The Pearson Education Limited Board & Qualifications Committee

Mary Curnock Cook CBE

Mary Curnock Cook is an independent education expert serving in a non-executive capacity on a number of Boards.

From 2010-2017, Mary was Chief Executive of UCAS. Earlier in her career she held executive and non-executive positions in the education, hospitality, food and biotech sectors.

Mary chairs the governing body of the Dyson Institute, is a Council member at the Open University, and a non-exec Director at the Student Loans Company, the London Interdisciplinary School, the Student Room and Education Cubed. She is also a Trustee at the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI. She has the role of Network Chair for Emerge Education, the leading edtech investor in Europe.

Mary has an MSc from London Business School and was awarded an OBE in 2000, and a CBE in 2020 for services to further and higher education. She is an honorary Fellow of Birkbeck and Goldsmiths and has an honorary doctorate from the University of Gloucestershire.

Dame Sally Dicketts

Sally Dicketts has held senior posts in both secondary schools and further education. She became Principal at Milton Keynes College in 1996, and in 2003 became the first Principal of Oxford & Cherwell Valley College.

In 2010, Oxford and Cherwell Valley College took over the responsibility for running Reading College and in 2013 set up a UTC in Reading. In 2013 she became the first Chief Executive of Activate Learning, bringing together in one group, seven FE Colleges (Banbury & Bicester College, City of Oxford College and Reading College, Bracknell and Wokingham and Guildford College Group), four UTC’s (UTC Reading, UTC Oxfordshire, UTC Heathrow and UTC Swindon), two 11-18 secondary schools (Bicester and Theale Green), a studio school, a training provider delivering apprentices, training and consulting in the workplace and a specialist engineering training provider. We also work internationally and have four female colleges in Saudi Arabia, and work in China, India and Malaysia.

Sally is a tireless campaigner and advocate for the learning and skills sector. She is a board member of ETF, was a board member of AoC and AMiE. She chaired the Women’s leadership network and was the chair of the Employment committee of the AoC. Sally has chaired several other National committees, which have ranged from Communications to the National Open College Network. She is a member of the Oxfordshire Management Club, All Souls Group and was a leading thinker for the National Education Trust. She sat for many years on the Oxfordshire LEP, is now deputy chair of their skills board. Sally was appointed President of the Association of Colleges in August 2020. Sally was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Honours list in July 2013 and made a Dame in the King's New Year Honours list 2023.

Her main area of interest is in how people learn, mindfulness and how to develop more entrepreneurial innovative individuals. She enjoys travel, cycling, Zumba and spending time with her partner and daughter.

John Laramy CBE

John Laramy is Principal and Chief Executive of Exeter College, an Ofsted Outstanding, Award-Winning Tertiary College with a turnover of £42m.

John was appointed as Principal and CEO at the beginning of 2016. Prior to this, he was Vice Principal. In total, John has been at Exeter College for over 10 years. John completed his Postgraduate Certificate of Education in Post-Compulsory Education in 1996. He proceeded to join what was then called North Devon College in 1997 as a Lecturer, progressing through various roles before joining the Senior Leadership Team in 2004.

John was a founding director of the Ted Wragg Multi-Academy Trust. He was also a founding Chair of the Exeter Specialist Mathematics School. Both the Ted Wragg Trust and the Exeter Mathematics Schools are highly successful partnerships between the University of Exeter and Exeter College.

In 2018, John became a Non-Executive Director of Pearson Education Limited. John sits on a national steering group for executive education in Further Education, a collaborative between the Education and Training Foundation and the Oxford Said Business School. In 2019, John became a Director of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership.

John holds a BSc (Hons) in Construction Management from the University of the West of England and an MSc in Educational Leadership from the University of Leicester. He is a full member of the Chartered Institute of Building.

John was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to education.

Richard Price

Richard Price, a chartered accountant, was co-founder of the BPP group, which comprises BPP University and a range of publishing and professional training businesses.

Following his retirement as BPP's chairman in 2002, Richard's principal business role was as chairman of awarding body EDI plc until its acquisition in 2011 by Pearson.

Richard Price is chairman of the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM). He sings in, and is a former chairman of, The Bach Choir. In 2015 he was awarded an honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of Music following his retirement as a council member. He is vice-president and a former chairman of Action Medical Research.

Richard and his wife Susan have two grown-up children and four grandchildren. Their shared interests include music, golf, walking and bridge. Although their principal home is in London, they are able to spend some leisure time in Yarmouth, Isle of Wight.

Professor Becky Francis CBE

Professor Becky Francis CBE FBA FAcSS is a British educationalist and academic, who specialises in educational inequalities. Becky has been CEO of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) since January 2020. She was previously Director of the UCL Institute of Education (IOE), which is ranked #1 in the world for education in the international QS rankings. Her prior roles include Professor of Education and Social Justice at King’s College London, Director of Education at the RSA and Standing Advisor to the Parliamentary Education Select Committee.

Throughout her career, Becky has sought to maximise the impact of academic research by working closely with teachers and policy-makers. She has spearheaded high-profile research programmes assessing the impact of major reforms in the English school system on educational inequalities, and is sought out internationally as an advisor to Governments on education policy.

Becky was the inaugural Charles Yidan Global Fellow at Harvard University. Her academic expertise and extensive publications centre on social identities and inequalities in educational contexts. She is best known for her body of research on social identities and educational attainment, including gender, race and social class.

Jim Knight

Jim Knight, The Rt Hon Lord Knight of Weymouth works in education, digital technology and as a legislator. He is a director of Suklaa Ltd, providing advice services to UK and international clients working in technology for education and learning, international schooling, and teacher engagement. Jim also regularly speaks and facilitates events for a range of clients, adding to Suklaa’s expertise in increasing the engagement created by education events. Jim worked for many years as the Chief Education and External Officer at Tes Global Ltd. In over six years he co-founded Tes Institute in 2014, which is now the fifth largest qualifier of teachers in England; he has also managed Tes Resources, a global teacher community of 13.5 million users.

As a UK government minister and MP, Jim’s portfolios included rural affairs, schools, digital and employment. He was a member of Gordon Brown’s Cabinet 2009-2010, before joining the Lords after the 2010 General Election. He is also the Honorary President of COBIS, is on the Nord Anglia Education Advisory Board, sits on the Global Advisory Council for BETT, and is the Chair of CAST (Centre for Acceleration of Social Technology) that is leading on the shift of the charity sector into the use of digital tools and approaches.

Sharon Hague

Senior Vice President, UK Schools

Sharon is Senior Vice President at Pearson, where she has worked for over 20 years. She is responsible for the development and delivery of qualifications and assessments, together with providing primary and secondary with high-quality teaching and learning resources.

She has extensive experience of working closely with governments, schools and other partners to provide services that help children and young people make progress in their lives. Sharon is an advocate for inclusivity both in the workplace and within education.

Sharon graduated from Oxford and trained as a qualified teacher and taught in schools in Essex and Hertfordshire for eight years. She is a speaker for the charity, Speaker for Schools, and is a governor at a secondary and primary school.

Derek Richardson

Vice President and Senior Responsible Officer, Pearson UK

Derek was appointed Vice President and Senior Responsible Officer of Pearson UK in September 2017.

He is accountable for the successful delivery of qualifications both in the UK and internationally. He is Pearson's designated Responsible Officer to Ofqual, CCEA, Qualification Wales and SQA in relation to compliance with our conditions of recognition as an awarding organisation.

Derek has degrees from Teesside and Sussex Universities and his background over the last 18 years has been in educational assessment.

He started work in Edexcel’s A level English team as the curriculum 2000 reforms were being introduced and also holds a post as school governor.

He has held various posts within Pearson, most recently as Director for Qualification Development, Assessment & Awarding across GCSEs, A levels, BTEC, Apprenticeships and International qualifications.

Freya Thomas Monk

Senior Vice President, Vocational qualifications

Freya is Senior Vice President, Vocational qualifications and Training at Pearson, part of the Workforce Skills division. She has worked at Pearson for over 15 years and has held roles across the business spanning many countries and market sectors, most recently running the English testing business.

Freya holds degrees from Oxford University and INSEAD. She sits on the Board of UK Asean Business Council and is Chair of Governors of an inner-city London primary school.