Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT) has announced long-serving staff member Lorraine Heath as its permanent principal. Heath has worked at the college for almost 30 years and was most recently deputy principal for curriculum, performance and innovation before being made acting principal in February. She took on the position as interim accountable officer after the sudden retirement of Anthony Bravo, who served the college as principal for over 16 years and stepped down in the middle of the academic year to “focus on his charitable activities”. Mike Howe, BCoT chair of governors, said Heath has been a “cornerstone of BCoT for almost 30 years”, serving the last seven years with “incredible dedication and distinction as our deputy principal”. He added: “During the rigorous and transparent interview process, it became clear that Lorraine’s deep understanding of our college culture, combined with her bold vision for our future, makes her the perfect person to lead us into this next chapter. No one understands the heart of this college better than Lorraine, and we are thrilled to see a homegrown leader take the helm.” Heath joined BCoT in 1997 in corporate services before she qualified as a teacher in 2001. She worked in multiple teaching and curriculum roles before taking responsibility for apprenticeships and employer engagement in 2011. A BCoT spokesperson said that as deputy principal for business, Heath was “instrumental in expanding the range of apprenticeships offered at the college and has overseen significant growth in the number of learners and employers engaging in apprenticeship programmes”. More recently, as deputy for curriculum, performance, and innovation – and with five years of experience as an Ofsted inspector – Heath has “proven she possesses the national expertise and local lens needed to lead BCoT”. Heath said: “I am delighted to be named principal of BCoT, a place that has been my home for nearly three decades. I’ve seen the College grow and change over the years, serving thousands of young people from our community. “I look forward to continuing that positive momentum and delivering high-quality education opportunities that directly equip our students with the specific skills our local economy and community need to thrive.” BCoT was judged ‘good’ by Ofsted in 2023. The college employs around 430 people and teaches almost 5,000 students, according to its latest financial statements for 2024-25 which show ‘outstanding’ financial health.