AoBSO Patron

The Rt Hon Sir Robert Balchin, Baron Lingfield

AoBSO are delighted to be supported by our Patron Sir Robert Balchin, Baron Lingfield.

Lord Lingfield was knighted for services to education in the New Year’s Honours List of 1993. He was senior adviser in education to the government and in charge of the policy of independence for state schools from 1989-97.

His schools initiative was described by Telegraph Deputy Editor, Benedict Brogan as ‘the first, and as time passes, perhaps the most important legislative milestone achieved by the Coalition government.’

He was Pro-Chancellor of Brunel University from 2006-13, having served as Chairman of Goldsmiths’ College, University of London from 1999-2005.

He was appointed in 2012 by the then Secretary of State to chair the government Review of Professionalism in Further Education which was published as the Lingfield Report. Its Recommendations were accepted in full and as a consequence of them he was appointed by the Secretary of State in 2013 to create a new national Institution for Further Education which received its Royal Charter in October 2015. This he now chairs and under his leadership has grown to encompass the most outstanding vocational colleges in the country.

In 2006 his appointment as Knight Principal of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor  was approved by The Queen; in 2012, he was appointed as Knight President.

He is a Knight of the Order of St John (having been Director-General of St John Ambulance from 1984-89) He has four honorary degrees and fellowships and several foreign awards for his work. He is a liveryman of the Goldsmiths’ Company of London and of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries. He is the chairman (and founder) of the English Schools Orchestra (1998 to date) and of the League of Mercy which encourages and recognises distinguished voluntary service in health care areas. He was appointed as Chairman of the Cadets Vocational Qualification Organisation in 2012, and Honorary Colonel (Reserve Forces and Cadets (Music) in 2018 and Honorary Colonel Yorkshire Officer Training Regt in 2022.

He was created a Peer of the United Kingdom for life in 2010.