Professor Jack Jackson

OBE, FIBiol CBiol

Jack holds BSc and PhD degrees in biology from the University of Glasgow. He taught medical and dental students there before taking up a post as lecturer in biology at the Scottish Agricultural College (Auchincruive) where he carried out research on biological control.

Jack was tutor at the Open University before training to become a secondary teacher. He was head of a biology department for 10 years.

He was senior examiner in biology with the Scottish Examination Board and was a member and chair of several committees concerned with the development of the science curriculum.

HM Inspectorate of Education

He joined HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIe) in 1983 and over a period of 23 years inspected at all levels from pre-school to post-school. He was given national responsibility for biology education in 1987 and held responsibility for science education from 1990 to 2006.

He has been involved in all major curriculum developments, including Standard Grade, Revised Higher, 5-14, Higher Still and Curriculum for Excellence. He is author of a number of HMIe publications, including Effective Teaching and Learning in Science, Improving Science Education 5-14 and Improving Achievement in Science.

Current roles

He retired from his post as Assistant Chief Inspector with HMIe in May 2006 but continues to work with HMIe and the Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser on a part-time basis.

He was made a Fellow of the Institute of Biology in 1996 and was awarded the OBE for services to science education in June 2006. In 2007, he was appointed as Visiting Professor to the Department of Curricular Studies at the University of Strathclyde. He is Lay Examiner with the Royal College of Surgeons, which involves him in assessing and reporting on the communication skills of trainee surgeons. Jack was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2009.