Phoenix Knighthood

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Head who inspired Lenny Henry has been knighted

The headteacher of Phoenix High School, William Atkinson, has been knighted in the Queen’s birthday honours.

Mr Atkinson took over the secondary school in Shepherd's Bush in 1995. At that time it was in ‘special measures’, but in the past 12 years has become an ‘outstanding’ school according to schools watchdog Ofsted.

His award reflects that he has "galvanised the wider community, in the most challenging of circumstances, to become pro-active in the education of its children".

Born in Jamaica and coming to Britain at the age of seven, Sir William made his name when he took over as head teacher of Phoenix High, and led the school out of special measures to become 'outstanding'.

His strong leadership and success in overcoming low results and bad behaviour, was reported to have been the inspiration for the head teacher character in the BBC's school drama, Hope and Glory, which starred Lenny Henry.

He also demonstrated his teaching ability in the Channel Four programme 'The Unteachables'.

In the latest report by Ofsted school inspectors, Sir William was described as leading Phoenix School ‘exceptionally well’ and as a ‘charismatic, indefatigable headteacher’

 

 

June 19, 2008