ANITA STRAKER CB OBE

Anita Straker is a Principal Consultant with the Centre for British Teachers (CfBT). She has had ten years of experience of leading and managing major national government curriculum initiatives across the age range 4 to 19.

From 2003 to 2005 she was the leader of the team of CfBT consultants who developed new curriculum standards, schemes of work and training materials for the Education Institute in Qatar.

She has led a number of national initiatives for the British Government. She directed the National Numeracy Strategy to raise standards in primary mathematics (19962000), and the Key Stage 3 Strategy, to raise standards in English, mathematics, science, ICT and other subjects in English secondary schools (200002). Earlier she led the National Primary Project which introduced computers into UK schools (198386) and was an adviser to the national government on the introduction of the National Curriculum for mathematics in 1989. In 2004, she acted temporarily as the Government’s Chief Adviser for mathematics to assist with the development of a national strategy for mathematics education for the 14 to 19 age group.

In the early stages of her career she worked as a teacher, then as a school inspector and teacher trainer in various Local Education Authorities in England, including the Inner London Education Authority, where she was the District Inspector for Mathematics. From 199396, she was the Deputy Director of Education in Camden Local Education Authority.

Anita has a Masters Degree in mathematics and an honorary Doctorate in Civil Law. She has written and edited numerous publications and training materials on mathematics and other educational issues and has been a keynote speaker at international conferences. She has contributed to major educational projects and teacher training in several overseas countries, including Hong Kong, Australia, China, Singapore, Germany, Cyprus, and Qatar.

Anita was awarded the OBE for her services to education in 1990 and was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 2001.