Mike Coldwell

Mike Coldwell is a Professor of Education at Sheffield Hallam University and currently serves as Assistant Dean for Research and Innovation (R&I) on secondment. He holds a BA, MA (Econ), PGCE, and PhD. His research focuses on evaluation methodology, education policy, and teacher professional development, with over £4m in research funding and 70+ reports/presentations. He collaborates with institutions like NFER, UCL Institute of Education, and the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). Currently leads evaluations for the Youth Endowment Fund and DfE Family Hubs, and advises government and charitable organizations on evaluation strategies.

Research Interests: Education Policy, Teacher Career Development, Evaluation Methodology
His work bridges theory and practice, emphasizing contextualized evaluation frameworks and systems-based approaches. Key projects include reviews of EEF projects and trials in primary English education. Collaborations span national and international partners, influencing policy through impactful evaluations.

Grants & Projects:

• Lead SHU's Youth Endowment Fund evaluation
• Directed £4m+ in research studies for government and charities
• Co-led EEF reviews and trials (e.g., Integrating English curriculum)
• Advisory roles for DfE, EEF, and SHINE Trust

Supervision & Academic Contributions:

Supervised 20+ doctoral students focusing on education leadership, teacher development, and policy. Notable supervisees include Tasker (Values-Led Leadership), Williams (Primary PE Beliefs), and Elonga Mboyo (Comparative Leadership).

Key publications span educational evaluation, teacher career pathways, and systemic research use. Recent work addresses RCT limitations and systems approaches in education policy implementation.