The Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research is a part of the Faculty of Social Studies within the University of Warwick. The University is one of the UK’s principal research institutions and its academic staff have an international reputation.

CEDAR has established a reputation for research across a range of topics. These are concerned with education in its widest sense, from pre-school to higher education, including initial and post-qualification development of a range of professional groups. A number of projects concern the evaluation of new educational initiatives, again varying across the age ranges and across the traditional locations of schools, colleges and universities to include the cultural sector and health service. Research is also undertaken which concerns the nature of teaching and learning and the needs of children and adult learners. We specialise in research into parenting support and special educational needs, especially children and young people with speech, language and communication needs. Research is also designed to develop methodology.

CEDAR’s research draws mainly upon the disciplines of education, psychology and sociology, with a particular focus on multi-disciplinary research. We also collaborate extensively with colleagues in the Warwick Institute of Education particularly those with curriculum or other phase specialisms, as well as researchers in other research centres and departments at Warwick and other universities. A number of projects also involve practitioners (e.g. psychology, speech and language therapy and the arts).

Research projects are funded by a range of sponsors including:

• Department for Education
• Welsh Assembly
• Scottish Executive
• Department of Health
• European Union
• Economic and Social Research Council
• And a range of charitable organisation, including Addaction, Save the Children, the Autism Education Trust, the Nuffield Foundation, and the Gatsby and Esmee Fairbairn Charitable Trusts

CEDAR has a substantial expertise in quantitative methods. This allows CEDAR to take on research which requires either methodological approach or, as is often the case, studies which require both types of method to address different aspects of the research programme (often referred to as ‘combined methods’).

Details of staff, current research programmes, recent research, publications arising from research including those published by CEDAR are available from links from this page.

CEDAR also welcomes enquiries from organisations requiring consultancy in areas for which we have expertise.

CEDAR staff also accept research students who normally register for M Phil/PhD, EdD or MA by research.

We are located in the Institute of Education Building on Westwood Campus.