My husband, Mick Michell, who has died aged 78, made significant contributions to science education and school improvement.
After two years teaching in Bristol in the 1960s he moved to London, first to Hampstead school and then to Ealing Green high school as head of science, where I met him in 1974. He left teaching in 1980 to work in the science support team for the Inner London Education Authority (Ilea) and then joined the Secondary Science Curriculum Review team in 1982, later becoming its director.
Mick advocated the teaching of integrated or combined science to all secondary age children rather than separate sciences, at a time when many took only one or two science subjects. He was the chief examiner for the Schools Council Integrated Science Project, and as there were few suitable science textbooks he decided to write one; or rather edit the contributions from five science teachers (of whom I was one). Macmillan Integrated Science Book 1 was published in 1986; Book 2 followed in 1987.
In 1989 he joined the Surrey county council advisory service, where he worked first as a science adviser then a senior consultant for secondary schools and in charge of Ofsted inspections. After retirement in 2006 he continued to do consultancy work and was a governor or chair of governors for several schools until 2024.
Born in Plymouth, he was the son of Katherine (nee Mackenzie), a nurse, and Alan Michell, a bookbinder. The family moved to Yeovil in Somerset, where Mick passed the 11-plus and gained a place at Crewkerne grammar school. As a sixth former he became a Queen’s scout and gained entrance to Aberystwyth University to study chemistry and biochemistry as the first member of his family to go into higher education. He followed this with a PGCE teaching qualification in 1968.
His mother taught him to cook. and his roast Sunday lunches for family and friends were famous. He was introduced to birdwatching by his biology teacher, a passion that stayed with him for life.
Mick and I married in 1979. He is survived by me, our daughter, Jessica, son, Edward, and three grandchildren, Lois, Henry and William.
