Old Member Katharine Birbalsingh to be appointed Chair of Social Mobility Commission

Old Member Katharine Birbalsingh CBE (1991, Philosophy and Modern Languages) has been named as the preferred candidate for the role of Chair of the Social Mobility Commission. 

The government announcement said that the appointment of Ms Birbalsingh "will see a renewed focus from the Commission on areas such as regional disparities, employment, education and enterprise."

Katharine Birbalsingh is the founder and headmistress of Michaela Community School, a free school which was established in London in 2014. The success of Michaela, including its positive impact on ethnic minority children and the track record it has on social mobility, were all part of the reason that Ms Birbalsingh was considered the best candidate for the role.

Katharine said, "As we recover from the pandemic, this is the moment to develop a culture in our society which provides an equal chance for all.

“From education, to early years in the home and onto the world of work, improving social mobility is more vital than ever, and I look forward to taking up this important role.

“My immediate priorities will include developing a sound evidence base from which change can flow. On the one hand, I want to inspire real action that will encourage people to seize the opportunities available to them, and on the other, I want to ensure that the government and other public bodies are delivering on their commitments to providing such opportunities, so that we really can ‘level up’ every region of the UK.”

Congratulations to Katharine and we wish her all the best in this important role.