Mike Baker, journalist and broadcaster: Biography

Mike Baker is an award-winning journalist, author, broadcaster, and consultant, specialising in education. He recently devised and presented a 'History of Primary Schools' for BBC Radio 4 and is presenter of the series 'Need To Know' on Teachers’ TV.

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. He has appeared regularly on programmes such as TV’s 10 O’ Clock News, Radio 4’s Today programme, and Radio Five.

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

He now writes and broadcasts on education for a range of media outlets, including the BBC, Teachers’ TV, The Guardian, and Policy Review magazine. He is a columnist for BBC News Online and The Guardian and broadcasts regularly on Radios 2, 4 and 5.

He is a former Visiting Professor at the Institute of Education, London University, and 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).

His awards include: CIPR Education Journalist of the Year Award 2008, the Ted Wragg Award for Sustained Contribution to Education Journalism 2006,  and the Edexcel Award for Outstanding Educational Journalism 2002.

Mike provides media training and recent clients have included Southampton University, the National Association of Head Teachers, and The Royal Veterinary College. He regularly chairs education conferences and education awards ceremonies in the UK and abroad  (recent clients include UCAS, the HE Academy, the DCSF, the British Council, Neil Stewart Associates, Lewis Live, Cambridge Assessment and GovNet).

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

Mike was educated at state schools and read English at Cambridge University. He recently completed 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 supporter), jazz, local history, cycling and walking.