Sandra Stalker, a prominent educationist, has died of cancer at the age of 78. She was known for her extensive career in teaching and educational reform, both in the UK and internationally.
Stalker taught in Warwickshire schools from the early 1970s and was appointed head of the Harris school, Rugby, around 1989. During her time there, she led the school to the English Schools Sevens final in the mid-1990s, finishing as runners-up.
Her career also included serving as a senior examiner in English literature A-level for the Joint Matriculation Board. After leaving the Harris school in 1999, Stalker undertook consultancy work and advised on the 2004 Tomlinson report into education reform for 14 to 19-year-olds.
She held roles at the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Authority and later joined Ucas to advise on widening university participation. Stalker also provided educational advice to governments and bodies in Jamaica, Bahrain, and across the EU. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she developed a liberal arts foundation curriculum for the University of Cambridge, designed for students whose education had been disrupted.