Manchester 'super head' Dame has honour revoked

Ms Else apologised for her misconduct

A former head teacher who was made a dame for services to education has had her honour revoked, two years after being found guilty of misconduct.

Jean Else, 59, was awarded the title in 2001 after transforming Manchester's Whalley Range High School.

She was banned from running a school in 2009 by the General Teaching Council (GTC) after a misconduct hearing.

It was announced in the London Gazette, an official journal of record, that Ms Else's honour had been withdrawn.

The notice reads: "The Queen has directed that the appointment of Jean Else to be a Dame Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, dated 30 December 2000, shall be cancelled and annulled and that her name shall be erased from the Register of the said Order."

Ms Else initially rose to prominence by turning around the school with the worst truancy record in England into one at which more than half of pupils gained more than five GCSEs at A* to C.

During her tenure, Ms Else's twin sister, Maureen Rochford, rose from a part-time post as a clerical assistant to earn more than £58,000-a-year as assistant head.

Ms Else was suspended in 2004 and dismissed two years later after an investigation by Manchester City Council.

She was subsequently found guilty of failing to observe minimum standards in recruiting and promoting staff at the school after failing to follow proper procedures in relation to 10 staff, including her sister.

Ms Else apologised to the General Teaching Council panel for not following procedures during her 10 years in charge of the school, and acknowledged she had not observed recruitment standards when making several appointments.