Sir Ron Dearing, chairman of the national committee of inquiry into higher education and former chairman of the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority. He has also conducted major reviews of the national curriculum and of qualifications for 16 to 19-year-olds.

Knighthood

Professor John Arbuthnott, principal of the University of Strathclyde, who was a member of the Dearing committee of enquiry and its Scottish arm, the Garrick committee.

Leslie Hampton, headteacher. Northicote School, Wolverhampton, who, within two years, restored the school which failed an Office for Standards in Education inspection.

DBE

Patricia Collarbone, director of the London Leadership Centre and former head of Haggerston Secondary School for Girls, Hackney where she raised standards well above local averages. From 1995-97 she played a key role as a member of the ministerial school standards group.

Tamsyn Imison, headteacher, Hampstead School in the London borough of Camden, whose initiatives to improve standards included development planning: clearly defined priorities established through wide consultation before targets are set for all departments.

Order of the Bath: CB

John Clive Hedger, director of operations at the Department for Education and Employment.

CBE

Peter Clark, headteacher, Rastrick High School, Calderdale. who presided over constant improvement in standards in his present post since 1985 and was sent in to turn round the failing Ridings School in Halifax in 1996, when he achieved significant improvements.

Carole Ann Evans, head of Priory Primary School, Slough, who was appointed to amalgamate the first and middle schools into a primary school with more than 700 pupils, and has presided over significant improvements, both in pupil achievement and teaching quality.

Bill Fraser, professor in learning disabilities, University of Wales College of Medicine.

Andrew David Derry Hill, AZTEC chairman, London Regional Training and Enterprise Council, for services to training.

Roy James, lately HM chief inspector of schools in Wales, who set up the first comprehensive arrangements for the regular inspection of all schools and quality and standards in further education and initial teacher training.

David Newman, principal, Brooke Weston City Technology College, Corby, who has established a successful all-ability school.

Judith Phillips, head of the strategic planning and resources team, Office for Standards in Education.

Ruth Silver, principal, Lewisham College in London, where morale is high despite reductions in funding, and the achievements of students are excellent despite the fact that many come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

OBE

Peter Blake, lately headteacher, Windsor Boys’ School, Berkshire, who has promoted high standards of achievement and behaviour.

John Botham, headteacher, Greenwood Junior School, Nottingham, who led a prestigious and successful City Challenge Achievement Project which has earned him an appointment as a member of the National Literacy Task Force.

Pamela Bowmaker, headteacher, Varndean School, Brighton.and chair of the Secondary Headteachers’ Group in East Sussex.

Dorothy Bowman, chairman of governors, Cherry Willingham Primary School, Lincolnshire.

Barry Cooke, headteacher, Hyde Technology School, Tameside, who has demonstrated how education business links should be managed.

Alan Curless, chief executive, Chamber of Commerce, Training and Enterprise, Hereford and Worcester, for services to training.

Brian Davies, lately director of education, Catholic Fund for Overseas Development, Warwickshire.

Walter Done, deputy county education officer, Cheshire.

Keith Gillard, chief executive, Mid Glamorgan Education Business Partnership, Mid Glamorgan.

Peter Lambert, regional director, Business in the Community, West Midlands.

William Lyons, lately regional director, Scottish Agricultural College.

Very Rev Robert Lynas, for service to education.

John Preshous, lately head teacher, the Community College, Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire, a small college with few facilities which has been strengthened and transformed.

Gillian Pugh, chief executive, Thomas Coram Foundation for Children, London.

Elizabeth Reid, for services to education.

Charles Rowland, lately principal, Tresham Institute of Further Education, Northampton, and a member of various national committees.

Cecilia McCloskey-Walters, for services to education.

Margaret Wilson, lately chief librarian, Department for Education and Employment.

MBE

Mary Arthur, headteacher, Tulloch Primary School, Perth, for services to education.

Joan Bailey, for services to the Kids Club Network and to the community in Peterlee, County Durham.

June Bailey, for services to the Gravesend Grammar School for Girls, Kent.

Alice Barrow, senior mid-day supervisor and cleaner-in-charge at the Thwaites Primary School, Cumbria, with which she has been associated for 55 years.

Edward Boyle, head janitor, Hawick High School, Roxburghshire.

Veronica Bradbury, head, Allfarthing Primary School, Wandsworth, one of the first to be awarded the Wandsworth Schools Charter Award.

Helena Braithwaite, for services to music education in Wales.

Bessie Brooker, cook-in-charge Lychett Minister School, Dorset, for services to young people.

Patricia Brown, for services to education.

Kathleen Capp, school crossing patrol, Bedfordshire County Council.

Margaret Collyer, for services to education for young people with learning difficulties.

Marian Davies, lately teacher, Wood Green School, Witney, Oxfordshire.

Marlene Dolman, school secretary and budget manager, Northfield Infant and Junior Schools, Nottinghamshire.

Joyce Eustace, school crossing patrol, Twickenham, Middlesex.

Kathleen Fogg, lately headteacher, RAF Waddington Nursery School.

Ian Gibson, headteacher, Parkgate Junior School, Watford.

May Green, classroom helper and special needs assistant for children with emotional, behavioural and special physical needs at Queens Church of England junior school, Warwickshire.

Hermione Gurney, for services to learning disabled people, especially those with Down’s syndrome, in Canterbury, Kent.

Patricia Jeskins, lately head of classics, Taunton’s College, Southampton.

Andrew Leal, head of open and flexible learning, Plymouth College of Further Education.

Shiela McCaul, for services to education.

George McCreedy, senior youth and community worker, Prudhoe High School, Northumberland. Dennis Mitchell, for services to training in the West Midlands.

Senga Monroe, senior teacher with responsibility for traveller education, Fife Council.

James Paul, assistant headteacher, Castlemilk High School, Glasgow, for services to education and schools football.

Barbara Pickles, head of Freshfield Nursery School, Stockport.

Edwena Pope, for services to the community, especially Stag Lane Middle School in Edgware, Middlesex.

Mollie Quirk for services to education and to the community on the Isle of Man.

Stanley Richards, principal of the former Bridgnorth College, Shropshire, 1964 -1987.

Lynda Roberts, teacher, Good-nestone Primary School, Canter-bury, Kent, for services to teaching and special educational needs.

Roderick Ross, area community support manager, Stirling Council, for services to youth and community education.

Simon Springett, head. Abbots Langley School, Hertfordshire.

Barbara Wells, chair of the governing body of Robert Pattinson GM comprehensive school and connected with North Scarle primary school, Lincolnshire, for more than 40 years.

Colin Wilkinson, lately head care-taker, Norfolk School, Sheffield.

Kenneth Victor Young, chief security officer, DFEE.