Lightfoot , Martin , 1942-1999 , educationist

Martin Lightfoot (1942-1999) was educated at St. Christopher's School in Letchworth, Tiffin School in Kingston and Downing College, Cambridge University, where he read English. Having spent some years as a Director of Penguin Books Ltd and Managing Director of Penguin Education, during which time he was also a key supporter of the National Association for the Teaching of English, in 1974 Lightfoot was appointed as Deputy Education Officer (Services) at the Inner London Education Authority where he was responsible for relations with the Inner London Boroughs and the Greater London Council and community and race relations issues. In 1977 he became Director of the Schools Council Industry Project, conducted jointly with the Confederation of British Industry and Trades Union Congress. From 1981-1983 he served as Specialist Adviser to the Select Committee on Education, Science and Arts where he was responsible for the drafting of reports, including on secondary examinations and curriculum, school meals and on 16-19 education. Lightfoot then took up an academic post at Brunel University, where he was a Senior Research Fellow, Director of the Centre for the Study of Community and Race Relations (1984-1988), and Co-Director of the Education Policy Centre. At Brunel, Lightfoot lectured on law and public services in the Departments of Law and Government, and taught education policy and management, community and race relations, education policy and public service organisation on postgraduate courses in Public and Social Administration. His research projects included 'Expectations of higher education' (c.1980s) during which the perspectives of undergraduates, graduate employers, academic staff, politicians and administrators were examined and 'Recreating Education: London and Education Reform' (1990-1991), which was funded by the Leverhulme Trust and examined the process of setting up education authorities in the Inner London boroughs subsequent to the break-up of the Inner London Education Authority. During his time at Brunel, he also acted as a consultant to the London Borough of Southwark during its preparations to take over educational administration from the Inner Lonodn Education Authority. He retired from Brunel University in 1990 and then worked as an independent educational consultant. During 1992-1993 he was a Visiting Fellow at the Department of Policy Studies, Institute of Education, University of London.