Former schools minister Nick Gibb has been given a knighthood for services to education in the New Year Honours list.
And Geoff Barton, the former headteachers’ union leader, has been appointed CBE in the list published tonight.
The honours list also recognises leaders across multi-academy trusts, schools, local government and the early years sector.
Sir Nick served as schools minister for the majority of the past decade under Conservative and Conservative-led governments, and is seen as one of the most significant drivers of education policy reform since 2010.
New Year Honours for education
Mr Barton, who chairs the Commission on the Future of Oracy Education and is a former general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, has been appointed CBE.
He began his career as an English teacher at schools in Leeds, York and Suffolk, before becoming headteacher of King Edward VI School in Bury St Edmunds.
Mr Barton became general secretary of ASCL in a landslide election victory in 2017 and led the union until last year. He said that leading the union during pay disputes and the Covid-19 pandemic had been “like walking a tightrope”.
Mr Barton said his honour was “recognition” of the challenges that education leaders faced during the pandemic.
“They felt like we all did - it was a very, very fraught time when they were on the front line in trying to reassure youngsters that they should be back in school. That job’s still going on,” he said.
“I think this is a recognition of what leadership from them has looked like and I’m pleased to represent them in doing that.”
He told Tes he was pleased that the role of trade unions was being recognised.
“I was leader of a union for seven years and in that time there were as many education secretaries. And there were times throughout this period where we had the pandemic, the problems with the exams algorithm and then the RAAC [reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete] crisis, where that particular government saw trade unions as being part of a problem rather than a solution.
“So it is pleasing to have recognition for services to education, having led a trade union through some tumultuous years.”
Mr Barton also told Tes that his first reaction on learning about his honour was one of relief. “When my wife first saw the envelope, she saw that it said ‘Geoffrey’ on it and thought, as I did, that you only get called Geoffrey in full when you are in trouble. So my first reaction was relief that it was not a speeding fine.”
Another leading figure from the education sector appointed CBE is Purnima Murthy Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association.
Trust leaders recognised
A number of MAT leaders have also been recognised in the New Year Honours list.
Dean Ashton, CEO of Reach South Academy Trust, is among those appointed OBE for work in education.
Mr Ashton, a former science teacher, said: “My career has seen me be a teacher, a school leader, a local education authority leader and now a MAT leader. In every single one of those roles, any success I have enjoyed has been because I’ve been surrounded by brilliant teams of people.
“And this is especially true of Reach South, where we have primary, secondary and special schools in Plymouth, Exeter, Bournemouth, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.”
Trust leaders Nigel Ashley, chief executive of Elevate Multi Academy Trust; Michael Donoghue, CEO of John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust; Mark Emmerson, CEO of The City of London Academies Trust and lately principal of The City Academy, Hackney; Katrina Morley, CEO of Tees Valley Education; and Margaret Yates, CEO of All Saints Catholic Collegiate, in Stoke, were also all appointed OBE in the Honours list for services to education.
Other prominent education figures in the list include Susannah Hardyman, founder of Action Tutoring. She has been appointed MBE for her service to education.
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