The 62-year-old head of Nunthorpe comprehensive, in Middlesbrough, was inspired by the group that met in his school.

He said: “At WeightWatchers, sharing your problem and meeting a weekly target means that, when the cream cakes come out, you can resist them. So we set up ‘grade-watchers’, where boys worked together and received grades for effort at the end of the lesson.”

At the scheme launch, seven years ago, 50 per cent of boys got five A*-C GCSEs, compared with 72 per cent in 2002. The programme has since been extended to include boys and girls of all abilities.

Pamela Coward, head of Middleton technology college, in Rochdale, was similarly recognised for her work with challenging pupils. The 59-year-old is to become a dame, after pulling her school from the bottom to the top of the local league tables. “You have to separate children from their backgrounds,” she said. “Now they have a good school, they go on to university, they have choices. That’s what drives me.”

Ruth Robins, head of the Jewish Free School, Brent, north London, will also become a dame. She described her achievement as “an accolade for the teaching profession as a whole”. Her chair of governors, Arnold Wagner, received an OBE.

Peter Lampl, 56, chair of the Sutton Trust charity, was awarded a knighthood, for six years’ work with underprivileged pupils.

Peter Smith, who retired as general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers at the end of 2002, was awarded a CBE. He had worked for the union since 1978, including 15 years as leader.

Kathleen Tattersall, director general of the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance, received an OBE.

Suzanne Warn, an Edexcel geography examiner for 20 years, and Neil Buckley, maths examiner for the AQA, become MBEs.

Christina Bienkowska was the highest honoured of several Department for Education and Skills officials, with her CBE.

Among the awards distributed on the personal recommendation of the Queen was the Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, presented to Andrew Gailey.

Dr Gailey, Eton College housemaster for both Princes William and Harry, is said to have been a steadying influence on his charges.

Former UK Coca-Cola boss Chris Banks, who chairs the young people’s learning committee at the Learning and Skills Council, becomes a CBE.

Former deputy chair of the Association of Colleges, Helen Gilchrist, is also awarded a CBE. Ms Gilchrist, aged 52, the principal of Bury college, was called in to take over temporarily at Barnsley, when its principal was dismissed after a year on sick leave.

BIRTHDAY HONOURS FOR EDUCATION

KNIGHTHOOD

Martin Arbib, DL, services to education charities

Peter Lampl, OBE, chairman, Sutton Trust

John Reginald Rowling, head, Nunthorpe comprehensive, Middlesbrough

DAME OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

Pamela Sarah Coward, head, Middleton comprehensive, Rochdale

Ruth Laura Robins, head, JFS comprehensive, Brent, north London

ROYAL VICTORIAN ORDER KCVO

Andrew Louis Hamilton Gailey, housemaster, Eton College

ROYAL VICTORIAN MEDAL RVM

Ivor Benjamin Reeves, part-time security officer, Eton College

CBE

Christopher Nigel Banks, chair, Learning and Skills Council’s young people’s learning committee, and chair, London Employers’ Coalition

Christina Ann Bienkowska, divisional manager, strategy and performance division, Department for Education and Skills

Susan Catherine Campbell, MBE, chief executive, Youth Sports Trust

Anthony Cooper, head, Aldercar comprehensive, Derbyshire

Helen Mary Gilchrist, principal, Bury college

Judith McClure, head, St George’s secondary, Edinburgh

Iain Macleod McMillan, director, CBI Scotland

Bushra Khanum Nasir, head, Plashet comprehensive, Newham, east London

Peter Anthony Smith, lately general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers

Adrian Spencer Vaughan Williams, head, Bury St Edmunds comprehensive, Suffolk

OBE

Roger Townley Alston, head, William Howard comprehensive, Cumbria

Gordon Byrne, director, Upper Bann institute of further and higher education, County Down

Andrew Nicholas Carter, head, South Farnham primary, Surrey

Trevor Chandler, head, Pen Green early excellence centre, Northamptonshire

Mohammed Akram Khan-Cheema, consultant to the Association for Muslim Schools

John Crossan, principal, Mount Gilbert secondary, Belfast

Peter Charles Fair, JP, lately lead officer for Northampton schools review

Anne Fine, former children’s laureate

Colin Sidney George, chair, Lifelong Learning Foundation

Norman Neil Nicolson Gillies, director, Sabhal Mor Ostaig

Philip Ralph Golding, head, St Helen’s primary, Suffolk

Beryl Edith Holt, head, Woodchurch high, Wirral

Christopher George Wilson Hunter, principal, Glasgow college of nautical studies

Roger Critchley Kenyon, services to the community, especially in health and education, in Nottingham

Nigel Gilbert Lawrie, head, Port Glasgow high

Kathleen Maria Maguiness, lately chair, board of management, Cardonald College Glasgow Michael McCabe, director, educational services, South Ayrshire Council

Frederick James England McCrindle, principal, Reading college and school of arts and design

Fiona McMillan, principal, Bridgwater college, Somerset

Thomas Richard Miles, services to people with dyslexia

Anne Jessie Mackenzie Morris, lately head, Fife educational service

Kitty Hart-Moxon, services to Holocaust training and education

Janet Dianne Newton, services for citizenship and the teaching of democracy in schools

June Nisbet, leader, school-government team, schools admissions organisation and governance division, Department for Education and Skills

Steve Packer, deputy director, Education For All global monitoring report team, Department for International Development

Fraser Robertson Patrick, lately director, Neighbourhood Resources and Development, Dundee

Elizabeth Mary Kirby Phillips, head, St Marylebone CE comprehensive, Westminster, central London

Mary Lynne Saunders, head, Bettridge school, Gloucester

Richard John Sterling, managing director, Coolkeeragh Group

David Stewart, head, Shepherd special school, Nottingham

Stephen Stewart, chief executive, Coventry and Warwickshire Connexions partnership.

Philip Street, chief executive officer, Community Education Development Centre

David Ronald Swallow, head, Barry comprehensive, Vale of Glamorgan

Kathleen Tattersall, director general, Assessment and Qualifications Alliance

Arnold Wagner, chair of governors, JFS comprehensive, Brent, north London

Roy Belford Walker, principal childcare manager, East Riding of Yorkshire

Sandra Ann Walton, head, Allens Croft primary, Birmingham

Ashley John Graham Winter, chairman, learning and skills council for Tyne and Wear

MBE

Neil Adam, janitor, Friockheim primary, Angus

Marie Allen, head, the Fresh Start faculty, Liverpool community college

Francis Houlston Annett, education research manager, Learning and Skills

Council

James Whiteford Arbuckle, former chairman, Royal Northern Countryside Initiative

Stacey Atkinson, services to children with learning disabilities

Irene Audain, chief executive, Scottish Out-of-School Care Network

David Delius Anton Bantock, services to the community, especially education in Withywood, Bristol

George Herbert Brown, chair of governors, Oxhey and Kingsfield schools, Stoke-on-Trent

Neil Anthony Buckley, senior teacher, mathematics, Guthlaxton college, Leicestershire, and public examiner, Assessment and Qualifications Alliance

John Spencer Burnett, chairman, board of management, Oatridge agricultural college

Mervyn Burtch, president, KidsOp

Betty Challis, school-crossing warden, Witchford, Ely

Carol Davis, caretaker and support assistant, Bulphan primary, Essex

Michael John Dunning, services to the defence industry

Elizabeth Jane Earle, chair, School Friends Association and governor, Roos primary, East Riding of Yorkshire

Richard George Evans, deputy head, Copland comprehensive, Wembley, London

Linda Faulkner, reception and security manager, facilities management London, commercial services division, Department for Education and Skills

Peter John Fletcher, governor, Bideford college, Devon

Peter Gibbons, information communication technology technician, Philips high school, Manchester

Jean Mercedes Gooding, governor, Haling Manor comp and Howard primary, Surrey

Carolyne Isabelle Graham, special needs educational clerical auxiliary, Lanark grammar

Rex David Hall, education consultant

Richard John Hallam, head, music service, Oxfordshire County Council, and chair, National Association of Music Educators

Eileen Barbara Hargreaves, chair of governors, Beauherne comprehensive, Kent

Shirley Hayward, head of school for skills for life and learning, Yeovil college, Somerset

Michael John Hoy, services to education in the Isle of Man

Hasanat Mohammad Husaid, services to the education of ethnic-minority communities

Gloria Hyatt, principal, Elimu academy, Merseyside

Bruno Imerini, security supervisor, Office for Standards in Education

Robert Samuel Jennings, principal, Slemish college, Co Antrim

Joy Jones, leader, Westbury Park playgroup, Bristol

Jennifer Jacqueline King, services to schools for children with special needs in the United Arab Emirates

John Richard Lewis, chair of governors, Lamphey primary, Pembrokeshire

Brian William Limbrick, founder, Hitchin British Schools project and trust

Beryl Mason, Shropshire, services to Sure Start, early-years education and childcare

Richard Chrichton Matthew, chief officer, Merchant Navy Training Board

Isobel Montgomery, senior clerical assistant, James Hamilton Academy, Kilmarnock

Catherine Denise Morgan, head, Goetre infants, Merthyr Tydfil

Elizabeth Pearl Morrison, curriculum director, Fermanagh college

Mary Bernadette Munden, nursery nurse, Claremont school, Bristol

John Michael Nugent, services to education, skills and business, Manchester

Rhoda Ottoway, Ridge Meadow primary, Kent

Hazel Ann Oughton, school crossing warden, Frodsham, Cheshire

Cecile Oxaal, English teacher, Winifrid Holtby comprehensive, Hull

Angela Palmer, nursery nurse, Northfield Road primary, Dudley

Phyllis Ann Palmer, founder member, South Cumbria Dyslexia Association

Annabelle Elizabeth Poots, founder member, Lisburn special-care school, parents’ association, Co Antrim

Peter Robert Richardson, teacher, Haycliffe school, Bradford

Audrey Watkin Rose, services to the community, especially health and education in Sheffield

Robina Shahnaz Shah, JP, services to Asian children with learning disabilities

Marion Simon, services to trade unions and workplace learning

Simon Singh, promotion of science, technology, engineering and maths in schools

Thomas Kay Slimming, lecturer, Stow college, Glasgow

Martin Ansdell-Smith, senior network analyst, Department for Education and Skills

Patricia Stringfellow, chair, judging panel, National Training Awards

Anne Thompson, principal, Currie primary, Belfast

James Alan Tompkins, lately premises manager, Langbourne primary, Southwark, south London

Mary Ruth Tucker, adult ed tutor, Neath

Denis Unsworth, head of Geneva English school

Suzanne Warn, Edexcel geography examiner

John Blakeney Waugh, principal, Weaffield primary, Belfast

Helen White, school crossing warden, Dorset

Joyce Willis, teaching assistant, Willoughby primary, Lincolnshire