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معرفی
Rachel Sandford is a Reader in Physical Education, Youth, and Social Justice at Loughborough University. Her career spans roles from Research Associate (1999) to Senior Lecturer (2018) and her current Reader position since 2023. She specializes in sociological and pedagogical aspects of physical education (PE), with a focus on youth development, social justice, and inclusive practices. Her research addresses marginalized groups such as care-experienced young people, transgender/non-binary students, and trauma-affected learners.
Education: She holds a BSc (Hons) in Physical Education and Sports Science (Loughborough, 1998) and a PhD in the Sociology of Physical Education (Loughborough, 2003). Her doctoral work centered on youth identity and physical culture.
Key Research Themes
- Curriculum reform in health and PE across UK nations
- Trauma-aware pedagogies in teacher training
- Gender equity and inclusion in PE
- Rights and needs of care-experienced youth in sport/PE
- Digital well-being and youth engagement
Professional Roles: She serves as Associate Editor for Sport, Education and Society, coordinates the UNESCO Chair on Sport, Physical Activity and Education for Development, and leads international collaborations like the UKPE Cross-Border Learning Initiative. She is actively involved with organizations such as AIESEP and EERA’s Sport Pedagogy Network.
Recent work highlights co-created strategies for trauma-informed teaching, dance interventions for wellbeing, and policy analyses around PE’s role in social development. Her work consistently emphasizes ethical methodologies and youth participation.
Awards
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
Grants & Collaborations
She leads the Right to Be Active project (2020) advocating for care-experienced youth access to PE/sport. Her research has evaluated programs like the Mixed Ability Sport Development Programme and the Cambridge House Playdagogy initiative. She collaborates on UNESCO projects linking PE with global education goals.
Labs/Teams
- Loughborough UNESCO Chair Team
- UKPE Cross-Border Collaborative
- EERA NW18 Sport Pedagogy Network
