Staff profile

Feyisa Demie

Professor Feyisa Demie is an Honorary Professor at the School of Education and also head of research at Lambeth LA. He is a Fellow of the British Academies of Social Science (FAcSS). Previously he was a University Lecturer and Head of Research and Statistics. Feyisa has worked extensively with local authorities, government departments, the London Challenge, individual schools, and school governors on the use of data and research to drive school improvement. As an education adviser, he works with schools covering all phases of assessment, from the foundation stage, KS1, and KS2 to GCSE. In these roles, he was responsible for pioneering work on ‘value added’ analyses of school effectiveness and developing a comprehensive data service for schools, comprising individual school profiles and contextual reports as a means of providing confidential data to help schools monitor performance and improve their processes and outcomes. He also runs school-focussed training programmes and the annual national school improvement conference for headteachers, teachers, school governors, and policymakers to support school self-evaluation. With longstanding research interests in what works in raising achievement in schools and equity issues in education, he has written a number of research reports and articles on school improvement, ethnicity, social class, English as an additional language and disadvantage, and its impact on educational achievement and pupil progress in schools. He is the author of over 100 articles, book chapters, and research reports on education and has published articles in peer-reviewed journals. Recent research projects include diversity in the school teaching workforce, barriers in retention and recruitment of ethnic minority teachers, school exclusions, tackling educational inequality, and the underachievement of Black Caribbean heritage pupils in schools in England and Good practice to drive school improvement. Prior to this, he has also carried out what works research into the achievement of Black Caribbean, Black African, Mixed race, Portuguese, Polish, Somali, English as an Additional Language, White Working Class pupils, East European children and pupil mobility. A selected list of publications in peer-reviewed journals is given below. For further details of other research reports see https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/feyisa-demie/

• Recruitment and Retention of ethnic minority teachers/leaders
• What works in driving school improvement?
• Educational inequality and social justice
• Value added in education
• Ethnicity and educational achievement
• English as an additional language achievement
• Disadvantage pupils achievement
• School effectiveness
• Pupil mobility
• School exclusions

Authored book

• Black and ethnic minority achievement in schools: strategies and successful practice to tackle inequality
  
  Demie, F. (2025). Black and ethnic minority achievement in schools: strategies and successful practice to tackle inequality. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003499633
• Understanding the Causes and Consequences of School Exclusions: Teachers, Parents and Schools' Perspectives
  
  Demie, F. (2022). Understanding the Causes and Consequences of School Exclusions: Teachers, Parents and Schools’ Perspectives. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003264019
• Educational Inequality: Closing the gap
  
  Demie, F. (2019). Educational Inequality: Closing the gap. UCL IOE press.
• The Achievement of Black Caribbean Pupils: Good Practice
  
  Demie, F., & Mclean, C. (2017). The Achievement of Black Caribbean Pupils: Good Practice. Lambeth Schools Research and Statistics Unit.
• Black Caribbean Pupils Underachievement in Schools in England
  
  Demie, F., & Mclean, C. (2017). Black Caribbean Pupils Underachievement in Schools in England. Lambeth Schools Research and Statistics Unit.
• What Works in School Improvement: Examples of good practice
  
  Demie, F., & Mclean, C. (2016). What Works in School Improvement: Examples of good practice. Lambeth Council.
• Using data to raise achievement: Good practice in schools
  
  Demie, F. (2013). Using data to raise achievement: Good practice in schools. Lambeth Schools Research and Statistics Unit.

Chapter in book

• Diversity in the school teaching workforce in England
  
  Demie, F., & See, B. H. (2024). Diversity in the school teaching workforce in England. In S. Gorard & N. Siddiqui (Eds.), An International Approach to Developing Early Career Researchers A Pipeline to Robust Education Research (pp. 147-159). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003455066-16
• English as an Additional Language and Attainment in Schools
  
  Demie, F. (2022). English as an Additional Language and Attainment in Schools. In H. Chalmers (Ed.), The researchED Guide to English as an Additional Language: An evidence-informed guide for teachers. John Catt Educational.
• Achievement of Black Caribbean pupils
  
  Demie, F. (2013). Achievement of Black Caribbean pupils. In G. Thomas (Ed.), Case Study Methods in Education.. SAGE Publications.
• Examples of good and innovative practices in effective use of data in schools
  
  Demie, F. (2004). Examples of good and innovative practices in effective use of data in schools. In J. Fowler (Ed.), School Improvement: making data work. (pp. 22-28,60-62). DfE and ten publications.
• Raising the Achievement of Black Caribbean Pupils in schools
  
  Demie, F. (2003). Raising the Achievement of Black Caribbean Pupils in schools. In DfES report: Tackling underachievement-a collection of innovative and effective local practice. (pp. 49-51).

Journal Article

• Improving the recruitment and retention of ethnic minority teachers: What is the evidence on the best approach?
  
  See, B., Gorard, S., Gao, Y., Hitt, L., Demie, F., Tereshchenko, A., Siddiqui, N., & el Soufi, N. (in press). Improving the recruitment and retention of ethnic minority teachers: What is the evidence on the best approach?. Review of Education.
• The impact of student:teacher ethnic congruence on student treatment and relationships at school: an international review of evidence
  
  Gorard, S., Tereshchenko, A., Gao, Y., See, B., Siddiqui, N., & Demie, F. (2025). The impact of student:teacher ethnic congruence on student treatment and relationships at school: an international review of evidence. Review of Education Studies, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.71002/res.v5n1p9
• What helps to attract minority ethnic teachers in England?: Results from a national survey
  
  Gorard, S., Gao, Y., Huat See, B., Tereshchenko, A., Siddiqui, N., & Demie, F. (2025). What helps to attract minority ethnic teachers in England?: Results from a national survey. Review of Education Studies, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.71002/res.v5n1p50
• Factors related to the recruitment and retention of ethnic minority teachers: What are the barriers and facilitators?
  
  See, B. H., Gorard, S., Gao, Y., Hitt, L., Siddiqui, N., Demie, F., Tereshchenko, A., & El Soufi, N. (2024). Factors related to the recruitment and retention of ethnic minority teachers: What are the barriers and facilitators?. Review of Education, 12(3), Article e70005. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.70005
• Tackling educational inequality: Lessons from London schools
  
  Demie, F. (2023). Tackling educational inequality: Lessons from London schools. Equity in Education and Society, 2(3), 243-266. https://doi.org/10.1177/27526461231161775
• The Achievement of Spanish Speaking Students in Secondary Schools in England
  
  Demie, F. (2023). The Achievement of Spanish Speaking Students in Secondary Schools in England. Journal of Latinos and Education, 22(3), 1031-1045. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348431.2021.1899925
• Ethnic disproportionality in the school teaching workforce in England
  
  Demie, F., & See, B. H. (2023). Ethnic disproportionality in the school teaching workforce in England. Equity in Education & Society, 2(1), 3-27. https://doi.org/10.1177/27526461221134291
• The disproportionality of ethnic minority teachers in England: trends, patterns, and problems
  
  Gorard, S., Chen, W., Tan, Y., Gazmuri, C., See, B., Tereshchenko, A., Demie, F., & Siddiqui, N. (2023). The disproportionality of ethnic minority teachers in England: trends, patterns, and problems. Routledge Open Research, 2(13). https://doi.org/10.12688/routledgeopenres.17798.1
• Disproportionality in the attainment of pupils with special educational needs at the end of primary school in England
  
  Demie, F. (2022). Disproportionality in the attainment of pupils with special educational needs at the end of primary school in England. British Journal of Special Education, 49(4), 513-538. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.12437
• Tackling teachers’ low expectations of Black Caribbean students in English schools
  
  Demie, F. (2022). Tackling teachers’ low expectations of Black Caribbean students in English schools. Equity in Education and Society, 1(1), 32-49.
• Black Pupils and School exclusions in England: What does research tell us?
  
  Demie, F. (2022). Black Pupils and School exclusions in England: What does research tell us?. Sociological Review, 31(3), 18-22.
• The Impact of Leadership and Targeted Interventions to Close the Achievement Gap of Disadvantaged Pupils: A Case Study
  
  Demie, F. (2021). The Impact of Leadership and Targeted Interventions to Close the Achievement Gap of Disadvantaged Pupils: A Case Study. European Journal of Educational Management, 4(2), 97-108. https://doi.org/10.12973/eujem.4.2.97
• Educational attainment of East European pupils in primary schools in England
  
  Demie, F. (2019). Educational attainment of East European pupils in primary schools in England. London Review of Education, 17(2), 159-177. https://doi.org/10.18546/lre.17.2.05
• The school experiences of mixed-race white and black Caribbean children in England
  
  Lewis, K., & Demie, F. (2019). The school experiences of mixed-race white and black Caribbean children in England. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 42(12), 2065-2083. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2018.1519586
• Raising achievement of black Caribbean pupils: good practice for developing leadership capacity and workforce diversity in schools
  
  Demie, F. (2019). Raising achievement of black Caribbean pupils: good practice for developing leadership capacity and workforce diversity in schools. School Leadership and Management, 39(1), 427-446. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2018.1442324
• The Experience of Black Caribbean Pupils in School Exclusion in England
  
  Demi, F. (2019). The Experience of Black Caribbean Pupils in School Exclusion in England. Educational Review, 73(1), 55-70. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2019.1590316
• English as an additional language and attainment in primary schools in England
  
  Demie, F. (2018). English as an additional language and attainment in primary schools in England. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 39(3), 210-223. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2017.1348508
• Raising achievement of English as additional language pupils in schools: implications for policy and practice
  
  Demie, F., & Lewis, K. (2018). Raising achievement of English as additional language pupils in schools: implications for policy and practice. Educational Review, 70(4), 427-446. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2017.1344190
• English language proficiency and attainment of EAL (English as second language) pupils in England
  
  Demie, F. (2018). English language proficiency and attainment of EAL (English as second language) pupils in England. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 39(7), 641-653. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2017.1420658
• Language diversity and attainment in schools: implication for policy and practice.
  
  Demie, F. (2015). Language diversity and attainment in schools: implication for policy and practice. Race Ethnicity and Education, 18(5), 723-737. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2014.946493
• Tackling disadvantage: what works in narrowing the achievement gap in schools
  
  Demie, F., & Mclean, C. (2015). Tackling disadvantage: what works in narrowing the achievement gap in schools. Review of Education, 3(2), 138-174. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3052
• Raising the achievement of white working class pupils: good practice in schools.
  
  Lewis, K., & Demie, F. (2015). Raising the achievement of white working class pupils: good practice in schools. Review of Education, 3(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3037
• Context and Implications Document for: Raising the achievement of white working class pupils: good practice in schools
  
  Lewis, K., & Demie, F. (2015). Context and Implications Document for: Raising the achievement of white working class pupils: good practice in schools. Review of Education, 3(1), 22-26. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3040
• English as an Additional Language: How long does it take to acquire English Fluency
  
  Demie, F. (2013). English as an Additional Language: How long does it take to acquire English Fluency. Language and Education, 27(1), 59-69. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2012.682580
• White Working Class Achievement: An Ethnographic Study of Barriers to Learning in Schools
  
  Demie, F., & Lewis, K. (2011). White Working Class Achievement: An Ethnographic Study of Barriers to Learning in Schools. Educational Studies., 37(3), 245-264.
• Raising the Achievement of Portuguese pupils in British Schools: a case study of good practice
  
  Demie, F., & Lewis, K. (2010). Raising the Achievement of Portuguese pupils in British Schools: a case study of good practice. Educational Studies., 36(1), 95-109.
• The achievement of African heritage pupils: Good practice in secondary schools
  
  Demie, F., & Mclean, C. (2007). The achievement of African heritage pupils: Good practice in secondary schools. Educational Studies., 33(4), 415-434.
• English Language Acquisition and Attainment at the End of Secondary School
  
  Demie, F., & Strand, S. (2006). English Language Acquisition and Attainment at the End of Secondary School. Educational Studies., 32(2), 215-231.
• Pupil mobility, attainment and progress in Primary Schools
  
  Strand, S., & Demie, F. (2006). Pupil mobility, attainment and progress in Primary Schools. British Educational Research Journal, 32(4), 551-558.
• The Achievement of Black Caribbean Pupils in British Schools: Good Practice in Lambeth Schools
  
  Demie, F. (2005). The Achievement of Black Caribbean Pupils in British Schools: Good Practice in Lambeth Schools. British Educational Research Journal, 31(4), 351-378.
• English Language acquisition and educational attainment at the end of Primary School
  
  Strand, S., & Demie, F. (2005). English Language acquisition and educational attainment at the end of Primary School. Educational Studies., 31(3), 275-291.
• Pupil mobility in schools and implications for raising achievement
  
  Demie, F., Lewis, K., & Taplin, A. (2005). Pupil mobility in schools and implications for raising achievement. Educational Studies., 31(2), 131-147.
• Stages of English Acquisition and Attainment of Bilingual Pupils: Implications for Pupil Performance in Schools
  
  Demie, F., Taplin, A., & Butler, R. (2003). Stages of English Acquisition and Attainment of Bilingual Pupils: Implications for Pupil Performance in Schools. Race Equality Teaching, 21(2), 42-48.
• Using Value-Added Data for School Self- Evaluation: A Case Study of Practice in Inner City Schools
  
  Demie, F. (2003). Using Value-Added Data for School Self- Evaluation: A Case Study of Practice in Inner City Schools. School Leadership and Management, 23(4), 445-463.
• Raising the Achievement of Black Caribbean Pupils in British Schools: Acknowledged Problems and Challenges for Policy Makers
  
  Demie, F. (2003). Raising the Achievement of Black Caribbean Pupils in British Schools: Acknowledged Problems and Challenges for Policy Makers. London Review of Education, 1(3), 229-248.
• Pupil Mobility and Educational Achievement in Schools: An Empirical Analysis
  
  Demie, F. (2002). Pupil Mobility and Educational Achievement in Schools: An Empirical Analysis. Educational Research, 43(1), 91-106.
• Educational Achievement and the Disadvantage Factor
  
  Demie, F., Taplin, A., & Butler, R. (2002). Educational Achievement and the Disadvantage Factor. Journal of Education Studies, 28(2), 101-110.
• Social Class, Ethnicity and Educational Performance
  
  McCallum, I., & Demie, F. (2001). Social Class, Ethnicity and Educational Performance. Educational Research, 43(2), 147-159.
• Ethnic and Gender Difference in Educational Achievement and Implications for School Improvement Strategies
  
  Demie, F. (2001). Ethnic and Gender Difference in Educational Achievement and Implications for School Improvement Strategies. Educational Research, 43(1), 91-106.
• Stages of Proficiency: The implication for national data collection
  
  Demie, F. (n.d.). Stages of Proficiency: The implication for national data collection. EAL Journal, 1.

Report

• Diversity in the Teaching Workforce in London
  
  Demie, F., & Hau, A. (2022). Diversity in the Teaching Workforce in London. School Research and statistics.
• The Educational Achievement of Black African Children in England
  
  Demie, F. (2021). The Educational Achievement of Black African Children in England. Lambeth Local Authority.
• Tackling School Exclusions: Good Practice, Schools Research and Statistics Unit, Lambeth LA
  
  Demie, F., & McLean, C. (2021). Tackling School Exclusions: Good Practice, Schools Research and Statistics Unit, Lambeth LA.
• The Educational Underachievement of Disadvantaged Pupils in Northern Ireland: Challenges and good practice for tackling inequalities, Prepared for the Expert Panel on Educational Underachievement in NI, Department of Education
  
  Demie, F. (2021). The Educational Underachievement of Disadvantaged Pupils in Northern Ireland: Challenges and good practice for tackling inequalities, Prepared for the Expert Panel on Educational Underachievement in NI, Department of Education.
• What works in driving school improvement: Lessons from London schools, Research brief
  
  Demie, F. (2020). What works in driving school improvement: Lessons from London schools, Research brief.
• Exclusions of Pupils from Schools in England: Extent, causes and consequences Research Project Brief
  
  Demie, F. (2019). Exclusions of Pupils from Schools in England: Extent, causes and consequences Research Project Brief.
• Tackling Educational Disadvantage: what works in schools
  
  Demie, F., & Mclean, C. (2019). Tackling Educational Disadvantage: what works in schools.
• Closing the achievement gap for disadvantaged pupils research-brief
  
  Demie, F. (2018). Closing the achievement gap for disadvantaged pupils research-brief.
• Black Caribbean Achievement in Schools in England: Research brief
  
  Demie, F. (2018). Black Caribbean Achievement in Schools in England: Research brief.
• Raising achievement of English as an additional language pupils in schools
  
  Demie, F. (2017). Raising achievement of English as an additional language pupils in schools.
• Mixed Race Pupils' Educational Achievement in England: An Empirical Analysis
  
  Demie, F., & Hua, A. (2017). Mixed Race Pupils’ Educational Achievement in England: An Empirical Analysis.
• Language diversity and attainment in primary schools in England
  
  Demie, F., & Hau, A. (2017). Language diversity and attainment in primary schools in England.
• Narrowing the achievement gap in schools: Good practice
  
  Demie, F., & Mclean, C. (2015). Narrowing the achievement gap in schools: Good practice.
• The Underachievement of Black Caribbean heritage pupils in schools-Research Brief
  
  Demie, F. (2015). The Underachievement of Black Caribbean heritage pupils in schools-Research Brief.
• Transforming Education: Lessons from Lambeth. Research Brief.
  
  Demie, F. (2015). Transforming Education: Lessons from Lambeth. Research Brief.
• Trasnforming Education: The Lambeth Story.
  
  Demie, F., & Mclean, C. (2015). Trasnforming Education: The Lambeth Story.
• Raising the Achievement of White working-Class Pupils: Barriers and School Strategies
  
  Demie, F., & Lewis, K. (2014). Raising the Achievement of White working-Class Pupils: Barriers and School Strategies.
• Educational Attainment of White working-class pupils: Empirical Evidence
  
  Demie, F. (2014). Educational Attainment of White working-class pupils: Empirical Evidence.
• The Achievement of Polish pupils in schools - Empirical evidence
  
  Demie, F. (2014). The Achievement of Polish pupils in schools - Empirical evidence.
• Lambeth Year 1 Phonics Screening Check Achievement Executive Summary
  
  Demie, F. (2014). Lambeth Year 1 Phonics Screening Check Achievement Executive Summary.
• The Achievement of Somali Pupils in Schools – Empirical Evidence
  
  Demie, F. (2014). The Achievement of Somali Pupils in Schools – Empirical Evidence.
• Outstanding primary schools- A study of successful practice
  
  Demie, F., & Mclean, C. (2013). Outstanding primary schools- A study of successful practice.
• English as an Additional Language: Good practice to raise Achievement in secondary schools
  
  Demie, F., & Gay, A. (2013). English as an Additional Language: Good practice to raise Achievement in secondary schools.
• English as an Additional Language: Good practice to raise achievement in primary schools
  
  Demie, F., & Bellesham, A. (2013). English as an Additional Language: Good practice to raise achievement in primary schools.
• In Harmony Lambeth An Evaluation: Executive Summary
  
  Lewis, K., Demie, F., & Rogers, L. (2011). In Harmony Lambeth An Evaluation: Executive Summary. Lambeth Music Service.
• EAL: An empirical study of stages of English proficiency
  
  Demie, F. (2011). EAL: An empirical study of stages of English proficiency.
• White working-class Achievement: A Study of barriers to Learning
  
  Demie, F., & Lewis, K. (2010). White working-class Achievement: A Study of barriers to Learning.
• Outstanding Secondary School: good practice
  
  Demie, F., & Lewis, K. (2010). Outstanding Secondary School: good practice.
• Raising Achievement Good Practice in Secondary Schools with Outstanding Leadership
  
  Demie, F., & Lewis, K. (2010). Raising Achievement Good Practice in Secondary Schools with Outstanding Leadership.
• Success Against the Odds: A study of outstanding schools
  
  Demie, F. (2010). Success Against the Odds: A study of outstanding schools.
• Raising the achievement of White working-class pupils: School strategies
  
  Demie, F., & Lewis, K. (2010). Raising the achievement of White working-class pupils: School strategies.
• Raising the achievement of White working-class pupils: School strategies: Executive Summary
  
  Demie, F., & Lewis, K. (2010). Raising the achievement of White working-class pupils: School strategies: Executive Summary.
• Raising the achievement of Somali pupils: Good practice in London schools
  
  Demie, F., & Lewis, K. (2008). Raising the achievement of Somali pupils: Good practice in London schools.
• Raising the achievement of Portuguese pupils: Good practice
  
  Demie, F., & Lewis, K. (2008). Raising the achievement of Portuguese pupils: Good practice.
• Raising the Achievement of Somali Pupils: Challenges and school responses
  
  Demie, F. (2007). Raising the Achievement of Somali Pupils: Challenges and school responses.
• The Africans in Lambeth: Historical and empirical evidence
  
  Newman, J., & Demie, F. (2006). The Africans in Lambeth: Historical and empirical evidence.
• The Achievement of African Heritage Pupils
  
  Demie, F., Lewis, K., & Mclean, C. (2006). The Achievement of African Heritage Pupils.
• Pupil mobility in schools
  
  Demie, F., & Lewis, K. (2004). Pupil mobility in schools.
• Raising achievement of Black Caribbean pupils: Good practice in Schools
  
  Demie, F., & McKinley, J. (2003). Raising achievement of Black Caribbean pupils: Good practice in Schools.