It's an honour for Carol to meet the Queen

A FORMER Derby head teacher has taken a trip to Buckingham Palace.

Carol Dover was in London to receive her OBE for services to education from the Queen.

SO PROUD: Carol Dover, seen with husband Phil, shows off her OBE medal after the Buckingham Palace ceremony.
CAROL'S CAREER: Mrs Dover is seen (clockwise from left) with Sir Trevor Brooking of the FA when he handed over a cheque at Pride Park for new pitches and changing rooms at Lees Brook Community College; at her wedding to Phil Dover in 2008; and with a group of year-seven pupils at the school in Chaddesden.

She said the experience was far more nerve-racking than she had anticipated but she had enjoyed every minute.

Mrs Dover said: "It was a lovely occasion and something I will remember for a long time.

"I was surprised and lucky to have the Queen make the presentation because in recent weeks the duty has been shared by both the Princess Royal and Prince Charles."

Mrs Dover said arriving in a chauffeur-driven car at the palace was a highlight, as sightseers craned their necks "to see if we were anyone famous".

Once inside the palace, she was given instructions on bowing, curtseying and addressing the Queen. "But my legs still felt quite jelly-like when I crossed the room to stand in front of the Queen," said Mrs Dover.

"She pinned the medal on me and then asked about my time as a head teacher and which age group I had taught.

"She seemed to have done her homework on me."

Mrs Dover, who retired in 2008 from her post as head teacher of Lees Brook Community College in Chaddesden, was known as Carol Dibbs for most of her teaching career.

She married Phil Dover, now head at Lees Brook, when she left in July 2008.

She said getting an honour for doing something she has always loved is strange.

Mrs Dover said: "I loved my time in education. But I was also lucky with the staff I have worked with over the years."

Starting her career in Darlington, Mrs Dover worked in Cardiff and Rotherham before becoming deputy head at Netherthorpe School, near Staveley.

She was appointed head at Lees Brook School in Morley Road in 1989.

In 2003, Mrs Dover shot to national prominence when she agreed to take over the head teacher role at failing High View School while still head at Lees Brook.

The school, now known as da Vinci Community College, had been in special measures since 2001. But she took some of her own staff there and installed new discipline systems.

Within 12 months, the school was given a clean bill of health.

Mrs Dover is still active in education.

"I am still on the governing bodies of Hardwick Primary School and Derby College, am an adviser to the Specialist Schools Trust and am working with the Lees Brook governors on the new school building planned for 2012-13," she added.