Mike Baker, journalist and broadcaster: Biography

Mike Baker is an award-winning journalist, author, broadcaster, and consultant, specialising in education. He has twice been named as UK Education Journalist of the Year (2002 & 2008) and has been awarded the Ted Wragg Lifetime Contribution to Education Journalism Award.

 In 2011 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Education by Oxford Brookes University. He is also a former Visiting Professor at the Institute of Education, University of London.

After a 27 year career at the BBC, Mike is now a freelance journalist and broadcaster. He recently devised and presented a three-part 'History of Primary Schools' for BBC Radio 4 and, from 2007-2011, was the presenter for several series on Teachers’ TV. He continues to write a respected regular column for the education pages of The Guardian and provides analysis for BBC News Online. He is often in demand from broadcasters for expert comment. 

From 1989–2007, Mike was the senior Education Correspondent for BBC News, where he reported on all the big education issues for TV, radio and BBC News Online appearing regularly the main TV News bulletins, Radio 4’s Today, and Radio Five.

Before that he was a Political Correspondent, Foreign Affairs Correspondent and Deputy Home News Editor for the BBC.

Mike has held Journalism Fellowships at the universities of Oxford and Michigan. His publications include: ‘Does Education Get the Media It Deserves’ (2000), ‘Who Rules Our Schools’ (1994) and ‘A Parent’s Guide to the New Curriculum’ (1992).

He chairs frequent conferences, events and awards ceremonies in the UK and abroad (recent clients include UCAS, the HE Academy, the British Council, Neil Stewart Associates, Lewis Live, Cambridge Assessment and GovNet).

He chaired the 1,500 delegate World Innovation Summit for Education in Qatar in 2009 and 2010.

He has been a national judge for the Teaching Awards and the O2 Learn Awards, and is an Honorary Fellow of the College of Teachers, a Trustee of the National Education Trust and  the Villiers Park Educational Trust charities. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Mike was educated at state schools and read English at Cambridge University. He has an MA (Distinction) in history at Kingston University.

He has been a school governor and is married with two daughters.

He enjoys football (he is a lifelong Ipswich Town sufferer), jazz, local history, furniture-making, cycling and walking.