Dr Kay Sanderson

Kay works as part of the team at the Centre for Collaborative learning. Key aspects of the role involve the observation of lecturers across UCLan and associates who work in partnership with the university. Working as part of a team of observers, she follows a pre and post-observation process to enable her to act as a critical friend to those involved. This process is developmental and will allow faculty to enhance their knowledge and understanding of their subject area and their own teaching practice. Kay also works on other collaborative projects, including; the design and delivery of 'Preparing to Teach Courses', developmental research associated with the 'Teaching Observation Scheme', developmental projects associated with UCLan's Strategic Plan and the delivery of information and feedback appropriate to partner institutions through presentations at conferences and networking events. 

Kay has previously worked in FE and in HE since 1997, initially at Kendal and Carlisle FE Colleges, Charlotte Mason College, Ambleside (now the University of Cumbria) and most recently as the Head of Health and Education at Middlesex University Dubai, a branch campus of Middlesex University London. With a remit to enhance the programme offerings within the Education Department and grow numbers, she validated new degrees bringing the first BA (Hons) Early Childhood Degree to Dubai and the first MA Education and Leadership with options of four pathways, in TESOL, Coaching, Leadership and Management. She also collaborated with other branch campuses and developed a blended learning PGCE/HE, which made it accessible to external candidates across the Middle East and Gulf Regions. Whilst at Middlesex, she obtained her Senior Teaching Fellowship and to encourage others to complete their HEA Fellowships, she implemented a wider college Teaching and Learning Committee focused on creating CPD opportunities for faculty to enhance their teaching and learning portfolios and embedded the HEA Fellowship route within the PGCE/HE.

Kay was part of the Research Committee, which was active in hosting a bi-annual conference and a weekly research seminar series and as Chair of the Ethics and Funding committee, she assisted junior lecturers in growing their research portfolios. She has assisted in the organisation of conferences and was Vice President and President of the Gulf Comparative Education Society (GCES), part of the World Council of Comparative Education Societies (WCCES). Kay has also presented papers at numerous conferences, including Education conferences in Dubai, Vancouver, Tasmania, Sweden, Glasgow, Greece, Singapore and Nepal and has published in a range of edited journals, as well as edited book chapters and books.
Prior to moving back to the UK in 2018, Kay worked both nationally and internationally, as an Educational Consultant on Government and Ministry of Education initiatives, including projects with the Department for Education, UK, the Education and Training Foundation, UK and Ministries of Education in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. She is particularly proud of being the project lead for a government project for the Ministry of Education in Dubai, which involved 'the review and re-development of the UAE early years curriculum', and associated areas, including staff training and development (Management and teaching faculty), HR policy review, redesign of inspection frameworks, leadership and management of all project deliverables and budgets. This project involved collaborating and coordinating specialist teams across different time zones and from a range of institutions, including the Institute of Education(IOE), UK, Melbourne University and experts from New Zealand, Hong Singapore and the UK. The project was delivered on time and within budget and enabled the culmination of two research projects involving Parents as Play Partners and Movement for Learning to be published in an edited book, with Sir Christopher Ball and Professor Pat Preedy, entitled: 'Redefining Early Childhood'.