Baroness Warnock, whose work transformed the education of children with special educational needs, and Helen Fraser, recently retired chief executive of the Girls’ Day School Trust (pictured), are among those from the world of education named in the New Year’s Honours List.

Baroness Warnock has been made a companion of honour and Ms Fraser has been made a dame.

Baroness Warnock, 92, known for her work as a moral philosopher and former mistress of Girton College, Cambridge, chaired the 1978 Warnock Report which defined special needs as we now know it.

Her report led to the introduction of statementing, which gives children with special educational needs an entitlement to special support, ensuring that they could be educated in mainstream schools alongside their peers.

Dame Helen has been a long-standing supporter girls’ take-up of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects and while chief executive of the GDST for six and a half years, saw the numbers of girls receiving full bursaries double.

Dame Helen said she was “surprised and delighted” to be recognised in the New Year’s Honours List. “I feel it’s wonderful for me personally and for the GDST for all of the hard work we do and other girls schools for the advancement of girls, not only in education but in their adult lives. I am very thrilled,” she said.

In total 1,197 people have received an award and approximately 10 per cent of honours are for work in education. Among those in the sector receiving the most prestigious gongs in this year’s honours list, Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), are six leading figures in education:

• Hardip Singh Begol, director of independent education, safeguarding in schools and counter extremism, Department for Education. For services to Education.
• Dr Jonathan Clark, executive headteacher of Beckmead Family of Schools in Croydon. For services to Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
• Seamus Michael Oates, chief executive officer and executive headteacher, Tri-borough Alternative Provision Multi Academy Trust. For services to Education.
• Roger John Pope, longstanding TES columnist, chief executive officer of Academies South West Multi-Academy Trust and executive principal of Kingsbridge Community College, Devon. For services to Education.
• Nigel Paul Richardson, lately director of Children’s Services, Leeds City Council. For services to Children and Families. (Hessle, East Riding of Yorkshire)
• Dr Margaret Ann Whalley, MBE, lately director of research, training and development at Pen Green Training and Development Centre in Northamptonshire. For services to Education.

The Honours Education Committee has also recommended many other educationists, heads and teachers as recipients of OBEs and MBEs. The full list is available here. 

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