Claire has a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) 2:1 Honours Degree and a PGCE in Primary Education (English specialism). She was a Deputy Head for a number of years in Bath and North East Somerset before becoming Head of School at Sidmouth Primary, First Federation Trust, in 2016.

Claire first became the Trust Strategic Lead for English for the Trust, supporting academies to develop and implement their school improvement plans, before becoming the Director of School Improvement.