DoctorNicola Surtees

My research sits at the intersection of equity, social justice, inclusion, and culturally grounded teacher education in Aotearoa New Zealand. Through my interdisciplinary work in early childhood education and family sociology, I examine how early childhood settings can become places where every family experiences belonging, and how teachers engage in socially just and inclusive practices while addressing issues of exclusion.

A core strand of my work investigates how teachers learn to enact pedagogies that honour the identities, languages, cultures, and relational worlds of the children and communities they serve. More recently, my research has expanded into Pacific education, particularly Samoan conceptual frameworks that re‑centre culture, values, and relationality as catalysts for learning.