PAUL Jones, executive head teacher of Blackpool Primary Liverton, Chudleigh Knighton Primary, Salcombe Primary and Lady Seaward's Clyst St George, gains an OBE in the New Year's Honours.

He receives the honour for services to local and national education.

Mr Jones, who lives in Exmouth with his wife Judith and their two children, Joshua, 18, and Ella, 15, said it was an endorsement of what the teams at the schools had been doing and achieving.

'It is fantastic for all of my staff and all the hard work everyone puts in. It recognises the whole team effort. It is great to have for my colleague heads and is recognition of the work that teachers do,' he said.

Brought up in Somerset, Mr Jones started his training at Rolle College, Exmouth, in 1972 and began his career in the teaching profession on a gypsy site on the Sowton Industrial Estate, Exeter.

From there it was on to Broadclyst primary and Beacon Heath First School, Exeter, before being appointed deputy head of St Peter's, Budleigh Salterton.

Mr Jones's first headship was at Exeter's Summerway Middle School, before being appointed head of Blackpool primary in 1999.

In 2005, with his governing body, he began looking into a new way of educational working, culminating in 2006 when he became joint head of Blackpool and Chudleigh Knighton primary schools – the first federation in Devon and one of only a handful in the country.

New ground was broken again in April when both Salcombe Primary and Lady Seaward's came under his wing as well.

'This is an exciting time of creating new knowledge and new ways of working,' he says.

Mr Jones is strategic head of all four schools, each of which has its own head of teaching and learning.

'I love it. I believe teaching is a privilege. Every job I have had has been exciting. This is the greatest challenge and the most enjoyable,' he added.

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