Ruth Silver has become a Dame of the British Empire in the Queen’s birthday honours - eight years after being made a CBE.

Dame Ruth is an adviser to the Commons education select committee and a visiting professor in educational development at London’s South Bank university.

She has written and broadcast extensively on education and has a particular interest in inclusion in inner-city communities, such as the one served by Lewisham college, in south London, where she is principal.

She recently retired from her post as chair of the Working Men’s college, which is celebrating the news that Satnam Gill, its principal, has been awarded the OBE.

FULL FE HONOURS LIST

Companion of the Order of the Bath

Thomas Jeffery, director-general of Children, Young People and Families, at the Department for Education and Skills.

Dame of the British Empire

Ruth Silver, CBE, principal of Lewisham college, south London.

Commanders of the British Empire

Simon Campbell. president of the Royal Society of Chemistry. For services to science.

William Turtle, director and chief executive, Belfast institute of further and higher education.

Lynne Morris, principal, Joseph Chamberlain college, Birmingham.

Officers of the British Empire

Caroline Allen, principal, Orchard Hill specialist further education college, Sutton, Surrey.

Jafar Mirza, chair of governors, Cambridge Regional college.

John Burt, principal and chief executive, Angus college, Arbroath.

Satnam Singh Gill, principal, Working Men’s college, London.

Members of the British Empire

Hugh Gilgunn, technician, East Down institute of further and higher education.

Pamela Jordan, member of the corporation, North West London college.

Robert Millington, former assistant principal, City college, Coventry. l Muriel Nymark, former administrator, Belfast institute of further and higher education.

Aquila Peasgood, clerk to the corporation, Stamford college, Lincolnshire.

John Rostron, chair of governors, King George V sixth-form college, Lancashire.

Adrian Vettese, manager, special programmes section, Adam Smith college, Fife.

Ian Wilkinson, media technician, Dundee college.

Somal Amarjit. head of school for speakers of other languages, East Berkshire college.