RETIRED Knutsford Academy head teacher, Kevin Hollins OBE, has been awarded the Queen's Birthday Honours.

He has been granted an OBE, Order of the British Empire, in this year's list for his services to education.

Kevin, who lives in Congleton, was appointed to as head master in 1997, and spent 17 years in charge of the school, until his retirement last year.

During his time at the school, Kevin oversaw the transition of Knutsford High School to Knutsford Academy, as well as the creation of the brand new studio school- which opened last year.

He said: “It was a surprise and a pleasure to hear that I had received the Queen’s Birthday honours and it is truly a great honour.

“It is nice to feel that the work I have done has been recognised. I would like to thank the staff and the community as a whole, it was not just me who did all this work.

"I do not focus on what I was doing; I focus on what everyone was doing. There are hundreds of people who have worked to make the school what it is.

“I think this award is due to the high levels of achievements at the school, and the innovative work that we were doing.

“This includes the developments in to the studio school. It was quite different from what others were doing.

“The way that we developed children to suit their own needs was very forward thinking. I was there for 17 years and we have done quite a lot of interesting work over that time.”

Since retiring, the former head master has taken time out for himself and his family, and is enjoying his freedom outside of term-time.

Kevin said: “I am missing it. I miss the young people, the teachers and just being involved. Education is a fast paced environment, so unless you are on the inside it is quite hard to keep on top of everything that is going on. It isn’t the same as actually being there.

“But I am enjoying myself; now I have chance to see my family. We are going to France in a couple of weeks, out of season. I have wanted to go out of season for a few years, to go on holiday when it is a bit quieter.”