Personal statement

Kate is a Senior Lecturer in Education History and Heritage, having previously taught for many years in Cultural Studies and Screen Media. She is also the Award Leader for MA Professional Practice.

Having been published in a number of books and journals on aspects of teaching and learning, Kate has recently completed her doctoral thesis on the history of children in institutionalised care.

Academic qualifications

  • MA Education Studies - Bath Spa University

Areas of expertise

  • Education
  • History and heritage
  • Widening participation and inclusion
  • Critical discourse analysis

Research and academic outputs

Go to ResearchSPAce

Critical histories in care and education: understanding the connections between the English care and education systems from the nineteenth century to the present day
book

Brooks, K (2025) Critical histories in care and education: understanding the connections between the English care and education systems from the nineteenth century to the present day. Routledge, Abingdon. ISBN 9781032663012

Making sense of men's magazines
book

Jackson, P, Stevenson, N and Brooks, K (2001) Making sense of men's magazines. Polity, Cambridge. ISBN 9780745621760

Living and learning: students’ talk and investments in university culture
book_section

Brooks, K (2008) 'Living and learning: students’ talk and investments in university culture.' In: University life uncovered: making sense of the student experience. Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Social Policy and Social Work (SWAP), Southampton, pp. 34-43. ISBN 9780854328901

Loaded with meaning: men's magazines and the appropriation of tabloid talk
book_section

Brooks, K (2007) 'Loaded with meaning: men's magazines and the appropriation of tabloid talk.' In: Biressi, A and Nunn, H, eds. The tabloid culture reader. Open University Press, Maidenhead, pp. 197-204. ISBN 9780335219315

Reading men’s lifestyle magazines: cultural power and the information society
book_section

Stevenson, N, Jackson, P and Brooks, K (2003) 'Reading men’s lifestyle magazines: cultural power and the information society.' In: Benwell, B, ed. Masculinity and men's lifestyle magazines. Blackwell, Oxford, pp. 112-131. ISBN 9781405114639

Alternative retail spaces
book_section

Crewe, L, Gregson, N and Brooks, K (2003) 'Alternative retail spaces.' In: Leyshon, A, Lee, R and Williams, C.C, eds. Alternative economic spaces. SAGE, London, pp. 74-106. ISBN 9780761971290

Blank, light, respectable, useful: nineteenth century orphan bodies
article

Brooks, K (2025) 'Blank, light, respectable, useful: nineteenth century orphan bodies.' Childhood in the Past, 18 (1). pp. 55-71. ISSN 1758-5716

Flat feet, inveterate habits and the productive body
article

Brooks, K (2025) 'Flat feet, inveterate habits and the productive body.' The Psychologist, March. ISSN 0952-8229

'In this age of wonders': exploring the myth of George Muller
article

Brooks, K (2019) ''In this age of wonders': exploring the myth of George Muller.' Question, 4. pp. 58-65. ISSN 2632-5454

Barbarous custom: discursively deconstructing The Prevent Duty
article

Brooks, K (2019) 'Barbarous custom: discursively deconstructing The Prevent Duty.' Educationalfutures, 10 (1). pp. 58-82. ISSN 1758-2199

Could do better? Students’ critique of written feedback
article

Brooks, K (2008) 'Could do better? Students’ critique of written feedback.' Networks, 5. ISSN 1756-963X

Talking about volunteering: a discourse analysis approach to volunteer motivations
article

Brooks, K (2002) 'Talking about volunteering: a discourse analysis approach to volunteer motivations.' Voluntary Action, 4 (3).

'She appears a promising child': the role of the c19th orphanage in categorising young care leavers in terms of productive labour. A critical case study of Muller's new orphan homes' Dismissal Books 1830s-1890s
thesis

Brooks, K (2023) 'She appears a promising child': the role of the c19th orphanage in categorising young care leavers in terms of productive labour. A critical case study of Muller's new orphan homes' Dismissal Books 1830s-1890s. PhD thesis, Bath Spa University.

Scrap [poetry performance]
performance

Brooks, K (2019) Scrap [poetry performance]. In: Charismatic Objects, Foundling Museum, London, UK, 7 June 2019.

Making a stand with Mary [blog post]
other

Brooks, K (2020) Making a stand with Mary [blog post]. Research Exchange - The Social History Society.

Research projects

  • Brooks, K (2018) Non-attendance: Bristol students’ responses report presented at: Attendance Strategy Consultation Workshop, Bristol City Council
  • Brooks, K (2014) Attendance Report – students, staff & families and the new attendance regulations, Bristol Metropolitan Academy.
  • Brooks, K, Mayer, K and Noonan, A (2010) Teachers, facilitators, gatekeepers?
    Tutors’ perceptions of the Graduate Development Programme in SCA Faculty of Creative Arts, UWE
  • Brooks, K (2009) Student Review of the Graduate Development Programme, Faculty of Creative Arts, UWE
  • Brooks, K and Kelly, K (2007) Feedback on Feedback: Student Feedback Report, School of Cultural Studies, UWE
  • Brooks, K and Kelly, K (2006) Student Transition Project, School of Cultural Studies, UWE

Conference and seminar papers (selected)

  • ‘Foucault, fever and ‘working in the real’ approaching archive research’ - IfE Conference, June 2019
  • ‘‘It’s been a rollercoaster year of swings and roundabouts’ – supporting students in their transitional year’ From Great Expectations to hard Times? Supporting students’ transition - UWE Academic Literacy Forum, March 2012
  • ‘ ‘The hardest experience of my life so far’: using unassessed writing exercises in student feedback’ presented at The Assessment Swapshop Conference - University of Chichester, May 2010
  • ‘Why do Media Studies in a recession?’ talk and workshop, HELOA South West: HE Advisers Day - UWE, June 2009
  • ‘Conceptualising the transition… Understanding change in Higher Education’, Bristol Business School Teaching and Learning Conference - UWE, September 2008
  • ‘Talking through transition: students’ talk and investments in campus culture’ presented at University Life Uncovered, Social Policy and Social Work Conference - Manchester Conference centre, November 2007
  • ‘Negotiating professional identities: undergraduates’ perceptions of teaching and learning’ Workshop co-presented with Debbie Flint, ADM-HEA, at MECCSA Post-Graduate Conference - UWE, July 2007
  • 'Good work? Volunteering as a 'way in' to the labour market' presented at The Caring face of Capitalism? ESRC Seminar Series - Sheffield University, April 2001.

Talks and events

  • Performer (2019): Won poetry competition; performed poem (relating to fostering and the Foundling Museum) at ‘Charismatic Objects’ event, run by St Martins College and Foundling Museum
  • Facilitator (2019-): Series of art workshops relating to my research topic, with children in care: ‘History? Our Story’ to be exhibited at Bristol City Hall
  • Facilitator/speaker (2019): Care-leavers and children in care session on ‘history of the language of care’ workshops
  • Speaker (2019): Foster carer workshop on ‘SEN children – historical perspective ‘
  • Speaker (2018): Talk on ‘The History of Care’ to Foster carers for Bristol City Council.