The Progress 1000: London's most influential people 2019 – Health and Education: Education

Co-founder of STEMettes

At age 11 Imafidon was the youngest girl ever to pass A-Level computing, and was just 20 when she received her Master’s from Oxford. Six years ago she co-founded STEMettes, an award-winning social initiative dedicated to inspiring and promoting the next generation of young women in the STEM sectors. It has since introduced more than 40,000 young people across Europe to Imafidon’s vision for a more diverse and balanced science and tech community.

Executive principal, Brampton Manor
Dr Olukoshi runs a state school in one of the capital’s poorest boroughs, Newham, where 41 students have been offered a place at Oxford and Cambridge next year. Nearly all of those who received offers are from BAME backgrounds, with half of them on free school meals.

Headmistress, James Allen’s Girls’ School
Huang is set to become the first female head of St Paul’s School since it was founded more than 500 years ago. She takes up her position as the historic school’s 35th High Master in September next year.

CEO of onebillion
This London tech start-up helps illiterate children teach themselves to read and won part of a $10 million prize in a competition run by Elon Musk. The XPRIZE for global learning competition challenged teams from around the world to develop software for children in Tanzania to teach themselves reading, writing and arithmetic.

Science teacher, South Hampstead High School
Russo was named as one of the world’s top 50 teachers this year when she was among three Britons to be selected in the long list for the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2019. She argues more needs to be done to show girls that “science is for them” and sets up Skype calls with prominent global scientists in lessons.

Principal, Harris Westminster Sixth Form
This sixth form academy, which prioritises disadvantaged children, achieved a haul of 37 Oxbridge offers this year. The college beat some of the country’s top private schools with 16 pupils receiving offers from Oxford and 21 from Cambridge.

Chief inspector, Ofsted
The former accountant set up the successful Ark academy chain and was chair of exams regulator Ofqual before moving to Ofsted.

Head teacher, Hugh Myddelton Primary School
This Islington school is recorded as having some of the highest levels of pollution in the capital. However, it is hoping to become one of the UK’s first clean air state schools by installing clean air technology in every classroom.

Head teacher, Miles Coverdale Primary
Pupils at this Shepherd’s Bush primary score top results despite starting with generally low attainment. Most enter the school with low language, literacy and maths skills, but by the time they leave their English and maths scores are significantly above the national average. The school won the outstanding academic achievement award at the Evening Standard School Awards.

Music teacher, Norbury Manor Business & Enterprise College
Stevens won the Jack Petchey Foundation Award for Inspirational Teacher of the Year. She is described as a vital member of the music team, leading various choirs, preparing for performances and getting the choirs into venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and going on tour to Barcelona. The alumni of the school choir include Grammy nominee and Coldplay support act Lianne La Havas.