Claire Easton

BSc
Senior Research Officer
c.easton@nfer.ac.uk
+44(0)1753 637299

Claire is a Senior Research Officer in the Research, Evaluation and Information Department. She is part of the NFER’s Children’s Services Team and is currently leading the LARC2 project. LARC2 is a collaborative project working with around 30 local authorities to support them to develop and conduct their own research project looking at the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) as a proxy for evaluating the effectiveness of integrated working. Further information about LARC can be found at: www.larc-research.org.uk.

Prior experience and professional background

Since joining the NFER in 2001, Claire has worked on a wide variety of projects for a range of sponsors including DCFS, NCSL, TDA and local authorities. Claire has evaluated many national programmes including the Teachers International Professional Development (TIPD) Programme, Investors in People in Schools, Social, Emotional and Behavioural Skills pilot and three evaluations of the National Remodelling Team (NRT).
More recently, Claire has been a key member of the research teams that are supporting local authorities with the ECM agenda. Claire has led projects involving consultations with children, young people and parents/carers to inform the development of the CYPP for local authorities and to inform the inspection process. Claire has been a key member of developing the use of audience responses systems (ARS) in research at NFER, particularly in participation and consultation exercises with very young children, young people with special educational needs and disabilities and adults.

Claire has experience in designing and undertaking research projects using both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and working with, and collecting data from a wide range of personnel, including directors of children’s services, other local authority staff, parents and carers, school teaching and non-teaching staff and children and young people. Claire has extensive experience of analysing quantitative data and qualitative data and report writing for a variety of audiences. She is also experienced in disseminating research findings to practitioner- and policy-based audiences.

Main research interests

Children's Services, professional development

Other research interests

Qualitative data analysis, audience response systems, on-line surveys.

Selected publications

Easton, C. (2009). 'Toolkit 8: Using audience response systems in research with children', practical research for education, 41, 6-13.

Chamberlain, T., Easton, C., Morris, M. and Riggall, A. (2007). Children and Young People of Kent: Survey 2006/7. Final Report. Maidstone: Kent County Council. [Available online].

Smith, P., O’Donnell, L., Easton, C. and Rudd, P. (2007). Secondary Social, Emotional and Behavioural Skills (SEBS) Pilot Evaluation (DCFS Research Report 003). London: DCSF. [Available online].

Lord, P., Wilkin, A., Kinder, K., Murfield, J., Jones, M., Chamberlain, T., Easton, C., Martin, K., Gulliver, C., Paterson, C., Ries, J., Moor, H., Stott, A., Wilkin, C. and Stoney, S. (2006). Analysis of Children and Young People’s Plans 2006. Slough: NFER. [Available online].

Chamberlain, T., Easton, C. and Woodthorpe, A. (2006). Children and Young People's Plan: Survey. Final Report. Slough: NFER.

Easton, C., Eames, A., Wilson, R., Walker, M. and Sharp, C. (2006). Evaluation of the National Remodelling Team: Year 3. Final Report. Slough: NFER. [Available online].

Benefield, P., Chamberlain, T. and Easton, C. (2005). ‘New Change for Children research area launched’, NFER News, Winter, 19.

Easton, C., Wilson, R. and Sharp, C. (2005). National Remodelling Team: Evaluation Study (Year 2). Final Report. Slough: NFER.

Knight, S., Kendall, L. and Easton, C.(2005). ‘Annual survey of trends in primary education’, Education Journal, 87, 26-8.

Wilson, R., Easton, C., Smith, P. and Sharp, C. (2005). National Remodelling Team: Evaluation and Impact Study (Year 1). Slough: NFER.

Easton, C., Knight, S. and Kendall, L. (2004). Annual Survey of Trends in Education (Digest No. 16). Slough: NFER.

Easton, C., Whitby, K. and Harris, S. (2004). Evaluation of the Teachers’ International Professional Development Programme (TIPD): Phase Two. Final Report for the DfES.

Mason, K., Pye, D. and Easton, C. (2004). New Opportunities Fund Summer and Term-time Schemes, 2000-2003: an Evaluation of 69 Schemes in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Executive Summary. London: New Oppportunities Fund Evaluation and Research Team.

Easton, C., Edmonds, S., Kendall, L., Lee, B., Pye, D. and Whitby, K. (2003). ‘Tracking the progress of Investors in People in schools’, TOPIC, Issue 30, Item 2.

Easton, C., Edmonds, S., Kendall, L., Lee, B., Pye, D. and Whitby, K. (2003). Tracking the Progress of Investors in People in Schools (DfES Research Report 406). London: DfES.

Hemsley-Brown, J., Wilson, R. and Easton, C. (2003). ‘How are LEAs helping schools to use research and what are the benefits?’ CPD Update, June, 8.

Mason. K, Pye, D and Easton, C (2003). New Opportunities Fund Term-time Schemes, 2000-2003: an Evaluation of 39 Schemes in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. London: New Opportunities Fund Evaluation and Research Team.

Wilson, R., Hemsley-Brown, J., Easton, C. and Sharp, C. (2003). Using Research for School Improvement: the LEA’s Role (LGA Research Report 42). Slough: NFER.

Mason, K., Easton, C., Bemrose, R. and O’Connor, K. (2002). Higher Education Summer Schools: Evaluation of the Scheme in 2001. Bristol: HEFCE.

Morton, R., Easton, C. and Lee, B. (2002). Evaluation of the Teachers’ International Professional Development Programme (TIPD): Phase One 2000-2001. Final Report for the DfES. Slough: NFER.

Wilson, R., Sharp, C., Hemsley-Brown, J. and Easton, C. (2002). Using Research for School Improvement: the LEA’s Role (Interim Summary). Slough: NFER.