News
Friday 18 November 2005
Honorary degree for Sir Mike Tomlinson
Former Ofsted Director and Chief Inspector of Schools, Sir Mike Tomlinson, will receive an honorary degree from Nottingham Trent University on November 26. Sir Mike, who last year headed a Government working party tasked with proposing reform of England’s curriculum and assessment arrangements for 14-19 year olds, will be awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Education (DEd).
The degree is offered in recognition of Sir Mike’s major national and international contribution to developing the quality of teaching and learning in schools, and for his visionary contribution to national policy on the reform of educational provision for 14-19 year olds.
Sir Mike qualified as a teacher of chemistry at the University of Nottingham and took his first teaching job at Henry Mellish School in Bulwell in Nottingham. He held various teaching posts in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire between 1965 and 1977, before joining Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Schools. He became Staff Inspector for Teacher Training in 1984 and then Chief Inspector (Secondary) five years later.
On the creation of Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Sir Mike became its Deputy Director of Inspection. He was promoted to Director and then Chief Inspector of Schools, before retiring from this post in 2002.
Sir Mike led the enquiry into the A-level grading issues of 2002 and monitored the awarding process. He was then asked by the Secretary of State for Education to lead a working group to review and make recommendations for the reform of curriculum and assessment arrangements for England ’s 14-19 year olds. The group’s report was published late last year and was widely acclaimed for its vision.
Earlier this year, Sir Mike was awarded a Knighthood in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for his services to education.
Sir Mike said: “Having been trained in Nottingham and starting my career in the city, this award is special. I am honoured to be recognised in this way by Nottingham Trent University.”
Nottingham Trent University’s Head of College of Communication, Culture and Education, Professor
ENDS
For more information please contact:
Dave Rogers, Press Officer, on Tel: 0115 848 2650 or via email: dave.rogers@ntu.ac.uk
Or Therese Easom, Press and Media Relations Manager, on Tel: 0115 848 6589 or via email: therese.easom@ntu.ac.uk
