Miles Thomas

Dr Miles Thomas

Research Director

School of Childhood & Social Care , School of Childhood and Social Care

Dr Miles Thomas is an HCPC registered Educational and Child Psychologist with over 20 years of experience working in Local Authorities including Senior Specialist roles. He has a particular interest in Solution Focused Approaches, Organisational change and the Social Emotional and Mental Health of children and young people. He is currently Research Director for the Professional Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology at UEL.

Areas Of Interest

Miles interests include the application of Solution Focused approaches, Critical Psychology and Inclusion. He is also interested in Research Methods including Action Research, Participatory approaches, Thematic Analysis, IPA and Narrative approaches. He is a chartered Coaching Psychologist with the British Psychological Society and interested in Coaching, Positive Psychology and Performance. He is Co-Editor of an open access journal Educational Psychology Research and Practice (EPRaP.

Miles Thomas

OVERVIEW

Miles Thomas completed his Post Graduate Certificate in Education at the University of Bath and taught in the UK and Spain. He has a Masters in Educational Psychology and a Doctorate in Child and Educational Psychology from UEL. He is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

CURRENT RESEARCH

Miles is currently undertaking research with Hackney Learning Trust into the effectiveness of parent coaches. He has supervised over 40 professional Doctorates to completion and currently supervises the following Doctoral projects.

  • Broughton, H. (2024) The role of educational psychologists, virtual schools and designated teachers in supporting previously looked after children.
  • O'Leary, S. (2024) Promoting the voices of children and young people who have experienced Domestic Abuse.
  • Challoner, E. (2024) A Qualitative Exploration of Black Parents’ and Carers’ Experiences of Working with an Inner-London Educational Psychology Team.

PUBLICATIONS

  • Doyle M. and Thomas, M. (2022) Teacher perceptions of mental health provision in secondary schools during the Covid -19 pandemic Research in Teacher Education May 2022 12-19 rite-may-2022-doyle-thomas.pdf (uel.ac.uk)
  • Thomas, M. et al (2021) Position Statement on Anti-Racism and Decolonisation Educational Psychology Research and Practice 6(1), p.1-7
  • Speed, E. Bunn, H. and Thomas M. (2021) The English Baccalaureate and devaluation of the arts in school: Students’ perceptions of subject value, and psychological and social impact DECP 38 2 and BPS Interactive Poster
  • Rae, T. and Thomas, and Walshe, J. (2018) The Essential Guide to Using Solution Focused Brief Therapy Hinton House
  • Mohammed, S. and Thomas, M. (2017) The mental health and psychological well-being of refugee children and young people: An exploration of risk, resilience and protective factors Educational Psychology in Practice, 33(3), 249–263
  • Garner, J. and Thomas, M. (2011) Nurture Groups in the Secondary Phase Journal of Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties 

TEACHING

Miles is Module Leader for PY8115 Educational Psychology Complex Systems and Organizational Change.

Miles also teaches on other modules on the Professional Doctorate in Educational Psychology and other Psychology programmes at UEL.

Prof Doc Educational and Child Psychology

Gain full-time professional training leading to registration with the Health and Caring Professions Council (HCPC) as an educational psychologist.

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Publications

The last four years of publications can be viewed below. 

Full publications list

Visit the research repository to view a full list of publications

Research repository

  • Thomas, M. (2024)

    Editorial Educational Psychology Research and Practice. 9 (2), p. 1. https://doi.org/10.15123/uel.8xwq6

    Article

  • Thomas, M. (2021)

    Editorial Educational Psychology Research and Practice. 7 (2), p. 1. https://doi.org/10.15123/uel.8q735

    Article