Philip Parkin, General Secretary (2006-2012)

Philip Parkin was born in Bishop Auckland in County Durham in 1950 and grew up in and around Darlington.

He attended Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Darlington and then went to Leeds University where he took a degree course in Textiles and Industrial Management, and met and married Linda, a classics student, in 1971. On graduation, they both took a PGCE course at City of Leeds and Carnegie College and were then both offered teaching posts in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire.

Philip Parkin taught in infant schools before moving into the junior sector in 1990. Before taking up office as General Secretary on 1 January 2006, he was Deputy Head of Old Clee Junior School, Grimsby, until December 2005. 

Philip Parkin also has a DIPSE (Diploma in Professional Studies in Education) in Education Management, a DipEd in Action Research and an MEd in Action Research.

Throughout his teaching career he was involved in trade union work, initially as a school representative for NUT but then as a PAT (Voice) activist after a period of NUT industrial action. He served PAT (Voice) as a Field Officer for North and North East Lincolnshire, Federation Secretary of PAT (Voice)’s North East Lincolnshire Federation and a Council Member for the East Midlands region, and represented PAT (Voice) nationally at a number of forums.

Philip and Linda Parkin have two sons who are both professional musicians.

In his teenage years, Philip Parkin enjoyed fell walking, caving and potholing and he still goes walking in the hills whenever the opportunity arises.  His other interests include: cycling, concerts, theatre, art galleries and exhibitions, European travel, watching cricket, news and current affairs, and the history and archaeology of the Industrial Revolution.