Joan Deslandes is headteacher of Kingsford Community School, a secondary comprehensive school with specialist language college status in Beckton.
She has twice been named in London’s 1000 most influential people by the Evening Standard and is amongst Debrett's People of Today. In 2010, she was awarded the SSAT Confucius Institute Excellence Award for her ‘outstanding contribution’ to Chinese learning within the United Kingdom and her leadership has been described as 'outstanding' by Ofsted.
She has played an important role in promoting ties between the private and maintained sectors via Kingsford's unique link with Brighton College, and the formation of the 100 Group, which brings together the country's leading headteachers to build positive partnerships in education.
