Joyce quits Ofsted for college leadership role

Ofsted’s top further education director is leaving the inspectorate to take a leadership position at a college. 

Paul Joyce will stand down as further education and skills deputy director after 20 years with the inspectorate.

This comes weeks after Ofsted announced controversial reforms to inspections which unions described as “even worse” than the system we have now. 

Joyce, a regular speaker on the FE conference circuit, will become deputy principal at North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC) this summer under principal and CEO Marion Plant.

He said: “I am delighted to be joining the NWSLC team and am so looking forward to working with Marion and colleagues. 

“I look forward to contributing to the continued success of the college and supporting the talented staff team to ensure that every student is empowered to reach their fullest potential.”

Ofsted told FE Week it would recruit externally for a successor to Joyce later this year and will appoint a temporary replacement in the interim. Its national director of education Lee Owston wished Joyce well:

“Paul has been a huge part of the Ofsted further education team for nearly 20 years. First, as an inspector and more recently as the deputy director of further education and skills, he has had a significant impact on raising standards for so many young people.

“We wish him all the best in his new endeavour.”

Plant said she is “absolutely thrilled to have appointed Paul Joyce to the role of deputy principal at our strong, ambitious and happy college.

“Paul’s extensive experience, knowledge and, in particular, his style and approach will, without doubt, add significant value to an already effective and cohesive senior leadership team.”

Ofsted has been instructed by the new Labour government to replace current inspection reports with new-style report cards. But the plan has attracted early criticism as while it removes overall judgments, the watchdog wants to introduce potentially 20 areas where colleges will be graded.

Joyce’s decision to join NWSLC comes as the Ofsted grade 2 college prepares to launch a new “further education company” with Coventry University.

Plant added: “Everyone within our close college community looks forward to welcoming Paul into the NWSLC ‘family’ as we continue to build on our recent positive Ofsted assessment and prepare for an exciting formal partnership with Coventry University.”