Keighley top of the class in New Year Honours

CBEs have been awarded for services to education to a former Keighley school head and a woman born in the town.

Louise Smith retired 12 months ago as the executive headteacher at Long Lee and Ingrow Primary Schools Federation.

And Margaret Farrar, who grew up in Keighley, has spent the past decade in senior posts with the national training agency for headteachers.

Mrs Smith, who lives in Bingley, spent 33 years as a teacher, and following her retirement in December 2012, continued working part-time in the education field.

She began her career as a history teacher at St Aidan’s Secondary School in Harrogate.

She worked in Keighley and Bradford for 30 years, and became head of Swire Smith Middle School in January 1997, then head of Long Lee Primary at the same site in 2000.

Mrs Smith served as executive head of the Long Lee and Ingrow Primary Federation for three years, overseeing progress at both schools.

On her retirement, Mrs Smith joined Bradford Primary Improvement Partner-ship to co-ordinate its leadership programme for school heads and deputies.

Margaret Farrar has also spent the past ten years training headteachers, as executive director responsible for leadership development at government agency the National College for School Leadership.

Now 58, she was born and brought up in Keighley, attending St Anne’s School, and her mother, Brenda Farrar, still lives in Keighley.

Mrs Farrar became a teacher, first in West Africa, then at secondary schools in London and Birmingham.

Mrs Farrar, who is married to Nigel with two daughters, Clare and Grace, said the CBE was “totally unexpected”.

She added: “It is a tribute to my lovely family and the wonderful teachers at St Anne’s School and St Joseph’s College, who inspired me to become a teacher and spend my life in education.”