Founding headmaster of former Northamptonshire Grammar School awarded MBE

Dr Malcolm Tozer, who was the first headmaster of Northamptonshire Grammar School and helped to set up the school when it opened in 1989, has been named in the 2025 New Year’s Honours list.

Dr Tozer has been awarded an MBE for his services to physical education and sport, as an author and an advisor.

The author now lives in Cornwall, but was head at Northamptonshire Grammar School – now Pitsford School – until 1994. He also taught at Uppingham School from 1966 to 1989. Since retiring in 2004, Dr Tozer has also led inspections for the Independent Schools Inspectorate and promoted partnerships in physical education and sport between state and independent schools.

A spokesperson for Sunnyrest Books, based in Truro, which Dr Tozer is part of said: “His advice has been sought on the national curriculum for physical education, professional development for PE teachers, school inspections, and partnerships between state and independent schools.”

Dr Tozer is the author of several books about education and sport, including: Physical Education and Sport in Independent Schools (2012), The Ideal of Manliness: the Legacy of Thring’s Uppingham (2015), Physical Education in Britain since 1800 (2019) and Puddings, Bullies & Squashes: Early Public School Football Codes (2020).

A number of other people from Northampton, or who have links to Northampton, were also named in this year’s New Year’s Honours list, including the chief executive of Kidney Research UK and the founder and patron of Cransley Hospice.