and Primary PGCE program and teaches on the BA Primary Education. With over a decade of prior experience as a classroom teacher and English Lead in East London, followed by a lectureship at Bath Spa University, she brings extensive practical expertise to her role.

Research Focus

Leah's research centers on transformative educational practices, with emphasis on:

• Reading for pleasure and literacy development
• Child agency and educational equity
• Teacher reflection and professional development
• Creative pedagogy and art/design integration

Her current work investigates motivational strategies for struggling readers through the UWE New Starter Research Scheme, contributing to scholarly discourse on social justice in education.