United Learning’s chief executive Jon Coles has been knighted in the Queen’s birthday honours list.
Barnaby Lenon, chair of the Independent Schools Council and former headteacher of Harrow School, was also recognised with an honour, as was Andrew John McCully, a senior Department for Education civil servant.
Mr Coles’ term of office has seen United Learning grow from 18 academies and 10 independent schools in 2012 to 60 and 13 respectively now.
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The citation for his knighthood said 87 per cent of the academies inspected were good or outstanding, compared to only 11 per cent of the predecessor schools, while the group’s primary schools had improved at more than twice the national average in national assessments.
Before joining United Learning, Mr Coles was a civil servant, involved in the reduction of infant class sizes, setting up the London Challenge and reform of 14-19 years education.
He co-founded and chairs Challenge Partners, and is a trustee of the Prince’s Teaching Institute.
There were honours for 10 heads and classroom teachers in the list and for others associated with education. The list included:
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Graham Archer, director improvement and learning, children’s social care, Department for Education
Andrew John McCully, director general, early years and schools group, Department for Education
CBE
Barnaby Lenon, chair, Independent Schools Council and chair of governors, London Academy of Excellence
Rebecca Meredith, CEO, Transform Trust
Professor Anna Frances Vignoles, professor of education, University of Cambridge
OBE
Jennifer Blunden, CEO, Truro and Penwith Academy Trust
Amarjit Kaur Cheema, CEO, Perry Hall Multi-Academy Trust
Sajid Gulzar, CEO, Prince Albert Community Trust
Catherine Mary Therese Hughes, formerly principal St Bede’s Catholic College, Bristol
Jane Carol Lees, formerly chair Sex Education Forum Advisory Group
Richard Anthony Ludlow, CEO, Ebor Academy Trust, York
Jeannette MacKinney, CEO, Hales Valley Trust, Stourbridge
Professor Lee Elliot Major, formerly CEO, Sutton Trust and trustee, Education Endowment Foundation
Linda Dawn Rose, Department for Education
Anne McEwan, former president, National Association of British Schools in Spain
Ann McDonald, principal, Kellett School, the British international school in Hong Kong
Christine Wain, headteacher, Pallister Park Primary School, Middlesbrough
MBE
Janis Burdin, headteacher, Moss Side Community Primary School, Leyland, Lancashire
Spyros Petros Elia, chair of governors Brindishe Federation, Lewisham
Jaspaul Hill, headteacher, Mayfield Primary School, Cambridgeshire
Frances Lysyj, formerly Headteacher St Thomas of Canterbury RC Bolton Primary
Frank William Norris, Director Co-operative Academies Trust
Donald Jones, founder, Cambridge College, Lima, Peru and founding member of the Association of British Schools in Latin America
Marshall Kilgore, principal, Drumachose Primary School. Northern Ireland
David Lee, founder, Wilds Lodge School, Oakham
Georgios Meliniotis, physics teacher, the Meridian School, Royston
Christine Pickersgill, teacher, Colyton Grammar School
Katherine Ryan, headteacher, Matthew Arnold School, Oxfordshire
Margaret Scott, former headteacher, Forest Lodge Primary School, Leicestershire
Ian Seaton, former chair of governors, City of London School
Matthew Smith, business manager, Sheringham Woodfields School and founder and trustee, North Walsham Play
Narendra Solanki, chair, Multi Academy Trust, St Simon and St Judes Primary School, Bolton
Jacqueline Stewart, former principal, Downshire High School, Larne
