Maria Dawes Honoured in King’s Birthday Honours List
Schools Alliance for Excellence (SAfE) is delighted to share the news that Maria Dawes, our founding Chief Executive Officer, has been awarded the honour of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2026 for her outstanding services to education.
Maria has been a driving force in education for many years, shaping thinking and practice across school improvement, leadership development and system-wide collaboration. Her work has supported leaders, teachers and organisations nationally and her commitment to ensuring that every child receives an excellent education has been a defining thread throughout her career.
As SAfE’s founding CEO, Maria shaped the organisation’s vision and approach, leaving a legacy that continues to support schools and leaders across Surrey and beyond. She brought schools together around a shared moral purpose, built a culture rooted in collaboration and professional trust and laid the foundations for the impact SAfE continues to have today. While her leadership here forms a significant part of her nomination, this honour recognises the breadth and depth of her contribution to education as a whole – both past and present.
Reflecting on the honour, Maria shared:
“I am so honoured to receive this award. But it really is so much a team award as you all have been part of the SAfE journey, which is a huge part of my nomination. It was a real privilege to work with you all – your dedication to Surrey schools, to the children and to SAfE is truly awesome. Thank you for everything that you do and continue to do.”
Patrick Alexander, Chief Executive Officer of SAfE, said:
“Maria’s influence on education is profound and enduring. She has always been a visionary leader – someone who sees what the system needs long before others do – and has consistently been at the forefront of change, shaping ideas and approaches that have gone on to influence practice nationally. This honour reflects her exceptional contribution to the sector and we are immensely proud to celebrate this achievement with her.”
On behalf of our board, staff and partner schools, we offer Maria our warmest congratulations on this richly deserved recognition. Her commitment to children, young people and the profession continues to inspire the work we do every day.
