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Biography

Professional biography

Dr Poppy Gibson is a Lecturer in Education whose key interests involve children’s psychological development and mental health, and wellbeing in education.

View Poppy's ORCID ID here: Dr Poppy Gibson (0000-0002-5971-8565) - ORCID

Poppy is a lecturer in Education with the WELS team, and holds Senior Fellowship with HEA. Her research centres around mental health and wellbeing in education for both learners and staff and she has published several books and papers in this area. Poppy moved into higher education after over a decade working in London primary schools, and has been lecturing since 2017, programme leading at both University of Greenwich and Anglia Ruskin University. Poppy holds a Doctorate in Education from Oxford Brookes University. Poppy's doctoral thesis was awarded the ‘Most Downloaded’ from EThOS databases in Autumn 2020. Her thesis explored young girls' experiences of using social media, online interaction, and communication with others online in a 'third space', and how these interactions build up a social reality and impact upon identity formation. Poppy's first degree was in Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status from Edgehill University, with a specialism in Child Behaviour and Psychology of Learning. In addition, she has a Masters degree in Education, specialising in Leadership and Management in Education, and a Masters in Mental Health Science- both from the OU!

Poppy has worked in the education sector at a wide range of schools throughout London, both at independent schools and state schools. Poppy has worked as a class teacher within both Key Stages, and with various coordinator and management roles, and has a wide range of interests in the National Curriculum. Key posts held include Head of Modern Foreign Languages, Head of Computing, Coordinator of PSHE and Citizenship, and Phase Leader of Year 3 and 4.

Poppy also enjoyed working as a Learning Support Adviser at Birkbeck University of London from 2012 to 2018, supporting students on both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Poppy currently supervises students on both the MA and Doctoral programmes.

Research interests

 
  • Children’s learning and development
  • Children’s mental health and wellbeing
  • Teacher wellbeing
  • Interventions for anxiety and depression
  • Inclusion for neurodivergent learners and educators

Areas of expertise

  • Child psychology
  • Mental health
  • Wellbeing for all
Qualifications
  • PG Cert Higher Education Learning and Teaching (July 2022)
  • Inside-Out Prison Exchange Practitioner (August 2021)
  • Doctor of Education, Oxford Brookes University (2019)
  • Master of Education (Leadership and Management), Open University London
  • Master of Science (Mental Health Science), Open University London
  • BA (Hons) in Primary Education (Child Psychology and Behaviour)
  • Completed the AURORA Women in HE programme (2019)

Publications

Book

Who am I teaching? (2024)

All the Things They Never Told You About Teaching: Facilitating Conversations Around Sensitive Topics With Our Learners (2024)

Nurturing Wellbeing in Academia: How to Prioritise Your Mental Health (2024)

Primary Teacher Solutions: Ready Pedagogy and Inspirational Ideas (2023)

Book Chapter

Navigating the Journey from Primary Teacher to Teacher Educator: Shifting Pedagogy, Practice and Professional Identity (2024)

Digital Artefact

How to support neurodivergent mothers during pregnancy and birth (2025)

Neurodivergence and birth trauma: What are the connections between brain-altering experiences and neurodivergent conditions? (2025)

Girls Online: An Exploration into the Relationships between Social Media Use and Wellbeing for 8–11-Year-Old Girls (2024)

Journal Article

Teacher wellbeing and AI: using artificial intelligence in the classroom to reduce workload and support teacher wellbeing (2025)

Teaching wellbeing and AI: Using Artificial Intelligence in the classroom to reduce workload and support teacher wellbeing (2025)

Working Walls or Instagramable laminates: a reflection on creating purposeful learning environments in the primary classroom (2025)

Purposeful, Inclusive Assessment: Maximising Potential in Distance Learning (2024)

Students’ self-reported barriers to success: an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of first-generation and non-traditional students on an undergraduate Primary Education Studies degree in London (2024)

Mild Cognitive Impairment and Suicidal Ideation Among Adults Aged 65 Years or Older From Low- and Middle-Income Countries (2024)

Thoughtful guidance on understanding and creating safe learning environments. A review of Home Learning Environments for Young Children by Cathy Nutbrown, Peter Clough, Kay Davies and Peter Hannon (2022, London: Sage) (2024)

Social media and Internet-based communication in military families during separation: An international scoping review (2023)

Promoting potential through purposeful inclusive assessment for distance learners (2022)

Other

‘FutureDiversity’: a purposeful programme for preparing neurodivergent learners for their future pathways, co-created with Key Stage 4 students (2025)

Understanding and supporting neurodivergence around the world: from England to Indonesia (2025)

Presentation / Conference

Early Years Essentials: Linking theory to provision in the Early Years (2024)