Eliza Bourke: Education Graduate Building a Career in Public Service and Community Development
Eliza Bourke is a British education graduate and early-career public service professional based in London. She is publicly known as one of the daughters of British comedian, presenter and writer Jo Brand, but her own path is very different from the entertainment world associated with her family. Rather than pursuing television, comedy or music, she has focused on education, community work, childcare, student engagement and local government.
Based in South East London, she has built a professional background around supporting young people, widening participation, student life and public service. Her academic journey includes study at Goldsmiths, University of London, Birkbeck, University of London, the Centre for Young Musicians and The Charter School North Dulwich. Her career profile shows a young graduate with strong interests in education, social support, leadership and community development.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Eliza Bourke |
| Report Full Name | Eliza Mary Bourke |
| Nationality | British |
| Location | London, United Kingdom |
| Area | South East London |
| Known For | Education background, public service career, daughter of Jo Brand |
| Mother | Jo Brand |
| Father | Bernie Bourke |
| Sister | Maisie Bourke, professionally known as Maisi |
| University | Goldsmiths, University of London |
| Degree | BA (Hons) Education |
| Current Role | Impact Graduate Trainee at Southwark Council |
| Previous Work | Koru Kids, Goldsmiths student roles |
| School | The Charter School North Dulwich |
Early Life and Family Background
Eliza Bourke is linked with South East London, an area known for its cultural variety, strong community networks and creative energy. Her public profile lists her bio simply as “SE London”, which suggests a strong connection to that part of the capital.
She comes from a well-known family, as her mother is Jo Brand, one of the most recognisable comedians in the United Kingdom. Her father, Bernie Bourke, has worked as a psychiatric nurse. This family background connects her to both the entertainment world and the healthcare sector, but her own interests appear to sit closer to education, childcare, public service and community support.
Eliza Bourke and Maisie Bourke
Eliza has an older sister, Maisie Bourke, who is professionally known as Maisi. While Maisie has chosen a creative career in music, Eliza has followed a more academic and public-service-focused route. The two sisters represent different professional directions within the same family.
Maisie has built her profile as a musician and social media personality, while Eliza has kept a lower public profile. This makes her story different from many celebrity-family profiles, because she appears to be building her own career through education, work experience and graduate development rather than public fame.
Eliza Bourke Age
Eliza Bourke is reportedly the younger daughter of Jo Brand and Bernie Bourke. Public family information has listed her as born in November 2002, which would make her around 23 years old in 2026. Her timeline also supports this age range. She attended secondary school from around 2014 to 2020, studied at Birkbeck between 2021 and 2022, and then completed her BA degree at Goldsmiths between 2022 and 2025.
Education of Eliza Bourke
The Charter School North Dulwich
Eliza Bourke attended The Charter School North Dulwich, where she completed her GCSE education. Her subjects included English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Double Science, French, Geography, Economics and Music.
During her school years, she was also involved in creative and musical activities. These included choir, chamber choir and keyboard club. This shows that although her later career moved towards education and public service, music and performance were still part of her early development.
Centre for Young Musicians
Between 2018 and 2020, Eliza trained at the Centre for Young Musicians. Her activities included songwriting, music theory, chamber choir and guitar ensemble. She trained as a singer during her teenage years, which adds another creative layer to her background.
This period suggests she had a strong interest in music and performance before moving more deeply into academic and education-related work. It also shows confidence, discipline and commitment, as music training often requires regular practice, collaboration and performance skills.
Birkbeck, University of London
Before studying education at Goldsmiths, Eliza Bourke completed a Certificate of Higher Education in Life Sciences for Subjects Allied to Medicine at Birkbeck, University of London. She studied from October 2021 to July 2022 and achieved a Merit, which is commonly understood as equivalent to a 2:1 level.
Her modules included Biology, Chemistry, Personal Progress and Development Planning, and Study and Research Skills for Maths and Science. This part of her education suggests that she initially explored science or medicine-related subjects before later choosing education as her main academic direction.
Goldsmiths, University of London
Eliza Bourke later studied for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education at Goldsmiths, University of London, from October 2022 to July 2025. She graduated with First Class Honours, achieving 74%. Her degree covered a broad range of education-related subjects. In her first year, she studied modules such as The Curriculum: Historical and Philosophical Perspectives, Learning and Thinking, Culture and Identity, and Introduction to Creativity and Learning.
In her second year, her modules included Introduction to Social and Cultural Research, Early Childhood in a Diverse Society, Arts Practice in Educational, Cultural and Community Settings, and Children’s Cultures: School and Community Contexts. In her final year, she studied Policy and Practice in Early Childhood Education, Youth, Critical Practice and Hope, Dissertation in Education Studies, and Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Special Educational Needs.
Dissertation and Academic Interests
Emotional Based School Avoidance
One of the most important parts of Eliza Bourke’s academic journey was her dissertation. Her dissertation title was: “Emotional Based School Avoidance: An Investigation into the Causes, Consequences and Solutions from the Perspective of Parents and Educators.”
This topic shows a clear interest in the emotional and social challenges faced by children and families. Emotional Based School Avoidance is a serious issue that can affect young people’s education, mental wellbeing and family life. By choosing this topic, she demonstrated an interest in practical educational problems rather than only theoretical study.
First Class Honours Achievement
Graduating with First Class Honours reflects strong academic performance. It also supports her later move into public service and graduate-level work. Her education background shows a combination of research, writing, community engagement and practical understanding of young people’s needs.
Career and Work Experience
Impact Graduate at Southwark Council
Eliza Bourke is listed as an Impact Graduate Trainee at Southwark Council. The Impact Graduate Scheme is a two-year programme involving four six-month placements in different areas of local government. It is designed to develop future leaders in public service.
Her first placement was within Southwark Council’s Culture Division. She later moved into Organisational Development within HR. This experience gives her insight into both community-facing work and internal organisational development.
As part of the scheme, she is also studying for a CMI Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Leadership and Management. This qualification is linked with senior leadership skills and suggests she is developing her professional abilities beyond entry-level work.
Student Engagement Agent at Goldsmiths
From September 2024 to August 2025, Eliza Bourke worked part-time as a Student Engagement Agent at Goldsmiths, University of London. In this role, she supported new students during Welcome Week and helped them adjust to university life.
She also attended training sessions, including article writing and working at off-campus events. In addition, she contributed to widening participation work, including helping Year 9 students explore the university environment. This role fits closely with her education degree and interest in student support.
Nanny at Koru Kids
From October 2021 to April 2025, Eliza worked part-time as a nanny with Koru Kids. During this role, she cared for children aged between 7 and 14. Her responsibilities included school pick-ups, homework support, extracurricular activities, preparing healthy dinners and keeping children entertained. This experience is important because it connects directly with her interest in education, childhood and youth development. It also shows practical experience working with children outside an academic setting.
Student Community Leader
During her second year at Goldsmiths, Eliza Bourke worked as a Student Community Leader. This role involved helping to organise social events and academic sessions, with the aim of making students feel part of the wider university community. She also assisted with events such as Welcome Week and a Winter Social, and took part in a student engagement panel. These experiences show leadership, organisation, communication and teamwork skills.
Skills and Professional Strengths
Eliza Bourke’s profile highlights skills such as writing, leadership, organisation, childcare, working with children, time management and singing. These skills reflect both her academic background and her practical work experience.
Her strongest professional themes appear to be education, youth support, community engagement and public service. She has experience in childcare, university support roles and local government, which gives her a rounded early-career profile.
Public Image and Privacy
Although Eliza Bourke is linked to a famous family, she does not appear to seek celebrity attention. Her public information mainly focuses on education, work and professional development. This makes her different from her mother, Jo Brand, and her sister, Maisie, who are more visible in entertainment and music.
Her profile suggests someone building a serious career in education and public service. For that reason, it is best to discuss her in a respectful and professional way, focusing on her studies, career path and achievements rather than private details.
Conclusion
Eliza Bourke is a London-based education graduate and early-career public service professional. Known publicly as the daughter of Jo Brand and sister of musician Maisie Bourke, she has chosen a more private and professional path.
Her background includes strong academic achievement at Goldsmiths, experience at Birkbeck, training at the Centre for Young Musicians, school years at The Charter School North Dulwich, and work across childcare, student engagement and local government. With a First Class Honours degree in Education and a role on the Impact Graduate Scheme at Southwark Council, she appears to be building a thoughtful career focused on learning, leadership and community support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Eliza Bourke?
Eliza Bourke is a British education graduate and early-career public service professional based in London. She studied BA (Hons) Education at Goldsmiths, University of London, and is associated with Southwark Council’s Impact Graduate Scheme.
How old is Eliza Bourke?
Eliza Bourke was reportedly born in November 2002, which makes her around 23 years old in 2026. Her exact date of birth is not widely confirmed publicly.
Who is Eliza Bourke’s family?
Eliza Bourke is publicly known as the daughter of British comedian Jo Brand and Bernie Bourke. She has an older sister, Maisie Bourke, who is a musician known professionally as Maisi.
