Dame Christine Gilbert named incoming chair of Education Endowment Foundation
Catherine Gaunt
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Dame Christine Gilbert, a former Ofsted chief inspector, has been named as the new chair of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), replacing Sir Peter Lampl.
Dame Christine, who has served as a trustee of the EEF since January 2023, will take on the role at the start of 2024.
She will succeed Sir Peter, who was primarily responsible for setting up the EEF in 2011, which was funded by his own and government money.
Dame Christine’s career in the English education system includes her tenure as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector at Ofsted between 2006 and 2011, and she has been a visiting Professor at UCL Institute of Education for over 10 years.
She is chair of Camden Learning, a school-led partnership that brings teachers, headteachers and other education professionals together to improve practice and drive improvement and joint chair of the Area-based Education Partnership Association (AEPA).
Under Sir Peter’s leadership, the EEF has focused on improving outcomes for socio-economically disadvantaged children and young people, drawing on education research in schools and in policymaking.
Gilbert said she was looking forward to her new role as chair, ‘I’ve seen first-hand the power that great teaching can have on improving outcomes for all young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The EEF plays such an important role in this by supporting schools, early years settings, and colleges to make best use of evidence.
‘Over the past decade, the EEF has become a much-respected part of the English education landscape. I’ve got to know their work in great depth during my time as Trustee, during which time I’ve been grateful for Sir Peter’s leadership’.
Sir Peter will continue his long-standing association with the EEF as emeritus chair.
‘I’m extremely proud to have guided the EEF to become such an amazing organisation since I led the successful bid for £125m of government funding to set up the foundation in 2011,’ he said. ‘The EEF has set new standards for educational research and provided an invaluable resource for a wide range of teachers, school leaders and policy makers. Its recent re-endowment reflects the strong value and recognition of its work across the sector.
‘I am delighted that Dame Christine will be succeeding me when my term comes to an end next year.’
Sir Peter will also stay on as chair of the Sutton Trust.
