Mr Mark Cottingham

School of Education

PGDE History Tutor

Mark Cottingham profile picture
Profile picture of Mark Cottingham profile picture
mark.cottingham@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 215 7946

Full contact details

Mr Mark Cottingham
School of Education
The Wave
2 Whitham Road
Sheffield
S10 2AH
Profile

Mark has a career long commitment to supporting all young people and educators to be successful, particularly those living and working in the most economically disadvantaged communities. He has 31 years’ experience of teaching and leading in schools in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire, including 12 years as a Headteacher.

Mark was an Associate Lecturer at the Sheffield Institute of Education, Sheffield Hallam University in 2022/23, having previously been Lecturer in Education at the University of Leeds, leading the History PGCE course there.

Mark joined the School of Education at The University of Sheffield in August 2023, working primarily as History PGDE Tutor. His leadership responsibilities include the coordination of the Education & Professional Studies programme and co-leadership of Partnership & Mentoring.

He has a BA(Hons) from the University of Sheffield in Economic & Social History and an MSc from the University of Leicester in Education Leadership.

 

Research interests

Mark is particularly interested in the relationship between history and English subject teaching and curricular in secondary schools; progression and assessment in secondary school history; and school leadership in disadvantaged communities - his MSc dissertation focussed on the impact of the National Challenge programme achieved a distinction.

Mark has published work on secondary history teaching and initial teacher education including:


• ‘Developing Literacy through the Teaching of History’, TTA funded research project and publication 2001
• ‘Dr Black Box or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Assessment’ Teaching History 2002
• ‘Developing spirituality through literature and art in history teaching’ International Journal of Children’s Spirituality, 2004
• Germany 1870-1945 A Level text book published by Causeway Press, 2004
• Several chapters of ‘Into Teaching’ – monthly publication for trainee and new teachers 2005/6

 

Teaching interests

Mark teaches on the History Subject programme of the Post Graduate Diploma in Education. His teaching uses a research and evidence-based foundation to challenge students to move beyond the requirements of the Core Content Framework and Qualified Teacher Status so that they develop into life-long reflective educators, capable of adapting, developing and leading.

He also teaches on the BA Education, Culture and Childhood course with a focus on curriculum.

Professional activities and memberships

Member of the Chartered College of Teaching, the Historical Association and the History Teacher Educators Network.