The chief executive of Outwood Grange Academies Trust, Martyn Oliver, has received a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to education.
Sir Martyn is among eight multi-academy trust chief executives to be honoured in this year’s list.
Tim Coulson, the chief executive of Unity Schools Partnerships in Suffolk and Dr Thomas Canning, the chief executive of the Boleyn Trust of schools in London, have both been made a CBE.
Other prominent names in education to be honoured this year include former Ofsted chief inspector Christine Gilbert. The visiting professor at UCL Institute of Education and chair of Future First and Camden Learning has become a Dame for her services to young people and to charity.
And Dr Julian Grenier, headteacher of Sheringham Nursery School and Children’s Centre in London, receives a CBE for his services to early years education.
Sir Martyn has been the chief executive of Outwood Grange since 2016 and has overseen the trust doubling in size in that time.
Outwood Grange Academies Trust’s expansion has included taking on six schools following the collapse of the troubled Wakefield City Academies Trust.
He said: ”I am delighted to have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours - it is great recognition of all that we achieved at Outwood and in the communities we proudly serve.
“While I am truly humbled at receiving this most prestigious award, it has been my honour to serve so many children and to raise the standards of their education, working alongside some of the most dedicated and committed colleagues you could wish for. This is a tribute to all at Outwood.”
David Earnshaw, the chair at Outwood, said: “We are very proud of Martyn and his recognition in the recent Queen’s Birthday Honours.
“He always demonstrates leadership by both precept and example: every day he is dedicated to upholding the best educational principles, which everyone in the Outwood family follows, just as he does at all times.”
Mr Coulson, the chief executive of Unity Schools Partnership, was previously the regional schools commissioner for the East of England and north-east London.
He is also the independent chair of the Norwich Opportunity Area and has worked as a headteacher in London, as national director of the national numeracy strategy and as director of education for Essex County Council.
Mr Coulson said: “This award is for all the amazing people whom I have had the good fortune to work with and alongside.
“So many of them have brought passion and determination to improve education and life chances for children and I am privileged to have seen the difference they have made.”
Dr Grenier, who becomes a CBE, is a leading voice in the early years education sector. As well as being head of Sheringham Nursery School, he is also director of East London Research School.
Before this, he was a senior early years adviser in Tower Hamlets and headteacher of Kate Greenaway Nursery School and Children’s Centre in Islington, London.
He said: ”I am humbled by this honour. From the first day, I worked in a Sheffield nursery class, when a team of experienced nursery nurses took me under their wing, I loved working in the early years.
“I’ve been very fortunate to work with many wonderful people over the years. I’d especially like to thank the team at Sheringham Nursery School and Children’s Centre, who work so hard every day to make a difference for the children, many from disadvantaged backgrounds. I’d also like to thank the community in Manor Park and Little Ilford for the support they give us.”
The Honours list also includes Lee Mason-Ellis, the chief executive of The Pioneer Academy (TPA) based in London, Brighton, Surrey and Kent, who is made an OBE.
Mr Mason-Ellis became head at Stewart Fleming Primary School, now part of the TPA, in 2008 after the school was in special measures. It has since been judged to be “outstanding” in all areas by Ofsted.
Mr Mason-Ellis also drove to the Poland-Ukraine border to deliver supplies after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while schools across the trust raised more than £17,000 to help those affected by the war.
He said: “I am delighted and overwhelmed to be awarded this honour.
“I hope this achievement will show children at all schools across the trust that they can achieve anything they set their mind to.
“I truly believe in the power of education to transform lives, and throughout my career I have strived to make sure that children in schools that I have taught in, and led, have the absolute best start in life.”
The release of the Queen’s Birthday Honours ahead of the Platinum Jubilee aims to celebrate individual outstanding achievements and contributions to British society.
Here is the full list of honours recipients from the schools sector in England.
Queen’s Birthday Honours list
Knights bachelor
Martyn Ellis Oliver. Chief executive officer, Outwood Grange Academies Trust. For services to Education. (Tollerton, North Yorkshire)
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Dr Thomas Canning OBE. Chief executive officer, The Boleyn Trust and co-opted member, East of England and north-east London advisory board. For services to education. (London, Greater London)
Dr Timothy Coulson. Chief executive officer, Unity Schools Partnership and independent chair, Norwich Opportunity Area. For services to education. (Knebworth, Hertfordshire)
Dr Julian Grenier. Headteacher, Sheringham Nursery School and Children’s Centre. For services to early years education. (London, Greater London)
Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Shahina Ahmad. Principal, Eden Girls’ School, London Borough of Waltham Forest. For services to education. (London, Greater London)
Dr Elaine Allen. Executive headteacher, St John Vianney School and English Hub, Blackpool. For services to education. (Blackpool, Lancashire)
Claire Elizabeth Dorer. Chief executive, the National Association of Independent Schools and Non-Maintained Special Schools (NASS). For services to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. (Chudleigh, Devon)
Paula Farrow. Chief executive officer, Nexus Education Schools Trust. For services to education. (London, Greater London)
Jane Fearnley. Chief executive officer and executive headteacher, Willow Tree Academy Trust. For services to education. (Sheffield, South Yorkshire)
Hifsa Haroon-Iqbal MBE DL. Regional Prevent co-ordinator, Department for Education. For services to social cohesion. (Staffordshire)
Jonathan Johnson. Chief executive officer, West Lakes Multi Academy Trust. For services to education. (Egremont, Cumbria)
Kamruddin Kothia. Chair of board of trustees, Star Academies. For services to education. (Blackburn, Lancashire)
Lee Mason-Ellis. Chief executive officer, The Pioneer Academy. For services to education. (London, Greater London)
Rohit Naik. Headteacher, Hope School, Liverpool. For services to education. (Liverpool, Merseyside)
Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Jennifer Adamson. Headteacher, Saffron Valley Collegiate School. For services to the education of disadvantaged and vulnerable children. (London, Greater London)
Catherine Connolly. Headteacher, Brownhill Learning Community. For services to the education of disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people. (Rochdale, Greater Manchester)
Yvonne Davis. Lately headteacher, Oak View Primary and Nursery School, Hatfield, Hertfordshire. For services to education. (Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire)
Amerigo Domenico Fragale. Governor, Spalding High School, Lincolnshire. For services to education. (Spading, Lincolnshire)
Lorna Jackson. Headteacher, Maryland Primary School, London Borough of Newham. For services to education. (London, Greater London)
Michelle Jones. Headteacher, Landsdowne Primary School, Canton, Cardiff. For services to education, particularly during Covid-19. (Cardiff, South Glamorgan)
Andrew Lawrence. Teacher, Hampton School, Hampton, London Borough of Richmond. For services to Holocaust and genocide education. (Twickenham, Middlesex)
Sue Marooney. Chief executive officer, Durrington Multi Academy Trust, executive and headteacher, Durrington High School, West Sussex. For services to education. (Henfield, West Sussex)
Julia Millard. Chair of governors, Langley Moor Nursery, Langley Moor Primary School and Durham Community Business College. For services to education. (Meadowfield, County Durham)
Donna Neely-Hayes. Headteacher, Denbigh High School, Luton, Bedfordshire. For services to education. (Renhold, Bedfordshire)
Catherine Thomas. Teacher, Sidney Stringer Academy, Coventry. For services to education and to the community in Coventry. (Leamington, Warwickshire)
Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)
Wendy Heathman. School administrator, United Schools Federation. For services to education in Devon. (Ashburton, Devon)
Bryan Lee. Site manager, Tomlinscote School, Frimley, Surrey. For services to education and to the community in Surrey. (Camberley, Surrey)
Jane Stoodley. Personal assistant to the principal and chief executive, Strode College, Somerset. For services to education. (Glastonbury, Somerset)
