Dr Jonathan Solity
Director
Jonathan Solity graduated in psychology from the University of London and completed a one year PGCE at the University of Liverpool before training in educational psychology at the University of Birmingham. He was awarded a Ph.D. by the University of Warwick for his research in the field of instructional psychology.
He taught 7-9 year olds in a first school in Bradford, worked in Walsall as an educational psychologist and was an Associate Professor at the University of Warwick for over 20 years where he lectured in educational psychology. He is now the Director of Optima: Psychological and Educational Research Consultants and is an Honorary Research Fellow at University College London and an Honorary Tutor at the University of Birmingham.
Research
Jonathan is one of the country’s leading researchers and writers in the field of instructional psychology having conducted numerous studies into the most effective ways of raising standards and preventing difficulties. Jonathan led the school-based research and research into the classroom applications of instructional psychology in the Leverhulme funded research based at the University of Warwick. It involved some of the most extensive and detailed longitudinal research into the most effective ways of teaching literacy and mathematics to primary and secondary aged students. His publications have addressed how to apply principles derived from instructional psychology to the teaching and learning process in mainstream classrooms, managing behaviour and school effectiveness.
Expertise
Jonathan’s areas of expertise are:
- instructional psychology;
- teaching reading, writing, spelling and mathematics;
- inclusive education in mainstream classrooms;
- raising the academic standards of students from low income families;
- meeting the educational needs of children perceived to have special educational needs;
- managing children’s behaviour;
- improving school and teacher effectiveness and raising academic in both primary and secondary schools.