Three leaders of ‘outstanding’ colleges have been appointed to the Department for Education’s roster of national leaders of further education.
The national leaders (NLFEs) form part of the FE Commissioner’s active support offer and are sent in to guide and mentor colleges facing difficulties.
Following a recruitment round in February, Notre Dame Sixth Form College principal Justine Barlow, City Lit principal and CEO Mark Malcomson and New City College group principal and CEO Gerry McDonald have been appointed.
They will serve three-year terms.
Joining them is Peter Doherty, deputy principal for finance and resources and Kirklees College, who has been made a national leader of further education finance specialists.
Each of NLFE’s home colleges can claim up to £15,000 per year from a DfE bursary to cover “costs associated” with their principals’ national roles.
DfE guidance states that the NLFEs help colleges identify improvement needs, provide mentorship and deliver the FE Commissioner’s curriculum efficiency and financial sustainability programmes.
It brings the total number of NLFEs up to eight after the departure of previous postholders from their college roles. Those standing down recently include Peter McGhee from St John Rigby College and Graham Razey from EKC Group.
FE Commissioner Shelagh Legrave’s most recent annual report said her team of NLFE’s and national leaders of governance supported 59 colleges in 2023-24.
To become an NLFE, bosses must hail from colleges graded ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ for financial health and by Ofsted.
Once again the department has failed to appoint principals from diverse backgrounds to the NLFE team.
In an FE Week interview in 2021, Legrave was challenged specifically on representative of non-white college principals on her top team. She said at the time this was “reflective of the small number of BAME leaders in the sector”, adding, “I think it is really sad that we haven’t got as diverse in our leadership in FE as we should have. And I will certainly work with everybody to try and ensure that there is a greater diversity”.
National leaders of further education
Justine Barlow, Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College
Colin Booth, Luminate Education Group
John Laramy, Exeter College
Mark Malcomson, City Lit
Gerry McDonald, New City College
Sam Parrett, London South East Colleges
Ellen Thinnesen, Education Partnership North East
Gill Worgan, West Herts College Group
National leaders of further education finance specialists
Peter Doherty, Kirklees College
John Hunt, London South East Colleges
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