Dr Jon Rainford

Professional biography

Jon is a Senior Lecturer and Staff Tutor in the School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport (ECYS). He is a multidisciplinary social scientist with skills in both qualitative and quantitative research. Much of his work is in the field of Sociology of Education, and he is interested in issues around policy and practice. His teaching interests are mainly in Sociology, Childhood and Youth. He was also an Associate Lecturer from 2018-2026, teaching across various modules in Social Science and Health and Social Care. Prior to working for the Open University, Jon had a broad career in education, both in compulsory and higher education. He completed his PhD at Staffordshire University in 2019, focusing on widening participation policy and practice. He has written numerous publications on widening access to higher education. 

Jon's current research profile consists of three distinct strands, all concerned with social justice and education:

• Higher Education policy and practice related to Access, Success and progression
• Working-class young men's lived experiences in education
• Neurodiversity - supporting neurodivergent learners and understanding experiences of grief for Neurodivergent Children and young people.

Across all his research, he has a particular interest in the role of creative methods.

Qualifications

PhD (2019, Staffordshire University)

MSc Psychology (conversion) [distinction] (2024, The Open University) 

MEd Education (2012, The Open University)

MA in Social Science (2011, The Open University)

BA (hons.) Open Degree [first class honours] (2010, The Open University) 

Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy (2019)

Research interests

Jon's research interests span several areas related to education. His primary research focuses on the policy and practices related to widening participation. In recent years, this has expanded to involve exploring the role of digital technologies in advancing the participation outreach work. He has conducted research projects exploring educational transitions, including those of neurodivergent students and of students into postgraduate study. He has also conducted research in relation to masculinities and part-time doctoral research. His methodological interests centre on the role of creative methods in qualitative research.

His work challenges assumptions, presumptions, and stereotypes of how individuals from marginalised experience education. It does so by adopting creative approaches that draw on relevant ideas, methods and theories that reach beyond traditional educational research. Finding ways for individuals to articulate and reflect upon their experiences in new ways, whilst also providing space for those voices to be heard to different audiences, is central to this work. Creativity is used not as a method but as a means of allowing ideas to surface that might not otherwise become visible. His distinct contribution is making connections in different ways and thinking creatively about how to make sense of disparate ideas, challenging how things are done in practice to improve the experiences of marginalised groups.

His externally funded research has developed a significant focus on neurodivergence. He has been part of a project team exploring how to support neurodivergent young people in their aspirations, and more recently, his work has begun to examine neurodivergence and its impact on people more broadly. He has recently been awarded funding as a co-lead on a project exploring how to support neurodivergent young people experiencing grief through gameplay.

Books

Jon is currently working on 3 book projects:

Gibson, P., Rainford, J., Greenhalgh, M., Gates, C., Doncaster, T., Ibbotson, P. (2027) The BERA Guide to Neuroaffirming Teaching, Emerald Publishing

Brown, N., Fox, A. and Rainford, J. (eds) (2027) Handbook of Research Ethics in Education: Collaborative approaches in and for Education, Edward Elgar Publishing

Blower, A. and Rainford, J. (2027) Making School work for working class boys, Sage Publishing

Published books

The business of widening participation: policy, practice and culture (co-edited with Colin McCaig and Ruth Squire)

Thriving in part-time doctoral study (co-written with Kay Guccione)

Funded Research projects

• 2025-26: Grieving divergently? Developing understanding and support for bereaved neurodivergent children and young people through gameplay [Funder: FSHI] Co-I: Erica Borgstorm 
• 2024-25:  'FutureDiversity’: Preparing Neurodivergent Learners for Their Future Pathways [Funder: BERA/ Kusuma Trust] PI: Poppy Gibson - Project Team: Charon Gates, Toby Doncaster, Maria Greenhalgh
• 2024-25:  Moving on up? Childhood and Youth undergraduate students’ perspectives of postgraduate study [Funder: PRAXIS, The Open University] Co-Investigator: Kate Oakley
• 2022:  All Access AUB Project Evaluation [Funder: Arts University Bournemouth]
• 2021:  Exploring the transitions of Neurodiverse Access students to level one study: Narratives of study skills and support [Funder:PRAXIS, The Open University] Co-Investigator: Dr Renu Bhandari)

Teaching interests

Current teaching responsibilities

• Postgraduate Convenor for Education and Learning 
• Faculty Accessibility Co-ordinator
• ECYS Neurodiversity Cafe co-lead (with 2 MA students)

Jon has worked across many modules within Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport as a staff tutor. He is currently the lead cluster manager on  E229 - Listening to young children: critical reflections

He is also involved in module production work and has contributed to the following modules: 

Current

• KE324 - Understanding and supporting the lives of children and young people (module team member, Block 2 lead, and Assessment and Tuition Lead)
• DD218 - Understanding digital societies (module team member)

Past 

• D328 - Principles of social research: sociology special project module (Critical reader)
• E320 - Contemporary research with children and young people (Module team member)
• DD218 - Understanding digital societies (Critical Reader)
•  

Current Research Students

• Hilly Davies- Understanding the psychology of plagiarism to edify pedagogical practices that support academic integrity (EdD) supervised with Dr Prithvi Shrestha
• Laura Regan - Learning for living: A study exploring the accessibility of apprenticeships as a form of lifelong learning for autistic adults (EdD) supervised with Dr Anne-Marie Barlett

Jon is also an experienced Mentor for HEA fellowship candidates.

Impact and engagement

Jon was the academic consultant on BBC Inside our ADHD Minds and Inside our Dyslexic Minds and authored the supporting interactive content on OUConnect

Jon co-leads the Thriving Part-time blog with Kay Guccione

Outside of the Open University, he plays an active role in the Widening Access to higher education community as a freelance evaluator, researcher and training facilitator.

External collaborations

• Member of British Sociological Association
• Member of British Educational Research Association
• Graduate member British Psychological Society (GMBPSS)
• Co-convenor for British Sociological Association Sociology of Education Study Group
• NERUPI Academic Advisory Board
• Managing Editor for Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning journal
• Editor of Emeralds' Studies in Sociology of Education book series