My grandfather, Michael Sterne, who has died aged 79, was a tireless advocate for educational equality, in particular speaking up for children with special educational needs.
Michael worked in various local education authorities, always deeply concerned with providing opportunities for the most disadvantaged, advocating community education and lifelong learning. He worked with the British Dyslexia Association and Prisoners Abroad, and he co-founded and chaired the National Literacy Association, which championed better access to books for children, particularly those in public care.
Michael was born in Pretoria to Max Sterne and Tikvah Alper, respected Jewish scientists. The family moved to London in 1951: the South African government had refused to renew Tikvah’s passport after a laboratory colleague reported her criticism of the apartheid regime. Michael took up a scholarship at Dulwich college, struggling as an avowed atheist with enforced worship. A healthy cynicism towards authority was evident in his earliest years: he was frequently punished for pranks and for answering back.
While working as a laboratory technician, having abandoned a chemistry course at University College London, Michael married Pat Cutler, whom he met when both had summer jobs in Cornwall. He later completed his degree at Woolwich Polytechnic, where he was president of the students’ union, later becoming vice-president of the NUS, where he argued for the abolition of the distinction between polytechnics and universities decades before it came to pass.
He started his career in education administration as assistant education officer for Manchester city council, then held similar posts at Northumberland county council and in Doncaster. When he retired, Michael was elected a Labour councillor in Hounslow, west London, and became education spokesperson.
His real passion in his later years, however, was as an advocate for children with additional educational needs; his voluntary services were greatly appreciated by families who could not have paid for representation in educational tribunals. His tireless work since 1995 as a governor at Lampton school, Hounslow, was recently recognised by the opening of the Michael Sterne Communication Centre.
An avid sailor, Michael moored a Dehler 38 yacht near his home in Southampton and crossed the Channel annually, observing not long before he died that he was happiest navigating alone in the cockpit under the stars.
At family gatherings at his home with Pat he would observe, wryly: “Guests are a double pleasure: a pleasure when they arrive and a pleasure when they go away again.” We started every meal with Grandad’s Soup, which was delicious, if you didn’t ask what was in it: he hated waste and had no tolerance for such strictures as use-by dates. We found half a pot on the stove after he died, and shared a last bowlful.
He is survived by Pat, his children Jonathan, Abigail and Gabriel, and by 10 grandchildren.
