VICKY Beer, the headteacher of the 1,700-pupil Ashton on Mersey School, has been awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Mrs Beer, aged 46, joined the school as deputy head eleven years ago and became head in 2006.

Mrs Beer is chairman of the National Teaching Schools Council representing 360 Teaching Schools of which Ashton-on-Mersey was a pioneer and, in that position, has made an impact on education policy.

She said: “We have been very successful in that our staff give colleagues in other schools the confidence to approach things from a different perspective.”

This year, she oversaw the school’s fifth outstanding OFSTED report making it one of less than 50 schools nationally who have only ever had outstanding OFSTED reports.

She said: “I found out about my honour the day after the OFSTED judgement.

“I feel humbled by the quality of the teaching staff. It was a team effort.”

“At Ashton we talk about high expectations. We want our pupils to be positive about lifelong learning and be successful in whatever pathway they choose.”

Tarun Kapur, chief executive of the Dean Trust, an academy trust which, in Trafford, supports Broadoak and Forest Gate schools in Partington as well as Ashton-om-Mersey school, said: “Mrs Beer has always been outstanding but she has moved beyond outstanding. We are very proud of her.”

Cllr Brian Rigby, chairman of the governors, pointed out OFSTED’s comments that the teaching was of ‘stunning quality’.

He said: “This is thanks to Mrs Beer’s incredible leadership.”