Jim Knight

This article is part of the Revolving Door project of Spinwatch.

Jim Knight (Lord Knight of Weymouth) is a Labour peer and shadow spokesperson on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

A former Schools minister, Knight now works as a consultant on the use of technology in education, including as Chief Education Adviser to TES Global.

He actively promotes the use of technology in schools in the UK and overseas.

Education reformer

Jim Knight has long had an interest in education technology and has held a number of paid jobs with edu-businesses in the UK. These include:

• Chief Education Adviser to TES Global (from 1 April 2015)
• Managing Director of Online Learning at TSL Education (now TES Global) (April 2014- June 2015)

Knight is described as being an 'active member of TSL Education’s advisory board since 2011'. In 2014, when he was appointed MD of Online Learning at the company, he was said to be 'committing to work full-time' as the company focused on accelerating growth and developing its online learning offerings.

Knight has also provided advice and 'project work in education, technology and literacy', through is own company Egale Ltd. Recent clients include:

• Alderwood Education
• Dods
• EC Harris
• Campaign for Learning Ltd (all the preceding interests ceased by 19 June 2015);

He has also been paid by:

• World Innovation Summit for Education, Qatar
• BETT Brazil
• GSMA Ltd

Knight has also been involved with a number of organisations that promote the use of technology in education:

• Shareholder and director (until October 2014, although still listed on its website in Sept 2015) of Step-A International Ltd, a lobbying consultancy providing 'policy advice and support on use of technology in education overseas' This describes itself as a company 'formed by former ministers and senior civil servants' who have a 'detailed working understanding of governments, education systems and the technology industry.' It says it works in following areas: identifying future market trends and potential new markets; helping companies 'maximise their CSR opportunities'; training programmes to develop a 'more effective existing management and workforce'; and brokering public sector openings and knowledge for the benefit of private sector companies. STEP-A directors 'have a long history of supporting and advising major international companies such as Microsoft , Apple, Intel, DELL, HP, and Promethean.

• trustee of the e-Learning Foundation, which 'helps schools and families provide computers, educational software and Internet access to all school children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds and with special learning needs.' It is supported by Samsung, the ICT association Naace, European Schoolnet, which is a 'consortium of 31 ministries'; and others.
• chair of the Tinder Foundation - strap line: 'dedicated to making good things happen through digital technology' -a staff-owned mutual that focusses on digital inclusion, community learning, and tackling social challenges through digital solutions. It has partnered with Vodafone; TalkTalk, Facebook, Lloyds Bank and others.
• Visiting Professor, London Knowledge Lab, Institute of Education, University of London
• former unpaid director of Apps for Good (to March 2014)
• former trustee, Nominet Trust (to April 2015)

Other education interests

Knight was also chair of HTI Academies, a sponsor of state schools that folded in 2014.

Other non-education related interests

• Xrapid Ltd, a company that diagnoses malaria with iPhones.

Political career

Knight was Labour MP for South Dorset from 2001 until 2010. He was made a peer in 2010.

His roles in parliament included, parliamentary personal secretary to Rosie Winterton and the Department of Health, parliamentary under-secretary to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and minister of state to the Department for Education and Skills, Department for Children, Schools and Families, Regional Affairs and the Department for Work and Pensions.