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

• 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

• 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 (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 (49-51)

Journal Article

• Stages of Proficiency: The implication for national data collection
  Demie, F. (online). Stages of Proficiency: The implication for national data collection
• 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,
• 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
• 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
• 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 & 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 & 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
• 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
• 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

Report

• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• Tackling Educational Disadvantage: what works in schools
  Demie, F., & Mclean, C. (2019). Tackling Educational Disadvantage: what works in schools. [No known commissioning body]
• Closing the achievement gap for disadvantaged pupils research-brief
  Demie, F. (2018). Closing the achievement gap for disadvantaged pupils research-brief. [No known commissioning body]
• Black Caribbean Achievement in Schools in England: Research brief
  Demie, F. (2018). Black Caribbean Achievement in Schools in England: Research brief. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• Language diversity and attainment in primary schools in England
  Demie, F., & Hau, A. (2017). Language diversity and attainment in primary schools in England. [No known commissioning body]
• Narrowing the achievement gap in schools: Good practice
  Demie, F., & Mclean, C. (2015). Narrowing the achievement gap in schools: Good practice. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• Transforming Education: Lessons from Lambeth. Research Brief.
  Demie, F. (2015). Transforming Education: Lessons from Lambeth. Research Brief. [No known commissioning body]
• Trasnforming Education: The Lambeth Story.
  Demie, F., & Mclean, C. (2015). Trasnforming Education: The Lambeth Story. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• Educational Attainment of White working-class pupils: Empirical Evidence
  Demie, F. (2014). Educational Attainment of White working-class pupils: Empirical Evidence. [No known commissioning body]
• The Achievement of Polish pupils in schools - Empirical evidence
  Demie, F. (2014). The Achievement of Polish pupils in schools - Empirical evidence. [No known commissioning body]
• Lambeth Year 1 Phonics Screening Check Achievement Executive Summary
  Demie, F. (2014). Lambeth Year 1 Phonics Screening Check Achievement Executive Summary. [No known commissioning body]
• The Achievement of Somali Pupils in Schools – Empirical Evidence
  Demie, F. (2014). The Achievement of Somali Pupils in Schools – Empirical Evidence. [No known commissioning body]
• Outstanding primary schools- A study of successful practice
  Demie, F., & Mclean, C. (2013). Outstanding primary schools- A study of successful practice. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• Outstanding Secondary School: good practice
  Demie, F., & Lewis, K. (2010). Outstanding Secondary School: good practice. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• Success Against the Odds: A study of outstanding schools
  Demie, F. (2010). Success Against the Odds: A study of outstanding schools. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]
• Raising the achievement of Portuguese pupils: Good practice
  Demie, F., & Lewis, K. (2008). Raising the achievement of Portuguese pupils: Good practice. [No known commissioning body]
• Raising the Achievement of Somali Pupils: Challenges and school responses
  Demie, F. (2007). Raising the Achievement of Somali Pupils: Challenges and school responses. [No known commissioning body]
• The Africans in Lambeth: Historical and empirical evidence
  Newman, J., & Demie, F. (2006). The Africans in Lambeth: Historical and empirical evidence. [No known commissioning body]
• The Achievement of African Heritage Pupils
  Demie, F., Lewis, K., & Mclean, C. (2006). The Achievement of African Heritage Pupils. [No known commissioning body]
• Pupil mobility in schools
  Demie, F., & Lewis, K. (2004). Pupil mobility in schools. [No known commissioning body]
• 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. [No known commissioning body]