The headteacher of a primary school in a socially-deprived part of Newcastle upon Tyne has been made a Dame Commander of the British Empire in the honours list.

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Mavis Grant, 51, has been head at Mary Trevelyan Primary School in the city's West End for the past 15 years.

"I see the area as a challenge, and I love working with the parents and pupils dearly," said Ms Grant, accepting an award for her work in a school in which 88% of pupils receive free school meals.

Adviser to ministers

Her award is also for services to education nationally. She is a government adviser on various policy and curriculum issues - her most recent work being on the curriculum review on teaching citizenship.

She was recently appointed to an independent inquiry set up by the education secretary into the marking of this year's National Curriculum tests for 11-year-olds.

"I just consider myself an ordinary head at a wonderful school in an inner city area," she said. "I thoroughly love my work and am still totally enthused after all these years.

Knights

"I have never thought what I was doing was anything remarkable at all, and have always tried to do the job to the best of my ability.

"The honour is as much a commendation for the school, staff, pupils and parents as it is for me."

Several academics are knighted - among them, the philosopher Professor Bernard Williams, of Oxford University, and Professor Brian Fender, Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Among other honours, Pat Petch, Chair of the National Governors' Council, becomes an OBE. This week she told a committee of MPs investigating the role of school governors that they were struggling with the "recurring nightmare" of inadequate funding in their schools.

Another new OBE is Cerri Morse, Headteacher of Penrhys Junior, Rhondda Cynon Taff - on one of the most deprived housing estates in Britain.

A number of retired school crossing patrol people become MBEs, as do a school cook - and the head cleaner at Wirksworth Infant School, Matlock in Derbyshire, Pamela Wilkinson.

Mrs Wilkinson is also said to be a dab hand at carpentry, decorating, caring for the school pets, planting flowers and putting up fencing.