ESRC Council member
Professor Becky Francis CBE is a member of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Council. Becky is presently leading the Government’s independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, seconded from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) where she has been CEO since January 2020.
Before this, Becky was Director of the UCL Institute of Education (IOE), which is ranked number one in the world for education in the international QS rankings. Her prior roles include Professor of Education and Social Justice at King’s College London and Standing Advisor to the Parliamentary Education Select Committee.
Throughout her career, Becky has sought to maximise the impact of academic research by working closely with teachers and policymakers. She has spearheaded high-profile research programmes assessing the impact of major reforms in the English school system on educational inequalities and is sought out internationally as an advisor to Governments on education policy.
Becky was the inaugural Charles Yidan Global Fellow at Harvard University. Her academic expertise and extensive publications centre on social identities and inequalities in educational contexts.
Last updated: 18 November 2025