--- title: 'Professor Barry Carpenter' url: 'https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/about-us/authors-and-experts/professor-barry-carpenter' markdown: 'https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/about-us/authors-and-experts/professor-barry-carpenter.md' date: '2025-07-01' description: 'He has been awarded an OBE and CBE by the Queen for services to children with Special Needs. In 2017 he was entered into “Who’s Who” in acknowledgement of his national and international contribution to the field of Special Education. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Barry has held the leadership positions of Headteacher, Principal, Academic Director, Chief Executive, and Director of the Centre for Special Education at Westminster College, Oxford. In 2009, he was appointed by the Secretary of State for Education as Director of the Children with Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities Research Project. Since completing that research, Barry has overseen the development of a national project developing online ‘Training materials for teachers of children with severe, profound and complex learning disabilities” (www.complexneeds.org.uk) He is the author of over 200 articles and many texts on a range of learning disability/special needs topics.) His co-authored book , “Engaging Learners with Complex Needs” (Routledge),which outlined his research around Engagement as pedagogy . This has been further developed by the Rochford Review as model for statutory summative assessment, with legislation to enshrine this due in September this year . Barry lectures nationally and internationally. In recent years this has included China, Japan, Dubai, Australia , New Zealand , USA, and Germany. He is the co-founder of the National Forum for Neuroscience in Special Education. For the Mental Health Foundation, he Chaired the National Inquiry into the Mental Health of Young People with Learning Disabilities. He Chaired the National Forum on Girls and Autism ,which led to the publication in 2019 of his new, critically acclaimed ,co -authored book on this subject. At the start of the global pandemic Barry became very concerned about the impact of the crisis on the mental health of children. With his son, Matthew, Principal of Baxter College, Worcestershire , he wrote the Recovery Curriculum Think Piece (www.recoverycurriculum.org) .To date this has had over 250,000 hits on the host websites, and has guided many schools, agencies and Government Departments, in planning for the recovery and resilience of their children , post pandemic.' taxonomy: tag: - Autism - 'Early Intervention' --- ![Professor Barry Carpenter](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/user/pages/06.about-us/02.authors-and-experts/professor-barry-carpenter/autism-and-co-existing-conditions.jpg) # Professor Barry Carpenter ![Professor Barry Carpenter](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/user/pages/06.about-us/02.authors-and-experts/professor-barry-carpenter/professor-barry-carpenter.jpg)## Professor Barry Carpenter ### Professor in Mental Health Barry Carpenter is the UK’s first Professor in Mental Health in Education, a Chair created for him at Oxford Brookes University. He is Honorary Professor at universities in the UK, Ireland, Germany and Australia. He has been a Fellow of the University of Oxford. In July 2020 he was awarded the Distinguished Fellowship of the Chartered College of Teaching , for his leadership of the Education field during the pandemic. He has been awarded an OBE and CBE by the Queen for services to children with Special Needs. In 2017 he was entered into “Who’s Who” in acknowledgement of his national and international contribution to the field of Special Education. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Barry has held the leadership positions of Headteacher, Principal, Academic Director, Chief Executive, and Director of the Centre for Special Education at Westminster College, Oxford. In 2009, he was appointed by the Secretary of State for Education as Director of the Children with Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities Research Project. Since completing that research, Barry has overseen the development of a national project developing online ‘Training materials for teachers of children with severe, profound and complex learning disabilities” ([www.complexneeds.org.uk](http://www.complexneeds.org.uk)) He is the author of over 200 articles and many texts on a range of learning disability/special needs topics.) His co-authored book , “Engaging Learners with Complex Needs” (Routledge),which outlined his research around Engagement as pedagogy . This has been further developed by the Rochford Review as model for statutory summative assessment, with legislation to enshrine this due in September this year . Barry lectures nationally and internationally. In recent years this has included China, Japan, Dubai, Australia , New Zealand , USA, and Germany. He is the co-founder of the National Forum for Neuroscience in Special Education. For the Mental Health Foundation, he Chaired the National Inquiry into the Mental Health of Young People with Learning Disabilities. He Chaired the National Forum on Girls and Autism ,which led to the publication in 2019 of his new, critically acclaimed ,co -authored book on this subject. At the start of the global pandemic Barry became very concerned about the impact of the crisis on the mental health of children. With his son, Matthew, Principal of Baxter College, Worcestershire , he wrote the Recovery Curriculum Think Piece ([www.recoverycurriculum.org](http://www.recoverycurriculum.org)) .To date this has had over 250,000 hits on the host websites, and has guided many schools, agencies and Government Departments, in planning for the recovery and resilience of their children , post pandemic. ![](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/user/pages/03.toolkit/02.early-intervention/why-is-engagement-of-children-key-in-effective-learning/celebrating-diversity.webp) ### Podcast: Why is engagement of children key in effective learning? [Podcast: Why is engagement of children key in effective learning?](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/toolkit/early-intervention/why-is-engagement-of-children-key-in-effective-learning) As teachers, how do we know how all children learn and how to best teach in order to meet the needs of all? Barry Carpenter goes into some depth around… [ School Life ](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/results/tag:School%20Life) [ ADHD ](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/results/tag:ADHD) [ Autism ](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/results/tag:Autism) [ Early Intervention ](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/results/tag:Early%20Intervention) [ Dyspraxia ](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/results/tag:Dyspraxia) [ Dyslexia ](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/results/tag:Dyslexia) ![](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/user/pages/03.toolkit/02.early-intervention/how-can-we-support-mental-health-in-education/blowing-bubbles.jpg) ### Podcast: How can we support Mental Health in Education? [Podcast: How can we support Mental Health in Education?](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/toolkit/early-intervention/how-can-we-support-mental-health-in-education) I speak with Barry Carpenter on important themes in education, such as school curriculum, the impact of COVID on mental health, absenteeism, complex needs… [ School Life ](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/results/tag:School%20Life) [ ADHD ](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/results/tag:ADHD) [ Autism ](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/results/tag:Autism) [ Early Intervention ](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/results/tag:Early%20Intervention) [ Dyspraxia ](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/results/tag:Dyspraxia) [ Dyslexia ](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/results/tag:Dyslexia) ![](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/user/pages/04.neurodivergence/02.autism/podcast-or-girls-and-autism-barry-carpenter/supporting-girls-with-autism.jpg) ### Podcast: Girls and Autism with Professor Barry Carpenter [Podcast: Girls and Autism with Professor Barry Carpenter](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/neurodivergence/autism/podcast-or-girls-and-autism-barry-carpenter) Early diagnosis and spotting the signs that a girl may have autism is key, and Professor Barry Carpenter shares helpful ways to recognise these and respond… [ School Life ](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/results/tag:School%20Life) [ Autism ](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/results/tag:Autism) --- #### More about Professor Barry Carpenter: - [Barry Carpenter Education](https://barrycarpentereducation.com/about/) - [Anglia Ruskin University](https://www.aru.ac.uk/graduation-and-alumni/honorary-award-holders2/barry-carpenter) - [Complex Needs](https://www.complexneeds.org.uk) - [Home](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/) - [Challenges](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/challenges) - [School Avoidance](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/challenges/school-avoidance) - [Bullying](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/challenges/bullying) - [Online Harm](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/challenges/online-harm) - [Grief and Loss](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/challenges/grief-and-loss) - [Stigma and discrimination](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/challenges/stigma-and-discrimination) - [Environment](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/challenges/environment) - [Challenging Behaviours](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/challenges/challenging-behaviours) - [Toolkit](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/toolkit) - [Calming Techniques](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/toolkit/calming-techniques) - [Early Intervention](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/toolkit/early-intervention) - [Home Life](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/toolkit/home-life) - [School Life](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/toolkit/school-life) - [Lived Experience](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/toolkit/lived-experience) - [Ask Dr Bettina](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/toolkit/ask-dr-bettina) - [Support Hub](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/toolkit/support-hub) - [Neurodivergence](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/neurodivergence) - [ADHD](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/neurodivergence/adhd) - [Autism](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/neurodivergence/autism) - [Dyslexia](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/neurodivergence/dyslexia) - [Dyscalculia](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/neurodivergence/dyscalculia) - [Dyspraxia](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/neurodivergence/dyspraxia) - [Tourette Syndrome](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/neurodivergence/tourettes) - [Mental Health](https://nipinthebud.trilbyhost.com/mental-health) - 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