Tim Brighouse knighted for achievements in education

Educationist Tim Brighouse at Thomas Tallis school in London. Photograph: Martin Godwin

The educationalist Tim Brighouse, who was formerly London schools tsar, has been knighted for his achievements in the new year's honours list.

Brighouse has spent his entire career in education after his parents said journalism was too hazardous.

In a career spanning three decades, he worked in grammar and secondary modern schools, including a deputy headship at the age of 26, before becoming chief education officer of Oxfordshire at 38.

He has held professorial posts at Keele University and the Institute of Education and has honorary doctorates from the Open University, Oxford Brookes, Exeter, Warwick, Birmingham, West of England and Sheffield Hallam.

Ralph Tabberer, director-general for schools at the Department for Children, Schools and Families, also received a knighthood, despite this summer's delayed Sats results that led to the scrapping of the contract with ETS Europe and the demise of a government body, the National Assessment Agency.

The chair of the Million+ group of former polytechnics and vice-chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire, Prof Les Ebdon, was awarded a CBE for services to local and national higher education.

Dr Mark Walport – head of the UK's largest research funder, the Wellcome Trust, which provides billions of pounds worth of grants to UK researchers each year – was knighted for services to medical research.

The businessman John Madejski, who has an academy named after him, was also knighted for his charitable services.

Among the other honours for outstanding service in schools, further education colleges and higher education were knighthoods for Robert Edwards, head of Garforth community college in Leeds, Wendy Hall, professor of computer science at the University of Southampton for services to science and technology and Martin Taylor, professor in pure mathematics at the University of Manchester, while Keith Elliot, principal of City of Bristol college, was awarded a CBE.

Among those named in the new year honours are:

Knighthood

Prof Ian Halliday, chief executive of Scottish Universities Physics Alliance and president of the European Science Foundation, for services to science

Commander of the British Empire

Isabelle Boyd, headteacher, Cardinal Newman high school, Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, for services to education

Prof Tina Bruce, visiting professor of early childhood studies, Roehampton University, for services to early years education

Tarun Kapur, executive headteacher, Ashton-on Mersey and Broakoak schools, Trafford, for services to education

Prof Thomas Kirkwood, professor of medicine and director of the Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, for services to medical science

Prof Henrietta Leyser, professor of plan developmental genetics, University of York, for services to plant science

Francis McLoughlin, principal of City and Islington college, for services to further education

Prof Alexander Templeton, professor of obstetrics and gynaecology, University of Aberdeen, for services to medicine

Prof Peter Wells, research professor and senior scientific director, Institute of Medical Engineering and Medical Physics, University of Cardiff, for services to healthcare science.

Prof David Woods, principal adviser, City Challenge, for services to education

Order of the British Empire

Veronica Rowland, cook manager at St Joseph's boys' high school, Newry, for services to education in Northern Ireland

William Tate, principal, Belvoir Park primary school, Belfast, for services to education in Northern Ireland

John Teal, caretaker, Hartlepool sixth-form college, for services to further education

Peter Vowles, learning gateway manager, Weymouth college, for services to further education

Patricia Wallson, formerly headteacher, Columbia Market nursery school and vice-chair, Little Oaks children's centre, Tower Hamlets, London, for services to early years education

Rosemary Ward, learning and teaching support assistant, school of education, Nottingham Trent University, for services to higher education

Ernest Watkins, for voluntary service to education in Newport, South Wales

Canon Richard White, for services to music education, Truro, Cornwall

Susan Whitham, head of secretariat, sixth-form colleges forum, for services to further education

Stephanie Wilson, governor, Newland school for girls, for voluntary service to education and to the community in Kingston-upon-Hull

Maureen Tyler-Moore, principal, independent specialist college, Foxes Academy, Minehead, for services to special needs education

Jane Pratt, governor, the Connaught school, Aldershot, Hampshire, for voluntary service to education

Valerie Priestley, for services to Edith Cavell lower school, Bedford

Arek Hersh, for voluntary service to Holocaust education

Derek Hudspeth, departmental superintendent, department of geography, University of Durham, for services to higher education

Robert Jost, prison officer physical education, HM Young Offenders' Institution Thorn Cross, Warrington, for public and voluntary service

Carol Leonard, nursery nurse, St Clement Danes Church of England primary school, Westminster, London, for services to education

Douglas MacNeilage, formerly janitor, Tobermory high school, for services to education and to the community in the Isle of Mull

Prof Jagdish Dave, for services to education and to Asian people

Margaret Fish, formerly teacher, Park primary school, Alloa, Clackmannanshire, for services to education and to the community in Alloa

Kenneth Bates, formerly chairman, University of the Third Age Nottingham, for voluntary service to adult education