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Biography

Bill Lucas is Professor of Learning and Director of the Centre for Real-World Learning (CRL). He founded CRL in 2008, together with Prof. Guy Claxton.

In 2017ÌýBill was appointed by the OECD as co-chair of the strategic advisory group for theÌý2021 PISA test of Creative Thinking which will draw on the work of the CRL.ÌýIn 2018 he was invited to join the Durham Commission on Creativity in Education as an academic adviser andÌýwas subseqently co-author ofÌýits first in 2019. He is currently curating an online platform, , for Arts Council England. Bill is an international adviser toÌýthe Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority in Australia and to the OECD/CERI research into critical and creative thinking in France. In 2022, Bill was appointed to the as chair of its advisory board. Bill co-leadsÌýthe Fellowship Programme of THIS, the Healthcare Studies Institute at the University of Cambridge.Ìý

Bill is known internationally as a speaker on the subjects of learning, change, creativity, healthcare improvementÌýand leadership. Before the pandemic he travelled extensively to present keynotes, most recently in Sydney, Philadelphia, Helskinki, Qatar, Stockholm, Melbourne, Auckland, Belfast,ÌýPerth, DublinÌýand Dubai. He is a prolific, award-winning writer, and has authored and co-authored over forty books and chapters and many peer-reviewed papers.

Bill is co-founder of , a movement arguing for a major overhaul of the assessment system in England and a Director of .

Find Bill on ResearchGate and on Google Scholar . Find Bill on Wikipedia .

Find out about CRL's framing of zest in a new book for schools .

Bill tweets as @LucasLearn.

Areas of expertise

Dispositions for learning, Creativity, Tenacity, Pedagogy, Vocational teaching and learning, Change, Parental engagement in schools, English language

Publications

Selected recent publications

Books and book chapters

• Lucas, Bill, Sowden, Paul, Spencer, Ellen and Seymour Marnie (Eds.) (In press). A Handbook on Creativity in Schools. Oxford: Edward Elgar Publishing.
• Lucas, Bill (in press). ‘Understanding, embedding and assessing complex competences such as Creative Thinking’. In: Roberts, C. and Rayment-Pickard, H. (Eds.) Well educated: Leading schools with wonder, joy and wisdom. London: Routledge.
• Lucas, Bill (2023) Rethinking sixth from education. In: Csogor, N. and Watkin, B. (Eds.) Sixth Form Matters. London: Sixth Form Colleges Association.
• Lucas, Bill and Spencer, Ellen (2020).Ìý. Carmarthen: Crown House Publishing Ltd.
• Hanson, JanetÌýand Lucas, BillÌý(2020).ÌýThe Case for Technology Habits of Mind. In Williams, John and Barlex, David (Eds.),ÌýPedagogy for Technology Education in Secondary Schools: Research Informed Perspectives for Classroom TeachersÌý(pp. 45-64). (Contemporary Issues in Technology Education). Switzerland AG: Springer Nature.
• Lucas, Bill and Spencer, Ellen (2018).Ìý, Camarthen: Crown House Publishing Ltd.
• Lucas, Bill and Spencer, Ellen (2017).Ìý, Carmarthen: Crown House Publishing Ltd.
• Lucas, Bill (2016).Ìý³Ù³ó'Ìý±õ²Ô A race to the top. Â鶹´«Ã½: Â鶹´«Ã½ University Press.
• Lucas, Bill (2016).Ìý'Ìý In Possibility Thinking: Re-imagining the Future of Further Education and Skills. London: Royal Society of Arts
• Lucas, Bill and Claxton, Guy (2015).Ìý. Carmarthen: Crown House Publishing Ltd
• Lucas, Bill and Claxton, Guy and Spencer, Ellen (2013).Ìý. Maidenhead: Open University Press
• Lucas, Bill and Mulvey, Christopher (2013).Ìý. London: Robert Hale

Research reports

• Spencer, Ellen and Lucas, Bill (2025). Creativity and Engineering in Schools: A missed opportunity? London: Royal Aacdemy of Engineering.
• Hanson, Janet and Lucas, Bill (2022). . London: Royal Academy of Engineering.

• Lucas, Bill (2022). . London: Global Institute of Creative Thinking.

• Lucas, Bill (2022). . Perth: FORM-Rethinking Assessment.

• Lucas, Bill and Spencer, Ellen (2021).Ìý London: The Mercers' Company.

• Lucas, Bill and Hanson, Janet (2021). Reimagining practical learning in secondary schools: A review of the evidence. London: Royal Academy of Engineering.

• Lucas, Bill (2021).Ìý Melbourne: Centre for Strategic Education.

• Lucas, Bill (2021).Ìý. Perth: FORM.
• VenckutÄ—, Milda, Berg Mulvik, Iselin and Lucas, Bill (2021)Ìý. Luxembourg:ÌýPublications Office of the European Union.
  
• Lucas, Bill and VenckutÄ—, Milda (2020).Ìý Luxembourg:ÌýPublications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg,
• Cofu, Will, Daniels, Sophie, Houston, Alan, Lucas, Bill, Newton, Alan, Morgan, Nicky and Ruck, Anthony (2019).Ìý. London: Arts Council England
• Spencer, Ellen and Lucas, Bill (2019).Ìý. London: Church of England Foundation for Educational Leadership
• Lucas, Bill (2019).Ìý. Melbourne: Centre for Strategic Education
• Lucas, Bill (2019).Ìý. Melbourne: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
• Hanson, Janet, Hardman, Sally, Luke, Sue, Maunders, Pam and Lucas, Bill (2018).Ìý. London: Royal Academy of Engieering
• Lucas, Bill and Smith, Charlene (2018).Ìý Melbourne: Mitchell Institute
• Lucas, Bill and Hanson, Janet (2018).Ìý. London: Royal Academy of Engineering
• Spencer, Ellen and Lucas, Bill (2018).Ìý. London: RSA
• Lucas, Bill, Hanson, Janet, Bianchi, Lynne and Chippindall, Jon (2017).Ìý. London: Royal Academy of Engineering
• Lucas, Bill, Stoll, Louise, Greany, Toby and Nelson, Rebecca (2017).Ìý. Eton: Eton College
• Lucas, Bill and Hanson, Janet (2016).Ìý. London: City & Guilds
• Lucas, Bill and Spencer, Ellen (2016).Ìý. London: City & Guilds
• Lucas, Lucas (2015).. London: The Health Foundation
• Lucas, Bill and Spencer, Ellen (2015).Ìý. London: City & GuildsÌý
• Lucas, Bill, Hanson, Janet and Claxton, Guy (2014).Ìý. London: Royal Academy of Engineering

Articles

• Lucas, Bill (2025). The development of a conceptual framework for embedding creativity in schools. .Ìý

• Lucas, Bill (2023). Leadership for creativity and creative thinking in schools. Impact Journal, 26-29.

• Lucas, Bill (2022). Rethinking assessment in schools: Moving from a deficit to a strengths-based model.ÌýPsychology of Education Review, 46: 1, 5-15.

• Lucas, Bill, Cooper, Andrew & Willson, Alan (2021). The undervalued role of communication in healthcare improvement and its critical contribution to engaging staff and saving lives. , 14:1, 5-7.

• Lucas, Bill (2020). Crank up efforts to get creativity blooming. Times Educational Supplement, 27-29.

• Lucas, Bill (2019). Character Education in Schools: An initial overview of some frameworks and associated implementation issues. , 3 4-9

• Lucas, Bill (2019).Ìý. Impact Journal, 7: 5-8
• Lucas, Bill and Spencer, Ellen (2018). Tenacity - what it is and why it matters. Creative Teaching and learning. 8(1) 8-14Ìý
• Lucas, Bill and Spencer, Ellen (2018). Creativity and Creative Thinking in Schools - An Overview. . 1 20-22
• Lucas, Bill (2017).Ìý. School Leadership Today. 8(1) 42-48
• Lucas, Bill (2017).Ìý. Every Child Journal. 5(6) 8-14
• Lucas, Bill (2016).Ìý. Applied Measurement in Education, 29(4): 278-290
• Claxton, Guy and Lucas, Bill (2016).Ìý. Psychology of Education Review. 40(1) 4-12
• Lucas, Bill and Hanson, Janet (2016).Ìý. International Journal of Engineering Pedagogy, 6 (2) 4-13
• Lucas, Bill (2015).Ìý. BMJ Quality and Safety. 25: 400-403
• Lucas, Bill (2014).Ìý. Contemporary Readings in Law and Social Justice. 6(2) 81-121
• Lucas, Bill (2014).ÌýVocational Pedagogy: What it is and why it matters. Glasgow: Skills Development Scotland
• Lucas, Bill (2014).ÌýVocational Pedagogy: what it is, why it matters and how to put it into practice. Bonn: UNESCO-UNEVOC
• Lucas, Bill and Claxton, Guy and Spencer, Ellen (2013).Ìý. OECD Education Working Papers. 86: 1-46

Blogs

• Lucas, Bill (2021) The role of creative leadership in schools. Creativity Exchange. Read .
• Lucas, Bill (2021) Practical Learning: why and how to embed it in schools.ÌýTimes Educational Supplement.ÌýRead .
• Lucas, Bill (2021) Why are we so reluctant to let go of exams? Times Educational Supplement.ÌýRead .
• Lucas, Bill (2020) An open letter to Nick Gibb: five myths about creativity. ReadÌý.
• Lucas, Bill and Bakshi, Hasan (2019) An opportunity for England to learn about the creativity of its people. Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre. Read .
• Lucas, Bill (2019) If schools are to make creativity normal, then they need to think about the culture they seek to create. Times Educational Supplement. Read .
• Lucas, Bill (2018) For Remembrance Day, celebrate creativity in schools. Times Educational Supplement. Read .
• Lucas, Bill (2018) How to implement the general capabilities in busy schools. Education HQ. Read .
• Lucas, Bill (2018) The value of Creative Thinking. Arts Professional. Read .
• Lucas, Bill (2018) We need one grand educational theory for all. Times Education Supplement. Read .
• Lucas, Bill (2018) Twelve ways to be a more successful learner. Education HQ, Australia. Read .
• Lucas, Bill (2018) Twelve ways to be a more successful learner. University of Â鶹´«Ã½. Read here.
• Lucas, Bill (2018) How Australia can regain centre stage on education. The Mandarin. Read .
• Lucas, Bill (2017) The power of creative thinking. RSA. Read .
• Lucas, Bill (2017) Teaching engineering 'habits of mind' and capabilities will set young people up for the future, Times Education Supplement. Read .
• Lucas, Bill (2017 If "soft skills" really matter then we should try to measure them. Times Education Supplement. .
• Lucas, Bill (2016) Schools will teach ‘soft skills’ from 2017, but assessing them presents aÌýchallenge. The Conversation. Read .
• Lucas, Bill (2016) Ten ways to improve your students' employability, Times Education Supplement. Read .
• Lucas, Bill (2016) How to praise your child: why simply saying ‘well done’ is not helpful. The Conversation. Read .
• Lucas, Bill (2016) Character is a meaningful concept, is learned at least as much as it is taught and can be woven into a school’s culture’, Times Education Supplement. Read .
• Lucas, Bill (2016) Forget technical and professional education: there's nothing wrong with the word vocational'. Times Education Supplement. Read .

Film clips

• Lucas, Bill (2018) Creative self-efficacy and young people’s teenagency. In conversation with colleagues at the Royal Society of Arts. Watch .
• Lucas, Bill (2018) Why Sailing & Windsurfing should be on the PE Curriculum. Interview for for Royal Yachting Association. Watch .
• Lucas, Bill (2017) The role of professional standards in FE and workbased learning for Welsh Government. Watch .
• Lucas, Bill (2017) How people learn. On how sailing helps to develop character, for Royal Yachting Association. Watch .
• Lucas, Bill (2016) The habits of improvers. Key-note address for Center for Kvalitet, Copenhagen. Watch .