Leader wellbeing is central to the success of our college students

“The education system stands or falls on the extent to which it is led by adults who are, themselves, flourishing.”

This vision was developed by the Confederation of School Trusts, Church of England and Catholic Education Service, but will resonate strongly with college leaders too.

FE is a sector built on transformation – for learners, communities and the wider economy. But if we want our learners to truly flourish, we must first ensure that those teaching them are flourishing.

The demands on college leaders and staff have never been greater. From navigating funding pressures and policy changes, to dealing with complex safeguarding issues and increasing SEND pressures, the weight of responsibility can be immense.

Yet too often, professional development frameworks focus solely on technical skills and compliance, overlooking the human element of leadership.

Our organisations share a vision to reimagine education as a career where every educator can expect to flourish, not just survive. To achieve this, we know that wellbeing needs to be at its heart.

The National Society of Education developed its Flourishing Leaders programme to help schools with this vision, but it became clear that its principles were just as vital in FE.

Recognising this need, we worked together to bring several colleges to the table to explore how the model could translate into FE practice. This led to a pilot involving 50 leaders from 20 colleges across the country, featuring programmes for emerging leaders, system leaders and leaders of equality, diversity, inclusion and justice.

Colleges face particular challenges: large workforces, diverse learner cohorts and staff who have often joined from industry rather than through traditional teacher training routes. Such colleagues bring incredible expertise, but they also need compelling reasons to stay, given the fact they are likely to earn higher salaries in industry.

Crucially, these staff members tend to be rooted in purpose and are motivated by the sense of giving something back. We therefore need to do the same for them.

The recent skills white paper’s emphasis on workforce development is welcome, but we need to go further. Professional development at scale in a college of 1,000 staff looks very different from a small school.

That is why an initiative such as City College Plymouth’s decision to refocus all CPD around the concept of flourishing is so significant. This is not about sending individuals on a course; it is about ensuring wellbeing is our core purpose and embeddedinto the culture and systems of leadership.

So, what does this look like in practice? Here are five principles for FE leaders to consider:

1. Make wellbeing a strategic priority, not an afterthought. Build it into leadership frameworks and CPD plans for staff at all levels. Treat it as integral to performance, not separate from it.
2. Create safe spaces for honest conversations. Staff need freedom to talk about difficult issues without fear of judgment. Psychological safety is central to both trust and innovation in every organisation.
3. Model openness and courage. When leaders share their own challenges and learning, it gives others agency to do the same. Confidence to speak out and act starts at the top.
4. Focus on purpose, not just process. Remind staff why their work matters. For many in FE, the sense of mission – transforming lives and communities – is a powerful motivator.
5. Invest in holistic development. Leadership growth is not just about technical competence; it is about resilience and the ability to lead with hope in challenging times.

Our greatest growth often comes through our greatest challenges. By putting wellbeing at the centre of leadership development we can create colleges where staff feel valued, supported and inspired. Our institutions will then become places where learners can reap the benefits of flourishing educators.

The question for every FE leader is this: Are we building systems that enable our people to thrive? Because when leaders flourish, learners flourish. And that is the future our sector deserves.