Centre for Arts and Learning Members

Dr Miranda Matthews

Miranda Matthews is an artist-educator and researcher. She taught Art and Design in schools and sixth-form colleges (2004-14). She also taught in non-formal education for inclusive arts development (1997-2010). Her PhD (Goldsmiths 2012) investigated issues of freedom and autonomy in post-compulsory and gallery education, among educators, students and policymakers.

Dr Tara Page

Tara Page is an artist-researcher teacher whose praxis explores the entanglements of making, learning and place-belonging underpinned with new materialist theories using embodied and material practise research methods.

Dr Esther Sayers

Esther is head of the MA Arts and Learning programme. She also teaches on the BA Education, Culture & Society and is a PhD supervisor for the Education and the Practice Based Art & Learning MPHIL/PhD programmes.

Esther’s research interests are around arts participation and in particular pedagogies that enable the production of knowledge locally, where equality and emancipation are foregrounded. Currently this is pursued within the cultural context of the skatepark where immersive, reciprocal pedagogies are played out.

Dr Maggie Pitfield

Dr Maggie Pitfield is a Senior Lecturer and former Head of the Department of Educational Studies. She teaches across Initial Teacher Education, Undergraduate and Masters programmes. Maggie’s passion for utilising drama methodology as an integral part of her teaching dates back to her own education as a beginning teacher and has been a feature of her practice throughout a career spanning 24 years in London comprehensive schools and 18 years in Higher Education.

Amanda Kipling

Amanda joined Goldsmiths in 2008 as PGCE programme leader for Drama. She has experience both as Senior Tutor and Disability Officer. Within the Department of Educational Studies, Amanda currently coordinates the developmental Dyslexia Awareness Project and continues to develop the use of professional electronic portfolios.

Neil Walton

Neil Walton is the Subject Leader for PGCE Secondary Art and Design. After training at the Royal Academy Schools, he received his MA in History of Art from Birkbeck, University of London, and then a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy from the University of Roehampton.

Alison Griffiths

Alison Griffiths is Senior Lecturer and joint Head of Initial Teacher Education. She has extensive experience of university based initial teacher education, having worked in the sector since 2004. In recognition of her work in the field, she was awarded a Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. Alison is the elected department representative of Academic Board.