Neil studied Psychology at the University of Liverpool from 1995-1998.  He then went on to study for a PG Cert in Learning and Teaching and a PhD in Education at Liverpool John Moores University from 1998-2001. 

He worked for a year at the University of Bolton from 2001-2002, before taking up a lectureship in psychology of education at the University of Manchester in 2002.  Neil became a senior lecturer in 2007, and was promoted to Professor of Psychology of Education in 2010. 

He was Research Director for Education from 2013-2016 and become Head of the Manchester Institute of Education in 2016. 

You can find out more about Neil’s research here.