Dr. Neil Hawkes
About Neil
Dr. Neil Hawkes, D.Phil (Oxford), MEd, BA, Cert.Ed, ACP, FCollP, FRSA
Neil's early life
Neil's first 10 years were spent in Swindon, Wiltshire, UK. He attended Leithbridge Road Primary School before his family moved to Barnstaple in Devon where he attended the Bluecoat Junior School and then Barnstaple Boys' Secondary School. His family returned to Wiltshire when he was 15 years old and Neil attended Wroughton Area Secondary School. When he left school he attended part-time the Swindon College before attending Culham College of Education to become a teacher. Whilst a teacher Neil gained a BA from the Open University, a Master's Degree from Reading University and his Doctorate from Oxford University.
Neil is in demand worldwide as an inspirational speaker, educator, broadcaster, TEDx presenter, author and social commentator.
Neil’s wisdom is having a profound influence in society. Neil first gained international recognition when he was a Headteacher in Oxfordshire, UK. Here he worked with a school community to devise and implement a model of education, which would give pupils a transformational vocabulary, based on values such as respect, tolerance, humility and justice. The school community found that pupils were empowered to be self-leaders, with an active ethical compass that positively affected behaviour, their thinking and the quality of their schoolwork. The work also had a profound impact on the adults too.
Neil's Mission
Because of Neil's successful experience he devoted himself to promoting Values-based Education (VbE) in schools and other educational settings. More widely he wanted to promote Ethical leadership and Values-based Living throughout society.
To promote Values-based Living Neil founded the influential International Values-based Trust, known as (The IVET Foundation), and its educational arm Values-based Education (VbE).
Neil is one of the V20 Task Group of values experts, who advise G20 leaders about the importance of values to humanity https://www.values20.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/2021-V20-Communique-and-Policy-Briefs-Sharing-Policy-Brief.pdf
He is an Ambassador for the Foundation for Education Development (FED) and a Life Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Neil is one of the founders of Living Values Education.
Neil is one of the founders and a Trustee of the Global Alliance of Values-based Education (GAVE)
Neil is an international trainer for the Compass for Life Foundation.
He is a member of the Internal Family Systems (IFS) theory of Psychotherapy in schools collaborative.
Neil's bestselling books are, From My Heart, transforming lives through values, celebrates the success of VbE worldwide and is a great “how to” book. The other book co-authored with Jane Hawkes, is called The Inner Curriculum, how to nurture wellbeing, resilience and self-leadership. This book is heralding a new era in education, as it proposes a new more liberating way of educating children’s inner worlds. Neil's latest book is a joint publication with Bridget Knight, Miick Waters, Mark Chater,with contributions from practitioners. It is called, On the Subject of Values and the Value of Subjects.
Neil is currently writing a book about how to develop ethical intelligence as the basis for values-based living.