Patrick Allen

Key information

Qualifications
BA (Leeds), PGCE MA(Sussex)
Email address
608998@soas.ac.uk
Thesis title
Excellence and Inclusion in Music Education: Working with Chagossian Teenagers in an English Comprehensive School
Internal Supervisors
Dr Nick Gray & Professor Richard Widdess

Biography

I am a secondary school music teacher and author, with nearly 30 years of teaching experience. My most recent post as Head Music and Head of Arts in a Crawley school brought me into contact with the twice exiled Chagossian community, 3000 of whom live in Crawley. My PhD recounts and analyses the remarkable levels of musicianship in this disadvantaged and marginalised community, and the effect this had on the young people, the school, the community and me. I am the winner of the TES Schoolbook Award, a Guardian Teaching Award and of the National Union of Teachers/Music for Youth Teacher Award, presented at the 2015 National Festival of Music for Youth.

Research interests

  • Music Education
  • Inclusion
  • Singing in Schools

Contact Patrick