This article reports on the first phase of a three-phase, small-scale longitudinal study, started in 1998, involving 11 profoundly deaf children. The study overall aims to throw light on what constitutes effective education for deaf children. The deaf children selected for the study are of similar age (6–7 years), similar hearing loss, profoundly deaf and of similar ability. Nine of the children are being educated within the context of mainstream schools; two are in special schools. The present study, Phase 1, forms the basis for the projected longitudinal research, phases 2 and 3. For Phase 2, educational provisions for each child will be monitored for each of the next four years. For Phase 3, attainment data will be collected as a measure of pupil progress, that is of ‘value-added’ achievement. The Phase 1 data are based on observations in classrooms, school documents and informal talks with teachers, support assistants and in the case of some children, parents. Key-Stage 1 (KS1) results were obtained for each child as ‘baseline’ data. Significant variations in educational provisions and practice are reported and discussed in the light of the different policies and philosophies underpinning practice. Emerging from the Phase 1 research were methodological problems in achieving reliable data; identifying and defining significant variables; interpreting the findings. These methodological difficulties are discussed as they have implications which will be of interest to other researchers.