Graham French

Email: eds207@bangor.ac.uk

Phone: 01248 388598

Location: Stables, Normal Site

  • MA: Outdoor Education
    University of Wales, Trinity St David, 2012–2015
  • Professional: PGCE Secondary (Science and outdoor Activities)
    1999–2000
  • BSc: Marine Biology
    School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, 1995–1998

Graham’s main role is in coordinating and teaching on the PGCE secondary (outdoor activities) but he also teaches on and contributes to the modules below:

PGCE (Primary and Secondary):

XPE/C 4212/4211 Professional, pedagogical and core studies

XPE/C 4214/4213 Subject studies (science and ODA)

XPE/C 3220 School experience

BA Childhood and youth studies–

XAE 3035 Safeguarding children

XAE 2037 The child outdoors

BA QTS Primary education

XCE-1211 - Professional and Pedagogical 1

XCE-1212 - Core Studies 1 (20)

XCE-1214 - Subject Studies 1.2 (20)

XCE-1215 - Subject Studies 1.3 (20)

XCE - 2214 Subject studies 2.2

XCE - 3212 - Research methods/Dissertation

XCE/XCC - 3213 Subject studies 3.2 (Outdoor learning)

MA Education studies

XME 4095 Placement school experience

XME 4001 Research methods in education

Dissertation supervisor

XME-4312 Advanced reserach and enquiry skills

MA Thesis: Models of outdoor education provision in North Wales

PhD Thesis: Can a new models-based approach to adventure education promote affective learning through the curriculum?

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2023

2018

£55,000 Sport Wales Physical literacy project

£25,000 Welsh Government funded - The impact of Covid 19 on the health and well-being of learners and teachers

£20,000 Welsh Government funded - The current state of outdoor learning in Wales

Graham is a senior lecturer in education and currently the deputy head of the School of Education. He is also the sustainability lead for the College of Arts, Humanities and Scoail Sciences.  He has previously held the roles of both director (2015-2019) and deputy director (2014-2015) for the PGCE Secondary course, been the school's postgraduate lead (2019-2021), and international officer (2013-2015; 2019-2023). He began teaching at residential outdoor education centres whilst studying for his first degree at Bangor, and went on to work for several local authority centres and later national centres, working as a freelance instructor in outdoor education. He has travelled widely and gained experiences on expeditions across Europe, North America and Africa. 

Graham returned to Bangor to complete his PGCE in Outdoor Activities and Science, and subsequently worked as a secondary school teacher and latterly FE lecturer in South East London, Wolverhampton, Chester and the West Midlands, teaching a range of subjects including the three sciences, PE, geography, ICT and maths. He has held varying positions in schools from head of faculty, through pastoral director, to being part of the senior leadership team.

Graham joined the School of Education in 2013 to work on the PGCE secondary outdoor activities course, and his research activities and interests are within this field. He completed an MA in Outdoor Education with distinction and a PhD focussed on developing and evaluating a pedagogical model for adventure education, both with the University of Wales, Trinity St. David, Carmarthen.

Graham is currently an accredited practitioner of the Institute of Outdoor Learning (IOL). He is currently the chair of the IOL Cymru regional committee, and also chairs the North Wales region and sits on the national executive of the Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres (AHOEC). He is a coopted member of the outdoor education advisers' panel Cymru, chair of the steering group for the Outdoor Partnership (North Wales), chair of the board of Snowdonia Active and vice chair of trustees of the Christan Mountain Centre. 

Graham holds a range of high-level national governing body awards in various outdoor and adventurous activities and is a coach educator for Canoe Wales and trainer/assessor for the Mountain Bike Instructor award scheme. He is a first aid trainer and assessor and regularly runs first aid qualification courses for students and staff at the School of Education.

Graham is the Adventure Activities Licensing Scheme technical advisor for several national activity providers and works as a consultant for several schools and activity providers in relation to operating procedures and risk management strategies.

Graham has worked as an external examiner/consultant for Worcester University’s BA Primary education with outdoor education course, the University of Cumbria's undergraduate and postgraduate adventure programmes and the University of the Highlands and Islands' outdoor adventure degree programmes. He is currently an external examiner for the Physical education and outdoor education degrees at Leeds Beckett University and Newquay University Centre Cornwall College's coastal adventure foundation degree programmes.

Graham sits on the editorial board of the Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, representing the Institute of Outdoor Learning, the professional organisation for outdoor practitioners in the UK.