Weston College has appointed Jane Hadfield as its new permanent chair of governors, following its exit from financial intervention.
Hadfield, national lead for apprenticeships at NHS England, has replaced Tim Jackson, who led as interim chair when the college was embattled with a “traumatic” financial notice to improve.
Jackson was parachuted in last May from the FE Commissioner’s office when multi-million-pound payments to ex-principal Sir Paul Phillips were exposed.
Fraud investigators uncovered governance failures around the disclosure of financial information including high pay packages to Phillips after his retirement.
Meanwhile, the Department for Education sent auditors from BDO to examine “other aspects” of financial controls at the college. These investigations are ongoing.
In early October, the south west college emerged from the FE Commissioner’s financial probe after leaders proved they had strengthened governance and audit procedures, and remuneration processes for senior staff.
Pat Jones, who was appointed principal in July 2024, said at the time the saga had been “traumatic for colleagues” and moving out of intervention was a “significant step in the journey of putting this behind us”.
Jones said Hadfield was appointed due to her “clear passion” for supporting learners and the wider community as well as working with the college to deliver cohorts of apprentices.
Hadfield, a former nurse, has been a resident in north Somerset for 40 years and her daughter also attended Weston College.
“Jane’s integrity, compassion, and ambition shine through everything she does,” Jones said.
“She has a clear passion for supporting our learners and the wider community, and we look forward to working closely with her as we embark on an exciting new chapter in Weston College’s journey towards becoming an extraordinary college.”
Hadfield said she was “absolutely thrilled” to be taking on the role.
“The college plays such an important role in supporting the local community – something I feel deeply passionate about,” she said.
“I am particularly looking forward to helping widen participation and improve access to education and training opportunities across our region, enabling people from all backgrounds to thrive and grow.”
Hadfield was also a board member of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) until it was abolished earlier this year to make way for Skills England.
She had chaired numerous IfATE’s employer-led trailblazer groups for health and science, including the T Level employer panel for health.
Earlier this year, Hadfield was celebrated with the special recognition award at the Apprenticeship and Training Awards (ATAs), run jointly by FE Week and the Association of Employment and Learning Providers.
She was also the employer co-chair of St Martin’s Group, a representative of employers and awarding organisations that support employer-led skills training.
I hope the new chairs first achievement is to sort out the culture there. The new senior team feel they are doing well but are seemingly oblivious to the toxicity which is running throughout the whole organisation. People are suffering mentally and breaking under the unreasonable pressure which senior management are putting on them. That team seem terrified of OFSTED descending and instead of just allowing people to do a great job, we cannot do our job properly because we are so overwhelmed with systems and scared of the threats of our KPIs appearing as red on the dreaded dashboard – even those that are beyond our control. The Principal only comes out of her office for photo opportunities, quality is a dictatorship and most of the senior team have no no knowledge, experience or understanding of the curriculum. Our Assistant Principal hides in their offices and spends their day sending out emails of what needs to be done better to get “OFSTED ready” (obviously more important than meeting student needs), but is clearly floundering and terrified of the regime so offers no real insight or support into how we can be supported to improve the data or any clue as to how to support struggling managers and staff so doesn’t try and just tells us to work harder. People are crying out for help and it is falling on deaf ears. I have been there a few years and love my job, but I am looking for an out – the Paul Phillips years were up and down, but at least there were ups. Now the students needs and staff wellbeing have been forgotten and I am scared for my own sanity and that of others in a way that I never have been with this current approach.