Dr Daryl Maisey

Throughout my career I have gained valuable experience in the design and development of courses and programmes of learning. These have ranged from redesigning existing degrees, leading the design of new and innovative undergraduate and postgraduate courses (locally, nationally and internationally), and externally commissioned programme development for other organisations. This work has foregrounded the importance of collaborative endeavours to ensure currency, sustainability and inclusivity in programmes and courses for full-time and employment-based learners.

The emphasis has always been on understanding the needs of learners in their unique contexts and to adapt pedagogical approaches to enable them to reach their potential. As an example, most recently (2023), a focus of further enhancing inclusivity for education students resulted in me leading the engagement of an external business partner to provide expertise in supporting knowledge and understanding of dyslexia and literacy difficulties.  

As an External Examiner for other Higher Education institutions since 2014, I have gained insights into different interpretations of course developments and enhancements and have been able to share my knowledge in support of furthering effective and inclusive learning.

Qualifications and expertise

• External Examiner

Undergraduate courses taught

• Primary Education (QTS) BA (Hons)

Postgraduate courses taught

• Early Years Teacher Birth to 5 leading to Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) PGCE
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) top-up
• Primary Teaching leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) PGCE
• Secondary Teaching leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) PGCE

The early years sector of education is an area of particular interest of mine and has led to me undertaking research in different aspects of practice (e.g. safeguarding and child protection, interprofessional working, barriers to SCRs, technology enhanced learning). The field is vast and the complexities of theory and practice within an ever-changing social and political context ensures that early years remains a fascinating area for study within the continuum of education. I currently lead the Early Years Special Interest Group in the Department of Education.

My particular interest in safeguarding and child protection in early years was the focus of my thesis. The findings of this work led me to change the more prevailing methods of teaching this aspect of practice to education practitioners towards a more innovative and empowering pedagogical approach. Researching the thresholds of interprofessional working and learning from serious child protection reviews has led me to develop an interest in the influences that inhabit professional practice decision-making and enabling an awareness of these through in-depth critical reflection and reflexivity.

Qualifications and expertise

• Education Doctorate
• Faculty Ethics Committee
• Early Years Special Interest Group

Areas of specialism

• Early Years
• Safeguarding and Child Protection in Education
• Interprofessional Working

Scholarly affiliations

• BERA
• SEFDEY Professional Association

Case studies

Publications

Interest in curriculum design led to commissioned work with the University of Gibraltar (2018-2019) to develop their own Postgraduate Certificate in Education. This work, carried out with a colleague, Marcus Bhargava, resulted in a new and bespoke curriculum that has been delivered successfully in Gibraltar to date. The experience revealed the importance of understanding unique contexts to enable learning. 

Personal interest in early years and course design led to collaborations with Linguaphone (2017-2018), in the development of an international kindergarten curriculum, and with HedgeFun(d) Co. Ltd. (2021-2022), advising on a new app for learning in early years for parents of children between the ages of 3 and 6 years. Both projects revealed insights into the ways in which knowledge transfer can enhance learning within the parties involved.  

My most recent collaboration is with Driver Youth Trust (2022- date), who provide expertise in support of enhancing awareness of dyslexia and literacy difficulties for staff, students and school-based mentors engaging in our initial education programmes. It is through this collaboration that we want to enable our education students to meet the needs of children and young people who present with dyslexia and literacy difficulties in schools.

Qualifications and PROFESSIONAL expertise

• SEFDEY Professional Association Committee Member
• School Governor for Early Years and Safeguarding

Areas of interest

• Curriculum Design
• Early Years
• Safeguarding in Education

I have avid interest in curriculum design and have been involved in developing new courses both in academia and for commercial enterprises. Working in collaboration with a colleague, 2019 saw the successful design, validation and implementation of a new PGCE course for Gibraltar. Kingston University's strong partnership with Gibraltar enabled sharing of knowledge and contextual expertise to inform the creation of an interesting, inclusive and sustainable programme that continues to provide opportunities for Gibraltar's trainee teachers to study without having to travel abroad.  

One of the first courses I was involved in developing was in 2005 as students studying their Early Years Foundation Degree were welcomed into the University to complete their studies to a full degree, known as the Early Years Top-Up programme. My interest in work-based learning degrees has continued and I am currently a committee member for the national Sector Endorsed Foundation Degree Early Years Professional Association (SEFDEY). The SEFDEY network continues to influence policy and professional practice in the field of early years. 

Professional and scholarly affiliations

• Sector Endorsed Foundation Degree Early Years Professional Association
• BERA