Leanne Henderson

Leanne Henderson is a Lecturer in Education Studies at Queen's University Belfast's School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work. She holds affiliations with the Centre for Children's Rights, Centre for Research in Linguistics, and Centre for Language Education Research. Her research focuses on educational trajectories, language policy, and children's rights, particularly in Northern Ireland. She teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programs, including Programme Director for BA(Hons) Education Studies.

Research interests include language policy and education, young people's perspectives on learning, and socio-economic factors influencing education. She has published widely on language provision disparities, policy analysis, and qualitative research methodologies. Her recent work includes a survey of 1,278 post-primary students on language learning experiences, contributing to policy recommendations for equitable provision.

Awarded Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and SEDA accreditation, she leads pedagogical initiatives. She co-convenes the BAAL Language Policy Group and chairs BERA's Early Career Network. External roles include advising NI Children's Commissioner and examining PGCE programs at other institutions.

Her PhD (2018) explored children's rights during school transitions under supervisors Professors Elwood and Lundy. Prior roles included Research Fellow in Language Policy and French teaching experience. She collaborates internationally on language education projects and contributes to peer-reviewed journals like Languages, Society & Policy.