The Linda Austin OBE Library


On Wednesday 27th September 2017 we were delighted to welcome Linda Austin OBE to the naming ceremony of Swanlea School’s newly refurbished library, ‘The Linda Austin OBE Library.’

Linda Austin OBE established and led Swanlea School, a new, innovative secondary school in Tower Hamlets from 1992 to 2010.

Ms Austin was a London Challenge Consultant from 2006 to 2010, a National Leader of Education from 2008 to 2010, a School Improvement Advisor for Lewisham from 2009 to 2015 and an Ofsted Lead Inspector from 2011 to 2016.

In 2011, Linda Austin received an OBE for her services to education and is currently Vice Chair of Governors in a primary and a secondary school.

Staff both current and previous joined the celebrations, along with governors and Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, John Biggs.  After a wonderful welcome from our school choir, Mayor Biggs reflected on working with Linda through the years as well as how important literacy is to our young people.

Finally, Linda spoke about her love for reading and how far Swanlea has progressed to become the outstanding school it is now. She then unveiled the plaque, officially naming the Linda Austin OBE Library.

It was a great celebration of the Swanlea School community as a whole and of our love for reading.