Dr Newton’s research includes work on graduate employees, student course choice, formative assessment, school culture, curriculum reform and school governance. He has provided teacher training and consultancy in relation to fostering student leadership, learning motivation and employability skills.

He previously coordinated research at WISERD, Cardiff University, “Successful Futures for all”, funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales which explored the potential impact of curriculum reform in Wales on children from disadvantaged backgrounds. As a result of this research, he presented evidence to the Children, Young People and Education Committee of the National Assembly for Wales.

His PhD research at the University of Bristol explored the relationship between school culture and students’ educational engagement. The research was carried out in Quaker schools in England and the findings point to the importance of a disposition towards inclusiveness in relation to students’ willingness to engage in the learning opportunities their school provides. A book based on the findings was published with Palgrave Macmillan (Values, Relationships and Engagement in Quaker Education: Student Perspectives on Inclusive School Cultures | SpringerLink)

Previously, he taught English, Classical Civilisation & World Development mainly in Further Education. He also wrote for the TES FE Focus on a range of subjects including college marketing, lecturer professionalism and the ‘skills economy’. For several years, Dr Newton was projects director working with a learning disposition profiling tool developed at the University of Bristol. Projects he coordinated and supported included developing leadership skills in school learners in England and supporting first generation undergraduate progression in California, U.S.A..

Dr Newton is also interested in the use of technology to support education; he recently drew from research with school governors in Wales to develop a website aimed at supporting their work and building confidence; previously he designed an award-winning online tool to help students’ post-16 course choice decision-making. He is currently collaborating with colleagues in Cardiff Metropolitan University’s School of Technologies, exploring way of supporting learners’ transitions through post-16 to university.

His academic writing includes papers on research methods, curriculum reform, school culture and educational theory. 

Dr Newton is happy to consider supervising any PhD students whose work focuses on any of the themes mentioned above.