Staff profile

Feyisa Demie is an Honorary Professor at the School of Education and also head of research and adviser for school self-evaluation at Lambeth LA. Previously he was University Lecturer and Head of Schools Research and Statistics. Feyisa is a Fellow of the British Academies of Social Science (FAcSS). He has worked extensively with Local Authorities, government departments, schools, and school governors for over 28 years in the use of data and research to raise achievement. As an education adviser he works with schools covering all phases of assessment, from foundation stage to GCSE. Feyisa developed a comprehensive data service for schools, comprising individual school profiles, contextual and value added reports as a means of providing detailed, confidential data to help schools to monitor performance and improve their processes and outcomes. He also runs school focussed training programmes and national conferences to support school self-evaluation for headteachers, teachers, governors, and policy makers.

With longstanding research interests on what works in driving school improvement in schools and equity issues in education, he has written a number of research reports and articles on educational Inequality, ethnicity, disadvantage, English as an additional language, pupil mobility, school exclusions. He is the author of over 150 articles, book chapters and research reports on education and has published articles in peer reviewed journals.

Research Projects

Feyisa has also led as a principal investigator several large-scale ground-breaking research in schools. Details of different research projects are listed below:
• Barriers and good practice in the recruitment and retention of ethnic minority school leaders 2002-2005
• Raising the achievement of pupils with English as an additional language: good practice 2021-22
• The Impact of school closure and covid with English as an additional language 2021
• The Achievement of Black African Children in England 2021
• School Exclusions: extent, causes and consequences 2019/2020
• Tackling School Exclusions 2020
• Tackling Educational Disadvantage 2019/2020
• The Underachievement of Black Caribbean Heritage Pupils in Schools 2017-2019
• The Achievement of Black Caribbean Pupils: Good practice 2018
• Narrowing the Achievement Gap for Disadvantaged Pupils 2018
• The Achievement of Black Caribbean Pupils - Good Practice 2017
• Black Caribbean Underachievement in Schools in England 2017
• Mixed Race Pupils' Educational Achievement in England 2016
• English as an Additional Language and Attainment in Primary Schools 2016
• What Works in School Improvement 2015?
• Narrowing the Achievement Gap - Good Practice in Schools 2015
• Transforming Education: The Lambeth Story 2015
• Raising Achievement of White Working Class Pupils 2014
• Raising the Achievement of Black African Pupils: Good practice in schools 2013
• A study of good practice in outstanding Primary Schools 2013
• Using Data to Raise Achievement: Good practice in schools 2013
• Language Diversity in Primary Schools 2012
• Raising Achievement of EAL Pupils: Good practice in schools 2011 & 2012
• A study of good practice in outstanding Secondary Schools 2010
• Raising Achievement of White Working Class Pupils 2008 & 2009
• Raising Achievement of Portuguese Pupils: Good practice in schools 2008
• Raising Achievement of Somali Pupils: Good practice in London schools 2007 & 2008
• Achievement of African Heritage Pupils: Good practice in schools 2005 & 2006
• Raising Achievement of Mobile Pupils: Good practice in schools 2004 & 2005
• Raising Achievement of Black Caribbean Pupils: Good practice in schools 2003
A selected list of publications is given below. For further details of other publications and research reports see www.lambeth.gov.uk/rsu and https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/feyisa-demie/

• 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
• Recruitment and Retention of ethnic minority teachers/leaders

• Durham University Evidence Centre for Education (DECE)

Authored book

• Demie, Feyisa (2022). Understanding the Causes and Consequences of School Exclusions: Teachers, Parents and Schools' Perspectives. London: Routledge.
• Demie, F. (2019). Educational Inequality: Closing the gap. London: UCL IOE press.
• Demie, F. & Mclean, C. (2017). The Achievement of Black Caribbean Pupils: Good Practice. Lambeth Schools Research and Statistics Unit.
• Demie, F. & Mclean, C. (2017). Black Caribbean Pupils Underachievement in Schools in England. Lambeth Schools Research and Statistics Unit.
• Demie, F. & Mclean, C. (2016). What Works in School Improvement: Examples of good practice. Lambeth Council.
• Demie, F. (2013). Using data to raise achievement: Good practice in schools. Lambeth Schools Research and Statistics Unit.

Chapter in book

• Demie, Feyisa (2022). English as an Additional Language and Attainment in Schools. In The researchED Guide to English as an Additional Language: An evidence-informed guide for teachers. Chalmers, Hamish London: John Catt Educational.
• Demie, F. (2013). Achievement of Black Caribbean pupils. In Case Study Methods in Education. Gary Thomas Sage Publishing. 2.
• Demie, F. (2004). Examples of good and innovative practices in effective use of data in schools. In School Improvement: making data work. Fowler, J. DfE and ten publications. 22-28, 60-62.
• 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. DfES/0318: 49-51.

Journal Article

• Gorard, S., Chen, W., Tan, Y., Gazmuri, C., See, B.H., Tereshchenko, A., Demie, F. & Siddiqui, N. (2023). The disproportionality of ethnic minority teachers in England: trends, patterns, and problems. Routledge Open Research 2(13).
• Demie, Feyisa (2023). Tackling educational inequality: Lessons from London schools. Equity in Education & Society
• Demie, Feyisa & See, Beng Huat (2023). Ethnic disproportionality in the school teaching workforce in England. Equity in Education & Society 2(1): 3–27.
• Demie, Feyisa (2022). Disproportionality in the attainment of pupils with special educational needs at the end of primary school in England. British Journal of Special Education
• Demie, Feyisa (2022). Black Pupils and School exclusions in England: What does research tell us? Sociological Review 31(3): 18-22.
• Demie, Feyisa (2022). Tackling teachers’ low expectations of Black Caribbean students in English schools. Equity in Education and Society 1(1): 32-49.
• Demie, Feyisa (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.
• Demie, F. (2021). The Achievement of Spanish Speaking Students in Secondary Schools in England. Journal of Latinos and Education
• Demi, F. (2021). The Experience of Black Caribbean Pupils in School Exclusion in England. Educational Review 73(1): 55-70.
• Demie, F. (2019). Educational attainment of East European pupils in primary schools in England. London Review of Education 17(2): 159-177.
• Demie, F. (2019). Raising achievement of black Caribbean pupils: good practice for developing leadership capacity and workforce diversity in schools. School Leadership & Management 39(1): 5-25.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Demie, F. (2017). English as an additional language and attainment in primary schools in England. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 1-14.
• Demie, F. (2016). Stages of Proficiency: The implication for national data collection. EAL Journal (1): 28.
• Demie, F. & Mclean, C. (2015). Tackling disadvantage: what works in narrowing the achievement gap in schools. Review of Education 3(2): 138-174.
• Lewis, K. & Demie, F. (2015). Raising the achievement of white working class pupils: good practice in schools. Review of Education 3(1): 1-21.
• 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.
• Demie, F. (2015). Language diversity and attainment in schools: implication for policy and practice. Race, Ethnicity and Education 18(5): 723-737.
• Demie, F. (2013). English as an Additional Language: How long does it take to acquire English Fluency. Language and Education 27(1): 59-69.
• Gill, B. & Demie, F. (2011). The White Paper the Importance of Teaching and Accountability: New Lamps for Old? Race Equality Teaching
• Demie, F. & Lewis, K. (2011). White Working Class Achievement: An Ethnographic Study of Barriers to Learning in Schools. Educational Studies 37(3): 245-264.
• 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.
• Demie, F. & Mclean, C. (2007). The achievement of African heritage pupils: Good practice in secondary schools. Educational Studies 33(4): 415-434.
• Demie, F. & Strand, S. (2006). English Language Acquisition and Attainment at the End of Secondary School. Educational Studies 32(2): 215-231.
• Strand, S. & Demie, F. (2006). Pupil mobility, attainment and progress in Primary Schools. British Educational Research Journal 32(4): 551-558.
• Strand, S & Demie, F. (2005). English Language acquisition and educational attainment at the end of Primary School. Educational Studies 31(3): 275-291.
• 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.
• Demie, F., Lewis, K. & Taplin, A (2005). Pupil mobility in schools and implications for raising achievement. Educational Studies 31(2): 131-147.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Demie, F., Taplin, A. & Butler, R. (2002). Educational Achievement and the Disadvantage Factor. Journal of Education Studies 28(2): 101-110.
• Demie, F. (2002). Pupil Mobility and Educational Achievement in Schools: An Empirical Analysis. Educational Research 43(1): 91-106.
• Demie, F. (2001). Ethnic and Gender Difference in Educational Achievement and Implications for School Improvement Strategies. Educational Research 43(1): 91-106.
• McCallum, I & Demie, F. (2001). Social Class, Ethnicity and Educational Performance. Educational Research 43(2): 147-159.

Report

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