Dr Lolita Winnaar is a Senior Research Manager in the Education and Skills Development research programme at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). She holds a BSc undergraduate degree from the University of the Western Cape (UWC); Honours degrees in Statistics (UWC) and Population Studies (WITS), MPhil (cum laude) from the University of the Western Cape and a PhD in Statistics from the University of the Western Cape. She was awarded the “South African Statistical Association-National Research Fund (SASA-NRF) Crises in Academic Statistics” bursary in 2015 to support her PhD. One of her research foci is in the area of school effectiveness with a magnified look at school climate and the psychosocial aspects of schooling. With a strong link to her statistics and research methodology background, she has a keen interest in pushing her analytical knowledge and applying statistical modelling, particularly multilevel modelling, to better understand the basic education landscape. She has published eight book chapters, seven review pieces, 10 articles in accredited journals, four monographs, three policy briefs and 12 client reports. She has presented in a number of conferences both nationally and internationally.