Sir Geoff Hampton
Black Country Challenge Chief Adviser

Professor Sir Geoff Hampton is Pro Vice Chancellor (Education Partnerships) and Director of the Midlands Leadership Centre, at the University of Wolverhampton. He was formerly Headteacher of the Northicote School an 11-18 comprehensive in Wolverhampton. Northicote had the dubious honour of being the first secondary school to be declared to be failing by OFSTED inspectors. Sir Geoff had taken up post shortly before this in September 1993 at a time when the school was said to be in a physical, managerial and pedagogic mess. Within a two-year period there was a major turnaround in the school’s fortunes, transforming it into the successful and oversubscribed school that it is today. Professor Sir Geoff was the first recent recipient of a Knighthood in recognition of his services to education.

Professor Sir Geoff trained as a teacher at King Alfred’s College, Winchester and gained his Bachelor of Education Degree from the University of Southampton. He focused upon Education Administration and Management for his Master of Education Degree at Birmingham University in 1986. He has recently received an award of Honorary Doctorate in Education from the University of Southampton. KPMG recently announced that Professor Sir Geoff would become their inaugural Chair of Education Leadership.