Professor Clare Brooks named Head of the Faculty of Education

We are delighted to share that Professorial Fellow, Clare Brooks, has been appointed Head of the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge. Clare will take up the new role in October 2026, succeeding Professor Hilary Cremin. 

Clare's recent scholarship has emphasised the ‘spatial’ dimensions of teaching and education; namely, the need to ensure that teaching and learning opportunities and resources are fairly distributed across different communities. She hopes to reflect these priorities in her new role, sharing that: 

"Since joining the Faculty, I’ve been privileged to contribute to initiatives such as revising the Education Doctorate and establishing the Curriculum, Pedagogy and Professional Learning Research Group. As Head of Faculty, I am really looking forward to further developing our research-teaching nexus and ensuring the wonderful and impactful work of the Faculty is heard nationally and globally. 

I’m particularly excited to work with colleagues and partners—including those at Murray Edwards—to champion education as a transformative force for equity and social justice."

Originally from a working-class community in Bristol, Clare spent eight years teaching at a state school in Hackney. She later joined the Institute of Education, University College London, where she held numerous key leadership positions including Pro-Director for Education, Head of the Department of Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment, Vice-Dean international, and Head of Initial Teacher Education (ITE).

Speaking to Cambridge University, Clare highlighted the importance of operating in partnership with a wider community of universities, schools, organisations and public bodies to ensure that education can impact and benefit wider society.

“Education systems around the world are facing some formidable challenges at the moment, and we have a real opportunity to respond constructively and champion education as a force for positive social change. 

Education is about much more than teaching and learning: it is deeply social. It can flatten hierarchies, resolve inequities and create opportunities, whether through the education of excellent teachers here in the UK, or research-informed work with communities around the world.”

We warmly congratulate Clare on this well-deserved achievement, and wish her well in her new role.