Joanna is a researcher for The Centre for Social Mobility at Exeter University. As well as being a Home Education Consultant and Early Years Teacher. Most recently conducting the biggest survey of home educators (UK), in recent years. Joanna has extensive knowledge and experience of home education philosophy and practice underpinning her interest in alternative learning and self-directed learning practices within the Home Education community. Joanna aims for her research to give voice to this marginalised community to support home education practices at policy level.

Joanna is interested in alternative learning methods and learning outside the school setting, beyond traditional school models of teaching. Joanna has unique insight of the culture, practices and characteristics of the Home Education community with strong, long standing relationships with home education families and local, national and international organisations and networks.

Joanna earned her Early Years Teacher Status in 2011 whilst running an award-winning childcare practice achieving Outstanding in every area from Ofsted 2012. Joanna is a Rights Based Practitioner working with children both in the early years and with the home education community. Joanna has been a Home Education Consultant for the last eight years, working with home educated families and children from birth to 14 years, advising on alternative learning and supporting children and their parents in self-directed learning and alternative learning methods, parental educational support particularly children with special educational needs and Dual and Multiple Exceptional children (highly able combined with a learning difficulty), children and asynchronous educational development.

Joanna has strong links to Ghana, supporting education projects in Accra and Kumasi after teaching and coordinating volunteers for three years. Joanna went on to assist in the establishment of two new schools in the area.