These pages have been put together largely in response to requests for details of, and links to, books and articles on education and community action. One or two people have also asked about research projects, and my background and experience.
research
Tony Jeffs and I have been conducting research for a new book that explores the current environments in which educators operate. In particular, we focus on the fundamental mistakes made by policymakers, academics, and those charged with developing practice in schools, colleges, and local communities. Much like Tomison’s Academy pictured above, there is a danger of dereliction. We argue that it is necessary to re-imagine education and develop alternative ways of approaching schooling, informal education, and supporting community-led initiatives.
Click for details of previous projects.
recent articles
Maude Stanley, girls’ clubs and district visiting. Maude Stanley was one of the central pioneers of girls’ work and neighbourhood work in general. She produced an early and influential youth work text, and a fascinating exploration of work happening in the highly deprived Five Dials area of London. Maude Standley also helped found the London Union of Girls Clubs. (Updated January 2026).
What is pedagogy? A definition and discussion. Pedagogy is often, wrongly, seen as ‘the art and science of teaching’. Mark K. Smith explores the origins and development of pedagogy and finds a different story – accompanying people on their journeys. Teaching is just one part of what they do. [Updated October 2025].
Exploring listed buildings in Burray and South Ronaldsay. There are 20 Listed Buildings to visit on this trip through Burray and South Ronaldsay. We approach them from north to south with links to pages that discuss each. [December 2025]
Ellen Ranyard (“LNR”), Bible women, district nurses and informal education. Known for using innovative methods, Ellen Raynard (1810-1879) brought about the first group of paid social workers in England and pioneered the first district nursing programme in London [updated and extended April 2025]. A linked podcast is now available on The Red Heaven Oral History Archive.
Click for a listing of articles with links where available.
books etc
Many of the books that I have been involved with have been digitised and are available online. In the books section, you can click through to them. Another early book has also just been digitised:
Organise! A guide to practical politics for youth groups and community groups. This book dates back to a developmental project funded by the Department of Education and Science (1988-1981). Creators not Consumers was also a product of this project. Download: Organise!-pdf version-compressed (A4 print). A word of warning – the file has been compressed as it was huge. As a result, there is some very occasional fuzziness in the text.
Click for books, and please contact me if you experience any issues with downloads.
other projects
Walks: The two London walks featured here use Charles Booth’s famous poverty maps (1898-9), which, thanks to the London School of Economics, can be viewed and compared to a contemporary street map. They also draw on local knowledge – I have lived in both areas. Directions and discussion of the various places to look out for can also be accessed. One Walk explores informal education. It is based around The Strand, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Soho and Oxford Street. The other focuses on social action. Starting close to Tower Bridge, it follows the River Thames eastwards to Rotherhithe. You can walk them for real or virtually.
Both walks were updated in September/October 2025 and are available via infed.org. You can also download PDF versions by clicking here.
Exploring South Ronaldsay: For those venturing beyond mainland Scotland, a new site explores life in South Ronaldsay (where I now live). It examines the last 13,000 years, featuring various archaeological sites, churches, schools, listed buildings, and walks and other activities that can be enjoyed. Look out, in particular, for recently added listening walks (January 2026). Exploring South Ronaldsay.
Housing: I have been involved in various housing projects, including Leicester Court Housing Ltd in Bulkington, the Two Towers tenants’ cooperative in Bermondsey managing two 21-storey social rental tower blocks), and, currently, Hope Cohousing CIC (which is looking to build six affordable rental self-run houses in South Ronaldsay).
Click for further details.
about me
Click for brief details of my work.