David Kerr

BA, MA, PGCE, MEd
Principal Research Officer
d.kerr@nfer.ac.uk
+44(0)1753 637201

David leads NFER’s work on citizenship and human rights education and pupil voice. He is currently Director of the Citizenship Education Longitudinal Study (CELS) and Associate Director IEA International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS).

Prior experience and professional background

Joined NFER in 1996 as SRO. Prior to that taught in schools and worked in teacher education. He has worked on a number of citizenship and transition related projects. 1997-8 seconded to QCA as Professional Officer to the Citizenship Advisory Group. Citizenship Consultant 1999 to 2005 to DfES. Visiting Professor of Citizenship, Birkbeck College, University of London.

Main research interests

Citizenship and human rights education, Education policy-making, Comparative research, Professional development, School improvement

Other research interests

Citizenship and human rights education policy and practice (national, European and international); cross curricular themes; pupil voice and participation; cross curricular themes; educational policy and reform; transition and history education. Has general expertise in programme evaluation, research management and research and evaluation methodologies. Has experience of working with European and international agencies, including Council of Europe, EU, IEA and British Council. Has directed a number of international and European seminars and events.

Selected publications

Kerr. D. and Cleaver, E. (2009). ‘Strengthening education for citizenship and democracy in England: A progress report.’ In P.Levine and J.Youniss (Eds) Engaging Young People in Civic Life. Nashville: Vanderbilt Press.

Kerr, D. (2009). Citizenship and Values Education to the Rescue! Making the Case for a Call to Action. Executive Summary of the Ninth Annual Conference. London: Institute for Global Ethics/Gordon Cook Foundation. [Available online].

Kerr, D., Keating, A. and Ireland. E. (2009). Pupil Assessment in Citizenship Education: Purposes, Practices and Possibilities. Slough: NFER/CIDREE. [Available online].

Benton, T., Cleaver, E., Featherstone, G., Kerr, D., Lopes, J. and Whitby, K. (2008). Citizenship Education Longitudinal Study (CELS): Sixth Annual Report. Young People’s Civic Participation In and Beyond School: Attitudes, Intentions and Influences (DCSF Research Report 052). London: DCSF. [Available online]

Kerr, D., Lopes, J., Nelson, J., White, K., Cleaver, E. and Benton, T. (2007). VISION versus PRAGMATISM: Citizenship in the Secondary School Curriculum in England. Citizenship Education Longitudinal Study: Fifth Annual Report (DfES Research Report 845). London: DfES. [Available online].

Kerr, D. (2006). Citizenship Education Research : How to Access and Use Key Findings (Induction Pack for Tutors of Citizenship Education). London: Training and Development Agency, CitizED. [Available online].

Kerr, D., Nelson, J. and Ireland, E. (2006). 'Exploring the meaning of "active citizenship" in England, Europe and beyond', NFER News, Summer, 4-5.

Kerr, D. (2005). ‘Promoting active citizenship in schools and communities in England: emerging lessons from policy, practice and research’, Different Faces of Citizenship Development of Citizenship Education in European Countries, 93-125.

Lopes, J. and Kerr, D. (2005). ‘Moving citizenship education forward: key considerations for schools and colleges’, Topic, 34, 50-6.

Kerr, D., Cleaver, E., White, G. and Judkins, M. (2005). DCA Connecting with Citizenship Education: a Mapping Study. A Mapping Study to Establish the Links Between Citizenship Education and the DCA’s Priorities Under the DCA 5-Year Strategy. Slough: NFER.

Kerr, D. (2005). ‘From England: report from the Citizenship Education Longitudinal Study: trust must be rebuilt in the young’, Our Schools Our Selves: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 15, 1, 89-94.

Kerr, D. (2005). ‘"England’s teenagers fail the patriotic test": the lessons from England’s participation in the IEA Civic Education Study’ (Political and Citizenship Education: International Perspectives), Oxford Studies in Comparative Education, 14, 2, 29-47.

Cleaver, E., Ireland, E. and Kerr, D. (2003). ‘Longitudinal study’, Teaching Citizenship, 7, 15-19.

Kerr, D. (2003). ‘Citizenship education in England: the making of a new subject’, Online Journal for Social Science Education, 2, 2. [Available online].

Kerr, D. (2003). ‘A clear agenda: the IEA Citizenship Education Findings and their implications for citizenship education in England’, Teaching Citizenship, 6, 14-23.

Kerr, D., Cleaver, E., Ireland, E. and Blenkinsop, S. (2003). Citizenship Education Longitudinal Study: First Cross-Sectional Survey 2001-2002 (DfES Research Report 416). London: DfES.

Nelson, J., Kerr, D. and Morris, M. (2003). Evaluation of the Post-16 Citizenship Development Projects: First Year of Operation in the Round 1 Consortia (DfES Research Report 397). London: DfES.

Kerr, D. (2002). ‘Citizenship education: emerging issues and challenges’, Uddanneise [Journal of the Danish Ministry of Education], 8, 48-55.

Kerr, D. (2002). ‘Citizenship for sceptics ’, Times Educ. Suppl., 4512, 20 December, 11.

Kerr, D., Lines, A., Blenkinsop, S. and Schagen, I. (2002). England’s Results from the IEA International Citizenship Education Study: What Citizenship and Education Mean to 14 Year Olds (DfES Research Report 375). London: DfES.

Kerr, D., McCarthy, S. and Smith, A. (2002). ‘Citizenship education in England, Ireland and Northern Ireland’, European Journal of Education, 37, 2, 179-91.

Kerr, D. and Sardoc, M. (2002). ‘Redefining citizenship education: common parallels and challenges’, The School Field, XIII, 3/4, 7-23.

Kerr, D., Blenkinsop, S. and Dartnall, L. (2001). Mapping Resources for Citizenship Education: Summary of Findings. Slough: NFER.

Kerr, D., Lines, A., Blenkinsop, S. and Schagen, I. (2001). Citizenship and Education at Age 14: a Summary of the International Findings and Preliminary Results for England. IEA International Citizenship Education Study. Slough: NFER.

Nelson, J., Blenkinsop, S. and Kerr, D. (2001). Evaluation of the Institute for Citizenship’s Citizenship and Basic/Key Skills Programme for Use in Young Offenders’ Institutions (Research Summary). Slough: NFER.

Kerr, D. (2000). ‘Citizenship education: some lessons from other countries’, TOPIC, Issue 24, Item 12.

Kerr, D. (1999). Citizenship Education: an International Comparison (International Review of Curriculum and Assessment Frameworks). London: QCA.

Kerr, D. (1999). Re-examining Citizenship Education: the Case of England. Slough: NFER.

Schagen, S. and Kerr, D. (1999). Bridging the Gap? The National Curriculum and Progression from Primary to Secondary School. Slough: NFER.

Kerr, D. with Lines, A., MacDonald, A. and Andrews, L. (1998). Mapping Educational Research in England: an Analysis of the 1996 Research Assessment Exercise for Education. Bristol: HEFCE.

Kerr, D. (1996). Citizenship Education in Primary Schools: a National Survey Commissioned by the Institute for Citizenship Studies about Opportunities for Citizenship Education and Community Involvement in Primary Schools: Final Report. Leicester: University of Leicester, School of Education, Centre for Citizenship Studies in Education.

Kerr, D. (Ed) (1994). Developing Economic and Industrial Understanding in the Curriculum. London: David Fulton.