AoBSO Senior Education Adviser

Dame Christine Ryan

AoBSO are delighted to be supported by our Senior Education Adviser Dame Christine Ryan. Dame Christine is a distinguished figure in British education, renowned for her unwavering commitment to maintaining high standards in schools both in the UK and internationally. With a career spanning several decades, she has significantly influenced the landscape of educational oversight, particularly through her leadership in the establishment of the British Schools Overseas (BSO) inspection scheme and her tenure as Chair of Ofsted.

Dame Christine began her professional journey as a teacher, steadily advancing through various leadership roles in education. Her extensive experience at the classroom and management levels laid a solid foundation for her later work in school inspection and policy.

One of Dame Christine Ryan’s most notable contributions came with her pivotal role in creating the British Schools Overseas inspection scheme. Recognising the need for British-curriculum schools operating abroad to maintain the same rigorous standards as their UK counterparts, she helped shape and implement the BSO framework in collaboration with the Department for Education.

Launched in 2010, the scheme was designed to provide a clear benchmark for quality and ensure that children educated overseas could benefit from a standard comparable to the best in the UK. Dame Christine was instrumental in developing the inspection criteria and ensuring the integrity and credibility of the process. Under her guidance, the BSO inspections became a hallmark of excellence, enhancing trust and consistency across international British schools.

Her work on the BSO scheme underscored her belief in equity and excellence in education, no matter where a child is located. It also reflected her broader commitment to raising standards through robust and transparent evaluation.

In 2017, Dame Christine was appointed Chair of Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills), one of the most influential roles in UK education. As Chair, she provided strategic leadership to the inspectorate, overseeing its governance and ensuring its continued independence and effectiveness.

Her tenure was marked by a drive to maintain Ofsted’s credibility and relevance in a changing educational environment. She championed reforms aimed at deepening the focus on curriculum quality and pupil outcomes while ensuring that inspections remained fair, evidence-based, and grounded in educational best practice. Dame Christine’s leadership at Ofsted emphasised the importance of transparency and accountability in school inspections and childcare provision. She worked closely with HM Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman to support reforms and uphold public confidence in the inspectorate’s judgments.

Dame Christine Ryan's contributions have been widely recognised. She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her services to education, a fitting tribute to a career dedicated to raising standards and safeguarding the interests of learners.

Beyond her formal roles, she has been an influential voice in education policy and school improvement, serving on various boards and advisory panels, and mentoring future leaders in the sector.

Dame Christine Ryan's legacy lies in her unyielding dedication to quality and integrity in education. Whether through the pioneering BSO inspection framework or her stewardship of Ofsted, she has played a vital role in shaping a system that prioritises excellence, equity, and accountability, both at home and abroad.