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Claire Robins, Headteacher of Sir John Lawes School and CEO of Scholars’ Education Trust has been awarded the OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Claire Robins has been head of Sir John Lawes since 2006, having previously taught at number of Hertfordshire Secondary Schools.  In 2009, she was made a National Leader of Education with a remit for supporting other school leaders, particularly those working in schools in challenging circumstances.  In 2012, she led the establishment of the Scholars’ Education Trust, when Sir John Lawes was asked to support Francis Bacon (now the Samuel Ryder Academy) in St Albans.  The trust now consists of Sir John Lawes School, Samuel Ryder Academy, Robert Barclay Academy and the Harpenden Primary Academy.  With the Department of Education, Claire has visited China and Singapore to look at their school systems and she has also been a member of the local Regional School’s Commissioner’s Headteacher Board for the last 4 years.   She sits on the executive committee of the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers and is also part of the group working to open the new Katherine Warington School in Harpenden.

Claire said, ‘I’m overwhelmed to receive such an honour although I do feel a bit of a fraud as I know that anything I have achieved in my career has been down to the magnificent support I have always received from my colleagues, family and friends and, perhaps most importantly, the wonderful young people I have had the pleasure to work with at all my different schools.  Teaching often gets a bad press, but I can honestly say I have thoroughly enjoyed the last 25 years, particularly my time at Sir John Lawes School where I have been able to work with truly amazing colleagues.  To know you are doing a job where you can actually make a difference to people’s lives is a responsibility I don’t take lightly, but it’s also a massive privilege and to receive this recognition is humbling.’

Simon Mundy, Chair of Sir John Lawes Governing Body, conveyed the absolute delight of all of Claire’s colleagues, the governors and the students on hearing she has received this richly deserved honour.