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- Senior Research Fellow
- Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities
- IOE - Learning & Leadership
- UCL Institute of Education
Laura is a Senior Research Fellow at the new Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities (CEPEO), focused on identifying and reducing structural barriers to opportunities across the life course. Her research expertise lies in psychology applied to education, particularly mathematical development, early years, and educational technology. She is also Deputy Director of the Child Development and Learning Difficulties (CDLD) Lab.
Previously, she was a Research Mentor for the EDUCATE project at the UCL Knowledge Lab, which brought together researchers and EdTech entrepreneurs to drive and sustain evidence-based educational technology innovations. She completed her PhD evaluating the reach and utility of a maths app intervention in the UK, Brazil, and Malawi with Prof Nicola Pitchford (Professor of Developmental Psychology) and Anthea Gulliford (Educational Psychologist) at the University of Nottingham.
Q&A with Dr Laura Outhwaite: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/people/academics/qa-dr-laura-outhwaite


Laura's current research focuses on the design and evaluation of educational maths apps for supporting young children's learning and development. She is currently Principal Investigator on a Nuffield Foundation Research Grant conducting a systematic review and content analysis on maths apps for children aged 4-7 years. She is also leading a pilot trial of a maths app with children and parents at home with collaborators in Sweden, funded by the UCL Global Engagement Fund. Previously, she has received funding from UCL Enterprise to develop the Maths@Home app for parents to help their child's mathematical development through everyday play.
Alongside this work, she is currently Co-Investigator on a ESRC UKRI Ideas to Address Covid-19 grant examining the impact of Covid and Recovery Phases on children and young people with intellectual disabilities and their families. She is also conducting unfunded research on mathematical and cognitive development using secondary data sources, as well as a systematic review on assessments of children's mathematical abilities.
2018 | Doctor of Philosophy | University of Nottingham | |
2015 | Master of Science (by research) | University of Nottingham | |
2014 | Bachelor of Science | University of Nottingham |