A college principal has mysteriously left her post – and leaders and governors have refused to say who is running the institution.
Karen Buchanan (pictured) began working at Burnley College in 1986 as a part-time lecturer and became deputy principal in 2011 before taking on the top job in 2017.
But FE Week understands she left the position just before an Ofsted inspection from March 11 to 14.
Rumours about her sudden departure have been swirling ever since, but the college has so far refused to give a reason for Buchanan’s exit, say whether she will return, or confirm who is now leading the college, which receives over £33 million in public funding annually.
Staff have been “left in the dark”, said University and College Union north west regional official Matt Arrowsmith.
He told FE Week: “UCU is increasingly concerned about developments at Burnley College. Our members have been left in the dark for weeks regarding the ongoing absence of the principal.
“Despite requests from UCU, all we have been told is that the principal is on ‘a period of personal leave’.
“The lack of information regarding the principal’s role is fuelling speculation, and we are deeply concerned about the damage this may be causing to the standing and reputation of the college and its strategic leadership.”
Burnley College teaches around 10,000 students and is in a financially healthy position according to its latest 2024 accounts which show a £1.9 million surplus, £21.5 million in reserves and an ‘outstanding’ financial health rating.
The college employs almost 700 people, was rated ‘good’ by Ofsted in 2021, and last year self-assessed as ‘outstanding’ on the watchdog’s scale.
It boasts on its website that it is the “number one” college in England for 16 to 18 achievement rates on the government’s most recently published achievement rates table in March 2024, and claims to have held the position since 2018.
Buchanan’s salary rose 10 per cent last year, rising from £169,000 in 2023 to £186,000 in 2024.
Burnley College failed to comment on the principal’s exit despite multiple requests from FE Week.
Current chair David Brown has been a governor at the college since 2005 and became the board’s leader last year when longstanding chair of over 15 years David Meakin retired.
Arrowsmith said the college had a “duty to be open and transparent” and UCU will be “writing to college governors, again, to request an update and to seek assurances about the leadership of the college”.
He added: “In the meantime, we will continue to support UCU members who, despite the ongoing uncertainty, are continuing to provide a first-class education for their students.”
Shame on the college for failing in its duty to be transparent to students, parents and staff, they have a right to know. Many chose their education on its reputation. This is not the first time the college has been less than transparent. You do not walk someone off site for personal leave. The college is rife with corruption and abuse of privilege. For some reason they believe they have a right to mislead those that fund them. This is another example of toxic leadership in the sector, Liverpool City College another. The Government should investigate. Anyone averting the truth should go. How dare they !!!
I thought that the days of having governors exceed two times four years of time with one college were gone and that it is so well known that it should not happen, without good reason for it such as a merger. Twenty years should ha
Ve been picked up by Ofsted some time ago in inspection. Is FE Week confirming the high achievement claimed or not? There is history of inspection years back debunking claims of high achievement by senior managers. We await the inspection report with interest.
Was the principal escorted off site ? If so never known a principal escorted off site for personal reasons? Is it illegal for a public institution to mislead the public ? If the principal has been suspended or put on garden leave would this be in the public interest?