Staff Profile

• BA Inclusive Studies Inclusive Studies in Special Educational Needs, Disability and Diversity
• MA Special Educational Needs and Inclusion
• PG Dip Education Mental Health Practitioner
• National Award in Special Educational Needs Co-ordination (programme leader)

Key research interests:

• Restorative justice; school exclusion; relational justice; youth justice; inclusion; social justice.
• Nicola has a PhD from the University of Northampton, two Master’s Degrees from the University of Chester and the University of Northampton, two Postgraduate Certificates from the University of Northampton and Oxford Brookes University and a BA (Hons) in Psychology from the University of Reading.
• Her thesis topics have related to the use of relational approaches such as restorative justice to increase educational engagement and reduce exclusion and poor life outcomes for ‘at risk’ young people.

For publications, projects, datasets, research interests and activities, view Nicola Preston’s research profile on Pure, the University of Northampton’s Research Explorer.

Preston, N. (2020). Stories of restorative justice and school exclusion: an autoethnography of relational understanding. (Unpublished PhD thesis). University of Northampton.

Preston, N. (2017, October). Special report – policy: Restorative practice. Children & Young People Now, 27-30. Retrieved from https://www.cypnow.co.uk/cyp/other/2004283/restorative-practice-policy-context

Preston, N. (2015). Restorative practices, affect script psychology and the social and emotional aspects of learning. In T. Gavrielides (Ed.), The psychology of restorative justice: Managing the power within (pp. 29-48). London, England: Routledge.

Preston, N. (2015, September 10). Restorative practices – it’s good to talk. Headteacher Update. Retrieved from https://www.headteacher-update.com/best-practice-article/restorative-practices-its-good-to-talk/88910/