Ben Simmons

Personal statement

Dr Ben Simmons is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Education and co-leads the Centre for Research in Equity, Inclusion and Community (CREIC). His area of expertise lies in special and inclusive education, with particular reference to children with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). Ben leads three undergraduate modules in the SEND field, teaches research methodology and currently supervises doctoral students in the fields of mental health and disability.

Ben’s research examines the social and educational inclusion of children with PMLD. He was a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow in this field (2014-2017) and led a three-year project examining the social interaction of children with PMLD who attended mainstream school. This work significantly built upon Ben’s ESRC-funded doctoral research (2010) and book, co-authored with Debbie Watson, titled The PMLD Ambiguity: Articulating the Life-Worlds of Children with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (London: Routledge, 2014).

Prior to his fellowship, Ben held research posts in the fields of Health and Education at the University of Bristol, University of Oxford, University of Exeter, Plymouth University, and Bangor University. He also worked as a researcher or support worker for third sector disability organisations, including Scope and Mencap.

Academic qualifications

  • BA (Hons), English Studies and History, Oxford Brookes University 
  • MEd, Special Educational Needs, University of Exeter
  • PGCE, Early Years, University of Exeter
  • MSc, Educational Research, University of Exeter
  • PhD, The PMLD Ambiguity - Articulating the Lifeworlds of Children with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities, funded by the ESRC, University of Exeter.

Professional memberships 

  • Fellow - Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

Teaching subjects

  • EDU4101: Controversial Issues in Special and Inclusive Education
  • EDU5101: Supporting Learners with Additional Needs
  • EDU5102: Critical Approaches to PMLD Education
  • EDU6001: Education Dissertation
  • PhD Supervision.

Internal roles

  • Mid-career research representative: Research and Ethics Committee
  • Co-leader of Centre for Research in Equity, Inclusion and Community (CREIC)
  • REF Unit of Assessment Advisory Panel (Education Studies)
  • Staff Mentor: Early Stage Researcher scheme, HEP7005: Supervising Doctoral Students, HEP7001: Teaching and Supporting Learning in Higher Education.

External roles

  • Member of the Executive Editorial Panel - British Journal of Learning Disabilities 
  • Reviewer for leading journals, for example, International Journal of Inclusive Education, Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research.
  • Reviewer for funding bodies, for example, British Academy, BA/Wolfson Foundation, Independent Social Research Foundation
  • External Examiner for doctoral degrees (PhD, DEdPsych, PhD by Publication): University of Dundee, Open University.

Areas of expertise

  • Special Educational Needs
  • Inclusive Education
  • Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD)
  • Phenomenology
  • Research Methodology.

Research supervision

Ben is interested in supervising students in the field of special and inclusive education, profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) and disability studies.

Current doctoral supervision:

  • Stephanie Harvey - Moving beyond 'the cheapest kind of understanding': Enriching policy responses to BAME mental health inequality.
  • Andrew Auld - 'Art is part of the equation': exploring the impact of creative arts practices on learning disabled conceptions of self and community.
  • Jonathan Priddle: Mental health and wellbeing in higher education: What can we learn from the student experience?
  • Helena Thomas: Releasing the imagination: stories of becoming writing teachers in England's state school system.

Research and academic outputs

Go to ResearchSPAce

The PMLD ambiguity: articulating the life-worlds of children with profound and multiple learning disabilities
book

Simmons, B and Watson, D (2014) The PMLD ambiguity: articulating the life-worlds of children with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Karnac Books, London. ISBN 9781780490342

Exploring the situated social being of children with profound and multiple learning difficulties across educational contexts: a study of belonging
book_section

Simmons, B (2020) 'Exploring the situated social being of children with profound and multiple learning difficulties across educational contexts: a study of belonging.' In: Nind, M and Strnadova, I, eds. Belonging for people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities: pushing the boundaries of inclusion. Routledge, Abingdon, pp. 27-40. ISBN 9780367202958

Enacting the international vision of inclusive education: a UK case study of profound and multiple learning difficulties
book_section

Simmons, B (2020) 'Enacting the international vision of inclusive education: a UK case study of profound and multiple learning difficulties.' In: Simon, C.A and Downes, G, eds. Sociology for education studies: connecting theory, settings and everyday experiences. Routledge, Abingdon, pp. 135-149. ISBN 9780367028404

The phenomenology of intersubjectivity and research with profoundly disabled children: developing an experiential framework for analysing lived social experiences
book_section

Simmons, B (2018) 'The phenomenology of intersubjectivity and research with profoundly disabled children: developing an experiential framework for analysing lived social experiences.' In: Twomey, M and Carroll, C, eds. Seen and heard: exploring participation, engagement and voice for children with disabilities. Peter Lang, Oxford, pp. 125-144. ISBN 9781787075160

From individualism to co-construction and back again: rethinking research methodology for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities
book_section

Simmons, B and Watson, D (2016) 'From individualism to co-construction and back again: rethinking research methodology for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities.' In: Kelly, B and Byrne, B, eds. Valuing disabled children and young people: research, policy, and practice. Routledge, Abingdon. ISBN 9781138687080

The production of social spaces for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties: a Lefebvrian analysis
article

Simmons, B (2021) 'The production of social spaces for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties: a Lefebvrian analysis.' British Journal of Sociology of Education. ISSN 0142-5692

From living to lived and being-with: exploring the interaction styles of children and staff towards a child with profound and multiple learning disabilities
article

Simmons, B (2021) 'From living to lived and being-with: exploring the interaction styles of children and staff towards a child with profound and multiple learning disabilities.' International Journal of Inclusive Education, 25 (6). pp. 657-670. ISSN 1360-3116

Variations in interaction: examining how social engagement is contingent upon context
article

Simmons, B (2019) 'Variations in interaction: examining how social engagement is contingent upon context.' PMLD Link, 31.2 (90). pp. 7-9. ISSN 2042-5619

Why is parental involvement in children’s mathematics learning hard? Parental perspectives on their role supporting children’s learning
article

Jay, T, Rose, J and Simmons, B (2018) 'Why is parental involvement in children’s mathematics learning hard? Parental perspectives on their role supporting children’s learning.' SAGE Open, 8 (2). ISSN 2158-2440

Finding “mathematics”: parents questioning school-centered approaches to involvement in children’s mathematics learning
article

Jay, T, Rose, J and Simmons, B (2017) 'Finding “mathematics”: parents questioning school-centered approaches to involvement in children’s mathematics learning.' School Community Journal, 27 (1). pp. 201-230. ISSN 1059-308X

From individualism to co-construction and back again: rethinking research methodology for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities
article

Simmons, B and Watson, D (2015) 'From individualism to co-construction and back again: rethinking research methodology for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities.' Child Care in Practice, 21 (1). pp. 50-66. ISSN 1357-5279

“It’s helping your child experience the world": how parents can use everyday activities to engage their children in mathematical learning
article

Rose, J, Jay, T and Simmons, B (2014) '“It’s helping your child experience the world": how parents can use everyday activities to engage their children in mathematical learning.' Proceedings of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics, 33 (3).

Challenging the developmental reductionism of ‘profound and multiple learning disabilities’ through academic innovation
article

Simmons, B and Watson, D (2014) 'Challenging the developmental reductionism of ‘profound and multiple learning disabilities’ through academic innovation.' PMLD Link, 26 (3). pp. 25-27.

Why parents can’t always get what they (think they) want
article

Jay, T, Rose, J and Simmons, B (2013) 'Why parents can’t always get what they (think they) want.' Proceedings of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics, 33 (3). pp. 31-36.

Transforming positive risk-taking practices: the possibilities of creativity and resilience in learning disability contexts
article

Seale, J, Nind, M and Simmons, B (2012) 'Transforming positive risk-taking practices: the possibilities of creativity and resilience in learning disability contexts.' Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 15 (3). pp. 233-248. ISSN 1501-7419

Postmodern synergistic knowledge creation: extending the boundaries of disability studies
article

Simmons, B, Blackmore, T and Bayliss, P (2008) 'Postmodern synergistic knowledge creation: extending the boundaries of disability studies.' Disability & Society, 23 (7). pp. 733-745. ISSN 0968-7599

The role of special schools for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties: is segregation always best?
article

Simmons, B and Bayliss, P (2007) 'The role of special schools for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties: is segregation always best?' British Journal of Special Education, 34 (1). pp. 19-24. ISSN 0952-3383

The minor gesture [book review]
other

Simmons, B (2018) The minor gesture [book review]. Disability & Society, 33 (3). pp. 495-497. ISSN 1360-0508

Conferences and reviews

Conference Presentations and Invited Talks

  • Simmons, B. (2017)," The phenomenology of intersubjectivity and research with profoundly disabled children: Developing an experiential framework for analysing lived social experiences", Profound Intellectual Disability Symposium, Helsinki, Finland, 15 June 2017
  • Simmons, B. (2016), "Examining the situated and emerging sociability of children with PMLD", Centre for Researching Education Across Boundaries (CREAB), University of Bristol, 22 March 2016
  • Simmons, B. (2015), "Qualitatively mapping the social interaction opportunities of children with profound and multiple learning difficulties in educational contexts", Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE), University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, Australia, 30 November 2015
  • Simmons, B. (2015), "Assessing the social skills of children with PMLD through 'inclusive education'", SEND Teach Meet, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, 18 February 2015
  • Jay, T., Rose, J., & Simmons B. (2014), " 'It’s helping your child experience the world': How parents can use everyday activities to engage their children's mathematical learning", Centre for Mind and Brain in Educational and Social Contexts (MBESC), University of Bristol, United Kingdom, 29 September 2014
  • Rose, J. Simmons, B. & Jay, T. (2014)" 'It’s helping your child experience the world': How parents can use everyday activities to discuss maths with their children", European Conference of Educational Research (ECER), University of Porto, Portugal, 4 September 2014
  • Simmons, B. (2013), "Understanding children with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) in research, theory and practice (invited paper)", Centre for Mind and Brain in Educational and Social Contexts (MBESC), University of Bristol, United Kingdom, 25 October 2013
  • Simmons, B. (2012), "Changing the agenda: reflections about the research landscape for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties" (invited keynote paper), 1st UK Disabled Children’s Research Network Conference (UKDCRNC), University of Bristol, 16 May 2012
  • Simmons, B. (2011), "The PMLD ambiguity: articulating the life-worlds of children with profound and multiple learning difficulties", Nordic Network on Disability Research (NNDR) 11th Research Conference, Reykjavik, Iceland, 28 May 2011
  • Simmons, B. (2010), "Personhood, participation, and the PMLD conundrum" (invited paper), presented at the Cornwall Disability Research Network (CDRN) 5th Annual Conference, Cornwall College, United Kingdom 29 October 2010
  • Simmons, B. (2008), "Sam's Story" (invited paper), Cornwall Disability Research Network (CDRN) 3rd Annual Conference, Cornwall College, United Kingdom, 27 December 2008
  • Blackmore, T., Simmons B. & Vakirtzi, E. (2006), "Postmodern rhizomatics and synergistic knowledge creation: the case for rejecting grand narratives in educational research", European Conference of Educational Research (ECER), University of Geneva, Switzerland, 13 September 2006
  • Simmons, B. & Bayliss, P. (2005), "Developing intersubjectivity in children with profound and multiple learning difficulties through inclusive education", International Conference of Inclusive Education, Institute of Education, Tai Po, Hong Kong, 09 December 2005.

Book Reviews

  • Simmons, B. (2018) Review of Manning, E. (2016) The minor gesture - thought in the act, for Disability & Society
  • Simmons, B. (2017) Review of Paterson, M. (2015) Review of Seeing with the hands, for Disability & Society, 32 (2): 280-281
  • Simmons, B. (2013) Review of Hesse-Biber, S. & Patricia, L. (2010) Handbook of Emergent Methods, New York: The Guildford Press, for British Educational Research Journal 39 (5): 947–949
  • Simmons, B. (2010) Review of Armstrong, A., Armstrong, D., & Spandagou, I. (2010) Inclusive Education: International Policy and Practice, London: Sage Publications, for Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 10 (3), 256.

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