Sir Peter Birkett

From the House of Lords to New York University, Washington DC, St Thomas University, Sir Peter Birkett has toured the world with his keynote speeches on leadership and business management in the Education and Skills Sector. Following Sir Peter’s pioneering career as the founder of Highgate Hill House School and advisor to the Department for Education, he was appointed Chair of the Educational Wealth Fund and his speeches supply a toolbox for financial sustainability and growth in academia.

In 2014, Sir Peter founded p5e, otherwise known as Passion5Excellence. The consultancy company offers actionable advice on driving educational standards, with Sir Peter’s tried and tested method of Prevent, Fix, Create, Change, Find. Following the success of P5e, he founded Highgate Hill House School for SEN students which combines outdoor learning with hands-on, stimulating activities. Later launching a PhD in Ethical Leadership at St Thomas’ University, Sir Peter’s exceptional achievements reflect his commitment to education.

Since sparking an interest in education at a young age, Sir Peter first taught at Basingstoke College of Technology in 1985, before being promoted to Director of Technology and Assistant Principal at Bristol College. Among his numerous achievements, he pioneered the UK’s first FE College-led Federation and Multi Academy Trust, and has turned failing colleges and schools into top-achieving organisations both in terms of inspection grades, attaining the highest results in history, and tripling revenue to £60m with high profits. Sir Peter’s model of success has now been adopted across the UK and further afield. When booked for events, he supplies the same award-winning model for corporate and academic audiences, to spark transformative change.

Awarded the 2013 Education Investor Award and honoured with a Knighthood in 2012, Sir Peter is a stand-out influence in the education sector. His school has been shortlisted for over six national awards, including Best Newcomer at the 2020 Investors in People Awards and Special Needs Initiative at the 2019 TES Independent School Awards, a testament to his pioneering work. Speaking from the perspective of a Government adviser, Board Director and Member of the Worshipful Company of Educators, Sir Peter has featured at conferences across the globe.

Sir Peter has dedicated his career to improving the standard of education across the UK. Driven by excellence, he plans to open other highly impactful schools in the future and his education consultancy company, Passion5Excellence is a testament to his dedication. He is an authority on leadership and entrepreneurship, making him the perfect motivational speaker for both large-scale corporate workshops and more intimate audiences of entrepreneurs. Armed with his unique perspective, an event featuring Sir Peter is sure to leave a positive lasting impression.