Karen Halsey

BSc
Senior Research Officer
k.halsey@nfer.ac.uk
+44 (0)1904 433435

Karen is a Senior Research Officer at NFER’s Northern Office which she joined in 1998. She works on a range of projects involving both qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Whilst at the NFER, Karen has undertaken research in the areas of prisoner education, pupil disaffection (including exclusion and school non-attendance), alternative provision for young people out of mainstream education, young people’s access to the arts, multi-agency working and teacher’s professional development. Through this research she has acquired considerable experience in interviewing pupils, parents, prisoners and their partners, teachers and professionals from a number of different agencies. In recent years, Karen has led projects on truancy sweeps, family learning programmes in prison and an evaluation of Fast Track to prosecution for school non-attendance. Other research has included a national study examining effective provision for excluded pupils; an evaluation of a local multi-agency support team and an evaluation of Behaviour and Education Support Teams.

Prior experience and professional background

After gaining a BSc (Hons) in Psychology at the University of Sheffield Karen completed a post-graduate diploma in social research and evaluation methods. Prior to joining the NFER Karen worked as a coordinator of a drugs prevention project and at a drugs counselling service.

Main research interests

Social inclusion, disengagement from learning, professional development, arts, creativity and cultural education, professional development

Other research interests

Pupil disaffection, prisoner education, multi-agency behaviour support teams, non-attendance, truancy sweeps, family learning programmes

Selected publications

Halsey, K., Harland, J. and Springate, I. (2007). Increasing Capacity in STEM Education Research: a Study Exploring the Potential for a Fellowship Programme. [Available online].

Halsey, K., Murfield, J., Harland, J.L. and Lord, P. (2006). The Voice of Young People: an Engine for Improvement? Scoping the Evidence: Literature Review. Reading: CfBT Education Trust. [Available online].

Harland, J., Halsey, K. and Downing, D. (2006). An Evaluation of the GTC-DfES-LEA Continuing Professional Development Partnership Project: Examining the Progress and Lasting Impacts of the Partnership Project. London: GTCE. [Available online].

Halsey, K., Jones, M. and Lord, P. (2006). What Works in Stimulating Creativity amongst Socially Excluded Young People. Slough: NFER.

Halsey, K., Martin, K. and White, R. (2006). The Implementation of OLASS: Assessing its Early Impact and Examining the Key Challenges — Phase 2 Report (DfES Research Report 794). London: DfES. [Available online].

White, R., Halsey, K., Martin, K. and Jones, M. (2006). Implementation of the New Prison Library Specification (DfES Research Report 748). London: DfES. [Available online].

Halsey, K., Judkins, M., Atkinson, M. and Rudd, P. (2005). New Relationship with Schools Evaluation of Trial Local Authorities and Schools (DfES Research Report 689). London: DfES.

Moor, H., Halsey, K., Jones, M., Martin, K., Stott, A., Brown, C. and Harland, J. (2005). Professional Development for Teachers Early in Their Careers an Evaluation of the Early Professional Development Pilot Scheme (DfES Research Report 613). London: DfES.

Wilkin, A., Atkinson, M., Halsey, K., Johnson, A., White, R. and Kinder, K. (2005). New Roles for Local Authorities in Education Opportunities and Challenges (LGA Research Report 9/05). Slough NFER.

Kendall, S., White, R., Kinder, K., Halsey, K. and Bedford, N. (2004). School Attendance and the Prosecution of Parents Effects and Effectiveness. Final Report (LGA Research Report 2/04). Slough: NFER.

Halsey, K., Bedford, N., Atkinson, M., White, R. and Kinder, K. (2004). Evaluation of Fast Track to Prosecution for School Non-attendance (DfES Research Report 567). London: DfES.

Halsey, K., Johnson, A., Kaur, S. and Harland, J. (2004). A World Apart? Evaluation of Family Learning Programmes in Prison Summary of Key Findings. Slough: NFER.