A leading figure in the academies movement and a former general secretary of a school leaders’ union are among the names from education featured in the Queen’s New Year Honours list.

Leora Cruddas, the chief executive of the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) and Russell Hobby, the chief executive of Teach First and former head of the NAHT school leader’s union will be appointed CBEs tomorrow.

Ms Cruddas founded the CST, a national sector body for academy trusts, three years ago. 

It now represents nearly 60 per cent of all academies that together educate more than 2.5 million children.

Before founding CST, Ms Cruddas was director of policy and public relations for the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL).

She also has six years of experience as a director of education in two London local authorities, as well as being a visiting professor at the University College London Institute of Education.

‘Those on the front line deserve to be honoured’

Ms Cruddas said: “I am enormously proud of everything my board, my team and I have achieved so far but it is truly humbling to be honoured in this way.

“It is a privilege to serve in public life and to hold a position where I advocate on behalf of my wonderful members and all those working in education.

“Of course, it is those on the front line who deserve to be honoured - they have worked tirelessly to overcome such immense challenges through 22 months of the crisis so that children and young people have continued to receive the best possible education.

“Their professionalism and commitment to our country’s children have been extraordinary.”

Mr Hobby joined the Teach First charity as chief executive in September 2017 after leading the NAHT school leaders’ union for most of the last decade. 

He became general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union in September 2010 and was re-elected in January 2015.

Before working for the NAHT school leaders’ union, he worked as a management consultant, founding Hay Group’s education practice.

Mr Hobby said: “I am very grateful for this honour. Throughout my career, I’ve been blessed to work in teams of amazing people, striving to make a difference for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. I am so lucky to have had that opportunity.

“A huge thank you to my colleagues at Teach First and at the National Association of Head Teachers for everything they do and all that they have taught me.”

‘Extremely humbled’ 

Another individual from education to be honoured is Angela Barry who has been appointed an OBE.

Ms Berry’s work has included being sent in to run a series of high profile failing academy trusts in recent years after these organisations got into difficulty.

This includes working as an interim chief executive officer at Lilac Sky Schools Academy Trust, SchoolsCompany Trust, The Adventure Learning Academy Trust and Bright Tribe Trust.

She said: “This is a wonderful honour and I am extremely humbled to be recognised in this way.

“But I feel even more honoured to have been able to make education my career so that I could help children and young people get the best start in life. My drive to do this stems from the wonderful childhood that I had as the youngest of six children from South East London with parents who were inspirational.”

Tom Bennett, the government’s behaviour tsar and founder of the researchED group, is also named among those to be appointed an OBE for services to education.

ResearchED, which describes itself as a “grass-roots, teacher-led organisation”, was started in 2013 by Mr Bennett and Helene Galdin-O’Shea.

It started with the aim of bridging “the gap between research and practice in education” and now organises a programme of conferences for teachers across the country and overseas.

In his role at the Department for Education, Mr Bennett is leading the government’s £10 million Behaviour Hubs project.

New Year Honours list recipients for services to education include:

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Leora Anne Cruddas. Chief executive, Confederation of School Trusts, London. For services to education. (Leicester, Leicestershire)

Russell Keith Hobby. Lately general secretary, National Association of Head Teachers, West Sussex. For services to education. (London, Greater London)

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Yvonne Dawn Baker. Chief executive, STEM Learning. For services to STEM education. (Rushden, Northamptonshire)

Angela Barry. School improvement partner and leadership development consultant. For services to education. (Harwell, Oxfordshire)

Thomas Bennett. Director and founder, researchEd and behaviour advisor, Department for Education. For services to education. (Dollar, Clackmannanshire)

Lorraine Anne Clarke. Regional director and executive principal, ARK Schools Academy Trust, Hastings. For services to education. (Hastings, East Sussex)

Mohammed Shabir Fazal. Headteacher, Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Manchester. For services to education. (Accrington, Lancashire)

Raymond Francis Friel. Lately chief executive officer, Plymouth CAST Trust. For services to education. (Frome, Somerset)

Dr Andre Jan Imich. Special educational needs and disabilities professional advisor, Department for Education. For services to children and young people. (Leigh-on-Sea, Essex)

Matthew Leon Jones. Executive principal, ARK Globe Academy, London. For services to education. (South Woodham Ferrers, Essex)

Catherine Margaret Kitchen. Chief executive officer, Skylark Partnership Academy Trust and chair, National Association of Hospital Education. For services to children and young people. (Daventry, Northamptonshire)

Clive Anthony Lawrence. Lately executive headteacher, St Giles’ School, Derby. For services to education. (Derby, Derbyshire)

Neil Leitch. Chief executive officer, Early Years Alliance. For services to education. (Tadworth, Surrey)

Amanda Nicholson. Chief executive officer, King’s Academy Trust and executive principal, Oakwood Academy, Manchester. For services to education. (Warrington, Cheshire)

William John Oakes. Lately headteacher, Dartford Grammar School, Kent. For services to education. (Bromley, Kent)

Donald Parker. Lately chief executive officer, Yorkshire Collaborative Academy Trust. For services to education in North Yorkshire. (Knaresborough, North Yorkshire)

Amanda Lin Parry. Deputy chief executive officer, HISP MAT and executive director, LEARN Teaching School Alliance, Hampshire. For services to education. (Eastleigh, Hampshire)

Vivienne Porritt. Co-founder and global strategic leader, WomenED and co-founder, DisabilityEd UK. For services to education. (Esher, Surrey)

Margaret Patricia Saxton. Chair, North East Learning Trust and Apollo Schools Trust, Durham. For services to education. (Carrville, County Durham)

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

David Gwynne Backhouse. Chair of governors, Grove Primary School, Mayfield School, Barley Lane Primary School, and Redbridge Primary School, London Borough of Redbridge. For services to education. (London, Greater London)

Michelle Dawn Blanchard. Lately executive principal, Dixons Academies Trust, Bradford. For services to education. (Bingley, West Yorkshire)

Margaret Emma Bravo. Manager, St Peter’s Pre-School, Carlisle. For services to education. (Carlisle, Cumbria)

Wendy Casson. Lately headteacher, Educational Diversity, Blackpool. For services to education. (Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire)

Brian Crosby. Chief executive officer, Coast and Vale Learning Trust. For services to education in Yorkshire. (York, North Yorkshire)

Kevin Francis Dickens. Director of resources, The Abbey School, Faversham, Kent. For services to education. (Tankerton, Kent)

Jacqueline Anne Eason. Chair of trustees, Leading Edge Academies Partnership, Cornwall. For services to education. (Wadebridge, Cornwall)

Angela Holdsworth. Chief executive officer, The Sea View Trust, Lancashire. For services to children and young people with SEND. (Rossendale, Lancashire)

Dr Helen Brewster Holman. Lately headteacher, Orchard School, Bristol. For services to education. (Wotton under Edge, Gloucestershire)

Marilyn Hubbard. Chair of trustees, Inspiring Futures through Learning Multi-Academy Trust, Milton Keynes. For services to education. (Olney, Buckinghamshire)

Jayne Elizabeth Jardine. Chief executive officer, The Rise Partnership, London. For services to education and SEND. (London, Greater London)

Edwina Jayne Langley. Lead attendance officer, Birmingham City Council. For services to education. (Telford, Shropshire)

Janet Belinda Lefley. Community manager, The Romsey School, Hampshire. For services to education. (Lifton, Devon)

Dr Vivienne Catherine Lennox. Chair of governors, Suffield Park Infant and Nursery School, Norfolk. For services to education. (Cromer, Norfolk)

Tracy Luke. Chair of governors, Turner Free School, Folkestone, Kent. For services to education. (Hawkinge, Kent)

Patricia Ann Marchiori. Lately chair of trustees, Ambitions Academy Trust, Poole. For services to education. (Bournemouth, Dorset)

Susan Elizabeth Parish. Business and community manager, Park Community School, Havant, Hampshire. For services to education. (Bordon, Hampshire)

Susan Reilly (Sue Thorpe). Senior delivery lead, Regional Delivery Directorate, Department for Education. For services to education. (Darlington, County Durham)

Amanda Smith (Amanda Austin). Executive headteacher, Fernwood Primary and Nursery School, Nottingham. For services to education. (Nottingham, Nottinghamshire)

Kerry Lynne Stockley. Governor, Preston Primary School, Stockton-on-Tees. For services to education. (Eaglescliffe, County Durham)

Joy Sheridan Tubbs. Director, Salisbury Diocesan Board of Education. For services to education. (Westbury, Wiltshire)

Michelle Kay Willett. Chief executive officer, The Gallery Trust, Oxfordshire. For services to children and young people with SEND. (Enstone, Oxfordshire)

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

Julia Baines. Teaching assistant, St. Margaret Clitherow Catholic Primary School, Bracknell. For services to education for people with SEND. (Bracknell, Berkshire)

Angela Patricia Blower. Lately catering manager, Middlesbrough Council, North Yorkshire. For services to education. (Cleveland & Redcar, North Yorkshire)

Jane Boulton. Manager, Springboard Specialist Pre-school, Chippenham, Wiltshire. For services to education. (Chippenham, Wiltshire)

Averil Selina Gibbins. Lately school cleaner, Whitehouse Community Primary School, Ipswich. For services to education. (Ipswich, Suffolk)

Kim Johnson. Arts education consultant, Derbyshire County Council Virtual School. For services to the Arts, to education and to young people. (Wirksworth, Derbyshire)

Marion Elizabeth Maidment. English teacher, Ferndown Upper School. For services to education. (Southbourne, Dorset)

Hanina Alice Simon. Manager, Redbridge Schools Library Service. For services to education in the London Borough of Redbridge. (London, Greater London)