Ms Miskin, was head of Kobi Nazrul school in the east London borough of Tower Hamlets, has been recruited to head the training for the controversial American literacy scheme Success for All.

The scheme, introduced to English schools by Professor David Hopkins of Nottingham University, is used in only a handful of local authorities, but Ms Miskin used it in her school.

She has forged a reputation for developing early reading and writing, particularly with children who do not speak English as a first language. She famously adapte the national literacy project to give greater emphasis to stuctured teaching of phonics. She is also the author of a commercial scheme, Best Practice in Phonics.

Ms Miskin, 42, who split from Chris Woodhead, the chief inspector, last year, is said to remain close to him. However, she is a well-

respected figure in her own right.

The inspection report on Kobi Nazrul praised standards at the school where 95 per cent of pupils speak English as a second language and over half qualify for free school meals.

Ms Miskin was also one of the star teachers to feature in video produced by the Office for Standards in Education highlighting effective teaching of literacy.