Home > People > Katharine Burn

Katharine Burn

Associate Professor of Education | St Cross College

katharine.burn@education.ox.ac.uk

About me

Katharine is an Associate Professor of Education and Course Director of the PGCE programme.

Katharine is also Honorary Secretary of the Historical Association and has variously served as Chair of its Secondary Committee (2013-18) and as Vice President (2018-21). She is a co-editor of the professional journal Teaching History and an Editor of the History Education Research Journal. She is also currently a Fellow of the Schools History Project.

In addition to her teaching on the PGCE programme (particularly within the history subject strand), Katharine teaches and supervises students on the MSc Learning and Teaching and the MSc in Teacher Education.

Katharine’s research interests and doctoral supervision focus particularly on the fields of history education and teacher education (both policy and practice) at all career stages. She is interested in the ways in which teachers engage with research – and has been involved in several participatory research projects with teachers, leading to joint publications. She worked for several years (2016-22) as Coordinator of the Oxford Education Deanery: a multi-strand partnership with schools, focused on the development of teachers’ research engagement through initial teacher education, early career professional learning and collaborative university/school research projects. She contributed to the BERA-RSA Inquiry into the Role of Research in Teacher Education (2013-14) and represented BERA at presentations of the final report in the US and Australia.

Katharine is a co-director of the Historical Association’s regular survey of history teaching in England and is particularly passionate about promoting access to history for all young people and supporting teachers’ continued engagement with historical scholarship. She has explored ways in which the knowledge exchange and impact agenda has been harnessed to support sustained, subject-rich CPD for teachers and served as an Impact Assessor for the History sub-panel for REF2021.

Katharine is a Fellow of St Cross College.

EXTERNAL APPOINTMENTS

Honorary Secretary of the Historical Association since June 2021

Research

Books

Mutton, T., Burn, K., Hagger, H., & Thirlwall, K. (2018). Teacher Education Partnerships, Policy and Practice. Taylor & Francis.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781041057260
Burn, K., Hagger, H., & Mutton, T. (2025). Beginning Teachers’ Learning: Making experience count (pp. 1-64).

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781041054368
Dumay, X., & Burn, K. (2022). The Status of the Teaching Profession. Routledge.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003042563 https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003042563
Burn, K., Mutton, T., & Thompson, I. (2022). Practical Theorising in Teacher Education, Holding Theory and Practice Together. Taylor & Francis.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003183945
Dumay, X., & Burn, K. (2022). Introduction: The status of the teaching profession (pp. 1-14).

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003042563-1
Tatto, M., Burn, K., Menter, I., Mutton, T., & Thompson, I. (2017). Learning to Teach in England and the United States: The Evolution of Policy and Practice. Routledge.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315678382 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:1f338bbe-a7c5-4b5e-9d32-2df2140da43d
Counsell, C., Burn, K., & Chapman, A. (2016). MasterClass in History Education Transforming Teaching and Learning Introduction (pp. 1-2).
The Guided Reader to Teaching and Learning History. (2013). Taylor & Francis.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203129319

Book chapters

Burn, K., & Conway, R. (2025). Building a Career Through Partnership in Research As Well As Teacher Education. In Becoming a teacher education researcher (pp. 59-72). Taylor & Francis.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781041054337-6
Tatto, M., Menter, I., Burn, K., Clark, C., Ikoma, S., LeTendre, G., Mayer, D., & Mutton, T. (2023). Learning to Teach: Building Global Research Capacity for Evidence-Based Decision-Making. In The Palgrave Handbook of Teacher Education Research (pp. 1511-1559). Springer Nature.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16193-3_84
Mutton, T., Burn, K., & Hagger, H. (2023). Can initial teacher education partnerships maintain their epistemological and pedagogical underpinnings in light of market-driven reforms? The case of England. In International Encyclopedia of Education(Fourth Edition) (pp. 83-92). Elsevier.

https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-818630-5.04054-9
Dumay, X., & Burn, K. (2022). Introduction. In The Status of the Teaching Profession (pp. 1-14). Taylor & Francis.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003042563-1
Dumay, X., & Burn, K. (2022). Afterword. In The Status of the Teaching Profession (pp. 167-168). Taylor & Francis.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003042563-9
Dumay, X., & Burn, K. (2022). Introduction. In The Status of the Teaching Profession (pp. 1-14). Routledge.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003042563-1 https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003042563-1
Burn, K., & Menter, I. (2022). Patterns of segmentation within the teaching profession and teacher education in England, 1870–2020. In The Status of the Teaching Profession (pp. 15-37). Taylor & Francis.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003042563-2
Mulholland, M., Thompson, I., & Todd, J. (2022). Theorising practices of inclusive pedagogy: a challenge for initial teacher education. In K. Burn, T. Mutton, & I. Thompson (Eds.), Practical Theorising in Teacher Education: Holding Theory and Practice Together (pp. 113-126). Routledge.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003183945 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:232f876c-1dc4-4ab5-a519-3c540366aae0
Burn, K., Mutton, T., & Thompson, I. (2022). THE ROLE OF PRACTICAL THEORISING IN TEACHER EDUCATION: Formulation, critique, defence and new challenges. In Practical Theorising in Teacher Education: Holding Theory and Practice Together (pp. 11-31).

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003183945-3
Burn, K., & Harries, E. (2022). SUSTAINING PRACTICAL THEORISING AS THE BASIS FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT. In Practical Theorising in Teacher Education: Holding Theory and Practice Together (pp. 199-214).

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003183945-17
Mutton, T., Burn, K., Thompson, I., & Childs, A. (2021). The complex policy landscape of initial teacher education in England: what’s the problem represented to be?. In D. Mayer (Ed.), Teacher education policy and research: Global perspectives (pp. 57-71). Springer.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-3775-9_5 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:1ad17c79-63ba-4172-8fa0-e33118050611
Mutton, T., Burn, K., Thompson, I., & Childs, A. (2021). The Complex Policy Landscape of Initial Teacher Education in England: What’s the Problem Represented to Be?. In Teacher Education Policy and Research (pp. 57-71). Springer Nature.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-3775-9_5
Ingram, J., Burn, K., Fiddaman, J., Penfold, C., & Tope, C. (2021). The Influence of and Interactions Between Different Contexts in the Learning and Development of Mathematics Teacher Educators. In The Learning and Development of Mathematics Teacher Educators (pp. 263-280). Springer Nature.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62408-8_14
Menter, I., Mutton, T., & Burn, K. (2019). Learning to Teach in England: Reviewing Policy and Research Trends. In Knowledge, Policy and Practice in Teacher Education: a Cross-National Study: Work carried out by an International Research Network of the World Education Research Association (pp. 60-80).
Burn, K., Mutton, T., & Hagger, H. (2017). Towards a Principled Approach for School-Based Teacher Educators: Lessons from Research. In A Companion to Research in Teacher Education (pp. 105-120). Springer Nature.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4075-7_7
Burn, K. (2016). Sustaining the Unresolving Tensions within History Education and Teacher Education. In MASTERCLASS IN HISTORY EDUCATION: TRANSFORMING TEACHING AND LEARNING (pp. 233-242).
Burn, K. (2015). The Gove Legacy in the Curriculum: The Case of History. In The Gove Legacy (pp. 47-62). Springer Nature.

https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137491510_4
BURN, K., & TODD, J. (n.d.). Getting the question right: Reconciling students’ needs and interests with the demands of disciplinary history. In R. Bain, A. Chapman, A. Kitson, & T. Shreiner (Eds.), International Review of History Education Volume 9: History Education and Historical Enquiry. Information Age.

Journal articles

Smith, J., Harris, R., & Burn, K. (2025). History teachers as curriculum-makers in policy and practice: quantitative insights from England and Scotland. Journal of Education Policy, 40(2), 288-312.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2024.2357614
Mutton, T., Burn, K., & Molway, L. (2024). The role of schools within initial teacher education in England: an exploration of the shifting policy focus over the past 50 years. Journal of Education for Teaching International Research and Pedagogy, 50(5), 924-945.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2024.2413167
Bernhard, R., McDermott, T., Hasenhüttl, C., Burn, K., & Sammons, P. (2024). A focus on quality of teaching in schools increases students’ progress of attainment. Evidence from English secondary schools. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 35(4), 506-530.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2024.2398601
Mutton, T., & Burn, K. (2024). Does initial teacher education (in England) have a future?. Journal of Education for Teaching, 50(2), 214-232.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2024.2306829 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:d051a7b4-daf9-4fe6-ba7c-55a4b3d94dc3
Mutton, T., & Burn, K. (2024). Does initial teacher education (in England) have a future?. Journal of Education for Teaching International Research and Pedagogy, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), 1-19.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2024.2306829
Burn, K., Ingram, J., Molway, L., & Mutton, T. (2022). Beyond reactive responses to enduring growth: the transformation of principles and practices within initial teacher education. Journal of Education for Teaching, 48, 441-458.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2022.2098007 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:b548ff99-337d-4bb7-9855-6dfaa8573865
Burn, K., & Menter, I. (2021). Making sense of teacher education in a globalising world: the distinctive contribution and challenges inherent in a socio-cultural approach. Comparative Education Review, 65(4), 770-789.

https://doi.org/10.1086/716228 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:9e352738-30e9-4bc1-8b11-80a2bac8697d
Burn, K. (2020). Oral history in schools: practice as reflected in the Historical Association’s professional journals. Oral History, 48(2), 113-122.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:79d83ad9-8b1d-44cc-9b39-de064973d6ff
Burn, K., Conway, R., Edwards, A., & Harries, E. (2020). The role of school-based Research Champions in a school-university partnership. British Educational Research Journal, 47(3), 616-633.

https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3675 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:591557e5-ebdd-4c5e-8d7b-5e942c598cdc
Mutton, T., & Burn, K. (2020). Doing things differently: responding to the ‘policy problem’ of teacher education in Wales. Cylchgrawn Addysg Cymru Wales Journal of Education, 22(1), 85-112.

https://doi.org/10.16922/wje.22.1.5-en https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:d7b8694d-46a3-4d7e-99e2-a61f29e46c6d
Harris, R., Courtney, L., Ul-Abadin, Z., & Burn, K. (2019). Student access to the curriculum in an age of performativity and accountability: an examination of policy enactment. Research Papers in Education, 35(2), 228-248.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2019.1568528 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:3d187afb-4afb-49b4-943a-f98ea86da692
Chapman, A., Burn, K., & Kitson, A. (2018). ¿Para qué sirve la enseñanza de la historia? Perspectivas de docentes y estudiantes británicos. Arbor, 194(788).

https://doi.org/10.3989/arbor.2018.788n2003 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:96b62ee9-d28b-41da-935a-12e14e4cd190
Burn, K., & Mutton, T. (2018). Constructing the curriculum of (initial) teacher education: when should new teachers be encouraged to ask critical questions?. Impact: Journal of the Chartered College of Teaching, 4.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:b0e6e712-bf3d-43a0-a007-567a3770040a
Thompson, I., Willemse, M., Mutton, T., Burn, K., & de Bruïne, E. (2018). Teacher Education and Family-School Partnerships in different contexts: A cross country analysis of national teacher education frameworks across a range of European countries. Journal of Education for Teaching, 44(3), 258-277.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2018.1465621 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:c9f4e495-9fab-4b09-aba1-f40cf5bfe45f
Mutton, T., Burn, K., & Thompson, I. (2018). Preparation for family-school partnerships within initial teacher education programmes in England. Journal of Education for Teaching, 44(3), 278-295.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2018.1465624 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:3e27b2cd-6f5c-4a9e-83be-788dc779417e
Burn, K., & Childs, A. (2016). Responding to poverty through education and teacher education initiatives: a critical evaluation of key trends in government policy in England 1997-2015. Journal of Education for Teaching, 42(4), 387-403.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2016.1215547 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:40bf4785-086c-4cf7-8c85-0cde7daaf45f
Burn, K., Mutton, T., Thompson, I., Ingram, J., McNicholl, J., & Firth, R. (2016). The impact of adopting a research orientation towards use of the Pupil Premium Grant in preparing beginning teachers in England to understand and work effectively with young people living in poverty. Journal of Education for Teaching, 42(4), 434-450.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2016.1215551 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:3724f420-52bb-41d5-bc78-91dba87bc596
Mutton, T., Burn, K., & Menter, I. (2016). Deconstructing the Carter Review: competing conceptions of quality in England’s ‘school-led’ system of initial teacher education. Journal of Education Policy, 32(1), 14-33.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2016.1214751 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:0781caa3-d60e-41bb-b84a-a54976a1603f
Harris, R., & Burn, K. (2016). English history teachers’ views on what substantive content young people should be taught. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 48(4), 518-546.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2015.1122091
Burn, K., & Mutton, T. (2015). A review of ‘research-informed clinical practice’ in Initial Teacher Education. Oxford Review of Education, 41(2), 217-233.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2015.1020104
Burn, K., & Mutton, T. (2015). A review of ‘research-informed clinical practice’ in Initial Teacher Education. Oxford Review of Education, 41(2), 217-233.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2015.1020104
McNicholl, J., Childs, A., & Burn, K. (2013). School subject departments as sites for science teachers learning pedagogical content knowledge. Teacher Development, 17(2), 155-175.

https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2012.753941 https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2012.753941
McNicholl, J., Childs, A., & Burn, K. (2013). School subject departments as sites for science teachers learning pedagogical content knowledge. Teacher Development, 17(2), 155-175.

https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2012.753941
Childs, A., Burn, K., & McNicholl, J. (2013). What influences the learning cultures of subject departments in secondary schools? A study of four subject departments in England. Teacher Development, 17(1), 35-54.

https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2012.753945
Childs, A., Burn, K., & McNicholl, J. (2013). What influences the learning cultures of subject departments in secondary schools? A study of four subject departments in England. Teacher Development, 17(1), 35-54.

https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2012.753945 https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2012.753945
Harris, R., Downey, C., & Burn, K. (2012). History education in comprehensive schools: using school-level data to interpret national patterns. Oxford Review of Education, 38(4), 413-436.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2012.707614
Hagger, H., Mutton, T., & Burn, K. (2011). Surprising but not shocking: The reality of the first year of teaching. Cambridge Journal of Education, 41(4), 387-405.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764x.2011.624999
Mutton, T., Hagger, H., & Burn, K. (2011). Learning to plan, planning to learn: the developing expertise of beginning teachers. Teachers and Teaching, 17(4), 399-416.

https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2011.580516
McCormick, B., & Burn, K. (2011). Reviewing the National Curriculum 5–19 two decades on. The Curriculum Journal, 22(2), 109-115.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09585176.2011.574513
Harris, R., & Burn, K. (2011). Curriculum theory, curriculum policy and the problem of ill‐disciplined thinking. Journal of Education Policy, 26(2), 245-261.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2010.498902
Burn, K., Mutton, T., & Hagger, H. (2010). Strengthening and sustaining professional learning in the second year of teaching. Oxford Review of Education, 36(6), 639-659.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2010.501140
Mutton, T., Burn, K., & Hagger, H. (2010). Making sense of learning to teach: learners in context. Research Papers in Education, 25(1), 73-91.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02671520802382912
Malmberg, L.-E., Hagger, H., Burn, K., Mutton, T., & Colls, H. (2010). Observed Classroom Quality During Teacher Education and Two Years of Professional Practice. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(4), 916-932.

https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020920
Hagger, H., Burn, K., Mutton, T., & Brindley, S. (2008). Practice makes perfect? Learning to learn as a teacher. Oxford Review of Education, 34(2), 159-178.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03054980701614978
Burn, K., Childs, A., & McNicholl, J. (2007). The potential and challenges for student teachers’ learning of subject‐specific pedagogical knowledge within secondary school subject departments. The Curriculum Journal, 18(4), 429-445.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09585170701687886
Burn, K. (2007). Professional knowledge and identity in a contested discipline: challenges for student teachers and teacher educators. Oxford Review of Education, 33(4), 445-467.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03054980701450886
Burn, K., & Edwards, A. (2007). EDITORIAL. Oxford Review of Education, 33(4), 397-401.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03054980701562664
Burn, K. (2006). Promoting critical conversations: the distinctive contribution of higher education as a partner in the professional preparation of new teachers. Journal of Education for Teaching International Research and Pedagogy, 32(3), 243-258.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02607470600782252
Burn, K., Hagger, H., Mutton, T., & Everton, T. (2003). The complex development of student-teachers’ thinking. Teachers and Teaching, 9(4), 309-331.

https://doi.org/10.1080/1354060032000097235

Reports

Furlong, J., Burn, K., Hagger, H., Howson, J., & McNamara, O. (2009). Review of Teacher Education in Brunei Darussalam. Oxford University Department of Education.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCIQFjAA&url=http://www.education.ox.ac.uk/research/teacher-education/research/review-of-teacher-education-in-brunei-darussalam/&ei=PjFOVerzNoqAU_-OgagE&usg=AFQjCNHhcIzo3Tqoi6wnObzwEo60i1Egtg&sig2=kiH5HLZyEq3gb5bPe9Nklw&bvm=bv.92885102,d.d24

Subjects Taught

MSc in Learning and Teaching
PGCE (History)
DPhil in Education

Current Doctoral Students

Doctoral Applications

Katharine welcomes doctoral applications from students interested in the following research areas:

Initial teacher education – beginning teachers’ learning, clinical practice, the integration of knowledge from different sources, mentoring strategies, teacher education policy;
Teachers’ continued professional learning – the development of subject-specific pedagogy, learning within and beyond subject departments, teacher engagement in and with research;
History education – including the impact of policy on curriculum and pedagogy; inclusive pedagogies (the value of history for all); curriculum planning and the integration of substantive and second order concepts.

Funded Research Projects

Tricky Topics: ESRC Impact Accelerator

Award in collaboration with Open University

2016-17

Research Use in Schools

(University of Oxford John Fell Fund)

2016-17

Recruitment and Retention of Teachers in Oxfordshire

(Oxfordshire County Council)

2015-16