Our Director of School Improvement has been awarded an MBE in King Charles III’s Birthday Honours List.
David Lowbridge-Ellis, from Wednesbury, has been recognised in the first of King Charles’s Birthday Honours for services to education. As well as improving the life chances of children across the West Midlands as a teacher and leader for nearly two decades, David has worked extensively with the Department for Education to reduce teacher workload, improve retention to the profession, innovate assessment and promote LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
Wolverhampton-born Lowbridge-Ellis, 40, said he is “deeply appreciative and humbled” to be recognised in this way after nearly two decades serving as a teacher and school leader.
He said: “Whilst I recognise that this is a personal honour, I’m part of a fantastically talented and enthusiastic team. All children deserve an excellent education and I am proud of what we achieve as a Trust: education without exception. It has been really wonderful being invited to share at a national level many of the things our Trust does to recruit teachers and retain them in the profession. You can’t give children an excellent education without great teachers. So many people who work day-in-day out to educate young people are deserving of this kind of recognition and I accept it in honour of all of my colleagues, not just teachers but also teaching assistants, support staff and governors.”
Chair of Matrix Trustees, Jeremy Bench, added: “I am delighted that David’s significant achievements and outstanding contributions to schools and the wider community have been recognised by King Charles. David has given many years’ loyal service to the Trust, first as a teacher and senior leader of Barr Beacon School and now as our Director of School Improvement. He has shared educational excellence with many academies both across the Midlands and nationally. He is a credit to our Trust and I speak on behalf of the whole Matrix family when I say we are very proud of him.”