Dear Sir,

Who is Katharine Birbalsingh?

Katharine Birbalsingh is the head of Michaela secondary school (ages 11-18) in Brent, North London, which was founded in 2014. Right now she is celebrating more than 50 per cent of her students achieving a Grade 9 for the 2026 academic year. Grade 9 is the highest possible numerical score awarded on UK General Certificate of Secondary Education exams, sitting above a traditional high A grade.

This result is ten times the national average of 5 per cent. Known as Britain's strictest headmistress, Ms Birbalsingh has proved her critics wrong yet again, with top GCSE results to rival even the private prestigious Eton College, despite her school serving one of London’s most deprived areas.

Ms Birbalsingh says: “I feel really proud to be leading a school which is able to demonstrate what's possible in the inner city.”

Eton College in Windsor has not published its results yet this year, but in 2025, 61.9 per cent of its grades were 9, and 94 per cent were at least a 7 (high pass). That Michaela's results are not far behind is all the more remarkable because, unlike Eton, it has no entrance exam and has a completely “comprehensive“ mixed-ability intake at entry (age 11). There are selective academic entry requirements for the sixth-form students (ages 16-18). Eton charges student fees of more than £65,000 a year, yet Michaela Community School receives a fraction of this from the British Government for each child. At Michaela, funding does not determine excellence; the system, values and standards do.

Ms Birbalsingh is a shining example for all educators. Her work in education speaks for itself and the fight to keep her from expanding her school is a damning indictment on those creating the barriers. High-profile Labour politicians and some unions have consistently criticised the school's conservative and rigid pedagogical approach. In spite of her opponents’ backlash, Ms Birbalsingh is proof that “no excuses“ in education works, and that there are those who want to stop the expansion of such education excellence shows a moral bankruptcy of the highest order. Apparently, competence is controversial these days.

Is the Michaela school perfect? No. Does it have valid criticism? Some. Detractors challenge its hyper-strict, "no-excuses" disciplinary regime and forced secularism policies, with the school prohibiting all formal physical prayer activities on premises.

There are no creative or technical subjects — eg, drama, design, technology, arts, computer programming and business studies — in order to focus heavily on core academic subjects. The school prioritises a deep knowledge in traditional subjects such as English, mathematics, science, humanities and French. The school’s leadership argues that focusing intensely on a smaller group of challenging subjects lets pupils achieve true mastery and deep long-term memory instead of becoming a "jack of all trades".

Mainstream educational establishments and major trade unions such as the National Education Union have continually criticised Michaela's methods. Because the school does not formally recognise trade unions, rejects progressive 21st-century teaching methods and enforces strict teacher performance audits, the unions have actively campaigned against its model, describing it as "anti-union" and highly regimented. But in the 12 years this school has been in existence, the achievements are phenomenal, and the results speak for themselves.

2014: Michaela Community School opens with its first group of 120 students (age 11)

2017: Rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted (the school inspection office for England)

2019: Pupils (age 16) sit for their very first set of GCSE exams, scoring exceptionally high grades

Today: Operates as a full secondary and sixth-form institution, with approximately 750 students, frequently noted for top-tier academic progress ranking

While her school gets top GCSE results again this year, Britain’s strictest headmistress warns of the dangers of “gentle parenting”. She says it is dangerous because it undermines adult authority, fails to teach basic boundaries and infantilises parents. She believes that prioritising a child's feelings over traditional discipline leaves young people unequipped for the realities of school and adulthood, and she stresses that parents must take charge in the early years if they want to raise successful adults.

At Michaela, parents and pupils sign a ‘behavioural’ contract upon enrolment that commits them to the school's strict code of conduct, traditional values and rigorous disciplinary framework, and parents are encouraged to come into the school and discuss their child’s progress. Learning self-discipline, compassion, kindness and community engagement are also part of the Michaela ethos.

So here we have yet another component in public education that has proven that traditional values, no excuses, discipline, high standards, all deserve to be woven tightly into the education system.

Why is the Michaela story relevant here in Bermuda? Because quality education is universally essential for human development. Education provides opportunities, empowers individuals and strengthens communities. While children are only about 25 per cent of the population worldwide (in Bermuda it’s less), they are 100 per cent of the future. When parents, politicians and bureaucrats shirk their responsibilities in educating their young people, societal breakdown and community chaos will eventually follow.

Here in Bermuda, we are now witnessing an unhealthy dose of that chaos.

BEVERLEY CONNELL

Pembroke