Chichester CEO Green unable to work, staff told

The chief executive of one of the country’s largest college groups has taken a leave of absence, with his deputy stepping in.

Chichester College Group boss Andrew Green has not worked since at least early December. It is not known when he will return.

Staff were told by email that Green, who has been CEO for four years, “had to take a leave of absence”.

Executive principal/deputy CEO Vicki Illingworth is covering accountable officer duties until further notice.

The nature of Green’s absence was not disclosed.

A college spokesperson told FE Week it was college policy not to comment on individual matters.

“As an employer we owe all employees a duty of privacy when it comes to leaves of absence,” they said.

“The group’s deputy chief executive, Vicki Illingworth, is covering statutory duties in Andy’s absence and arrangements are in place to ensure that the group continues to deliver high-quality services to the communities that it serves.”

Chichester College Group teaches nearly 25,000 students across nine campuses and has a total income of almost £120 million, with £89 million from public funding body grants, according to its latest 2024 accounts.

The group is judged ‘good’ by Ofsted and reported a ‘good’ financial health rating.

Green succeeded Shelagh Legrave as CEO, who left Chichester College Group in 2021 to become FE Commissioner.

He joined Chichester College in 2010 as deputy principal, and became executive principal at the institution in 2017 following a merger with Crawley College (formerly Central Sussex College).

Green was also interim chief executive of Greater Brighton Metropolitan College (GB Met) in 2020.

Illingworth joined Chichester College in 2001 as an associate lecturer in geography, travel and tourism.

She moved up the ranks to assistant principal before becoming principal of Crawley College in 2017. She was promoted to executive principal/deputy CEO of the college group in 2022.

Green was contacted for comment.