Dr Kate Dudley
Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies; Placement Co-ordinator: BA Early Childhood Studies and Foundation Degree in Early Years
Biography
Dr Kate Dudley is a Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies at Birmingham Newman University.
With over a decade of teaching experience across further and higher education, her professional background spans both private and public sectors across the Early Years landscape, including residential care, private day nurseries, Sure Start centres and further education. Working closely with children, young people and families, particularly those experiencing social exclusion, has shaped her enduring commitment to interrupting generational patterns and supporting meaningful change through education and relational practice.
Kate’s doctoral research explored gender expression in pre-school children and developed a distinctive theoretical framework termed New-Hermetic Materialism. Drawing on posthumanist and new materialist thought, her work examines how space, material environments and relational histories shape children’s identity formation. She is particularly interested in how enabling environments participate in children’s becoming and how subtle shifts in practice can reconfigure patterns within Early Years settings.
Her research engages with inclusion, gender, relational ethics and participatory and post-qualitative methodologies. She has published on transition, assessment reform, vocational education and integrated working, and contributes to both academic and practitioner communities through journal articles, book chapters and conference presentations.
Kate teaches across undergraduate, foundation degree and postgraduate programmes in Early Childhood Studies. She is Placement Co-ordinator for the Early Years courses, working closely with students and partner settings to strengthen professional development and ensure meaningful integration of theory and practice. She is particularly passionate about supporting reflective practitioners who are attentive to the ethical and relational dimensions of their work. Alongside her teaching, Kate supports research development within the sector and acts as a peer reviewer for select academic journal publications.
Profile
Qualifications
- EdD (2025) Liverpool Hope University
- PgCert HE (2019) Birmingham Newman University
- Masters with merit: Professional practice and lifelong education. (2018) University of Wolverhampton
- QTLS (2015) Society of Education, training and development.
- PGCE – Post Compulsory Education (2014) University of Wolverhampton
- Diploma in Youth counselling (2013) Institute college of counselling
- BA (Hons) Childhood and Family Studies (2012) University of Wolverhampton
- CASH Childcare level 3 (2007) City College Birmingham
Other Activities
Publications
Dudley, K. (2026) ‘Inclusion: Its reality in integrated practice’, in Cronin, M. (eds) Integrated Working in Early Childhood: The Opportunities and Challenges. Oxon: Routledge, p42-67.
Dudley, K and Beniston, J. (2020) Chapter 12: Transition in Early Years. In: Early Years for levels 4, 5 and Foundation Degree. Hodder Education: London.
Dudley, K. (2019) How does the BTEC level 3 Children’s Play, Learning and Development course prepare students for higher education?, Teacher Education Advancement Network Journal, 11(3), 95-105.
Dudley, K. (2017)How are changes to assessment in BTEC Early Years perceived as influencing the vocational nature of the curriculum. Accessed online 30.6.18. Available at: https://wlv.openrepository.com/handle/2436/621197