Writing and Speaking

Dr Bernard Trafford has a deep interest in the management of schools in the broadest sense, believing that the way in which students and staff are treated is indivisible from their intellectual, academic and pastoral development. He is a passionate advocate of democratic/open/consultative ways of running schools and is an authority on school/student councils and children's rights in education.  He has advised government on Citizenship and Participation, in 2007 co-authored (with a Swedish headteacher) a manual on the democratic governance of schools for the 49 member states of the Council of Europe (now translated into 14 languages), and still works with the Council or individual states from time to time.

In 1991 Bernard gained a MEd in Educational Management and Policy from Birmingham University, and in 1993 he published Sharing Power in Schools: Raising Standards.  His research into, and writing about, democratic approaches to management and schooling has continued ever since:  his doctoral thesis, completed in 1996, won the George Cadbury Prize for that year, and the narrative section was published in 1997 by the Educational Heretics Press as Participation, power-sharing and school improvementWhat he describes as his definitive work on this theme bringing together the available research and all his experience - School councils, school democracy, school improvement: why, what, how - was published by the Secondary Heads Association (now the Association of School and College Leaders) in 2003.  In January 2006 ASCL also published Bernard’s follow-up booklet Raising the student voice: a framework for effective school councils which was launched by Lord Adonis, then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools.

Bernard has written or contributed to several other books and academic journals on education, democracy and leadership. For full lists, click on one of the links below.
 

Bernard has long been a regular contributor to Headlines, the Journal of the Secondary Heads Association (now the Association of School and College Leaders) and, from 2005, its replacement The Leader. He is a panellist for SecEd, the weekly journal for secondary education and, since 2008, has been writing for CRONER-i Independent Education e-Newsletter. He also writes an occasional column in Newcastle’s daily paper, The Journal.
 

Most of Bernard’s newspaper and magazine articles are now available to be read via hyperlink. For full lists of all his writing, click on one of the links below.
 

Bernard is in demand as a speaker and trainer. For recent courses and papers, click on one of the links below.

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Full text of Bernard’s 1996 PhD thesis

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Bernard’s main educational writing

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Newspaper and magazine articles

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Recent conference papers and training courses