A scandal-ridden college has appointed a new permanent principal, months after its long-serving leader quit ahead of an Ofsted report that revealed inflated achievement rates.
Jason Faulkner will stand down from his deputy chief executive role at the Education Training Collective to take the helm and help mark the start of an “ambitious new chapter” for Burnley College.
Inspectors revealed in July that Burnley College, which boasted to be the “number one” in the country for achievement rates, “misled” students and parents by inflating their data.
The inspection report, which downgraded the college to a ‘requires improvement’ rating, came just a day after former principal Karen Buchanan officially resigned from her role.
She had mysteriously disappeared from the college in March. Buchanan was later suspended pending an investigation.
Faulkner is set to join the college on February 2, 2026.
Faulkner said: “Burnley College feels like a place where my skills and experience align, and I can add real value. This feels like the right fit.
“I am optimistic about the future and being able to share the skills I have developed with another college and the surrounding communities, and add value to their, and my, next chapter.”
He joins from the Education Training Collective, where he has spent over two decades teaching and working at Stockton Riverside College and Redcar and Cleveland College before their mergers with the college group.
The Education Training Collective (ETC), which comprises six colleges and training providers, was upgraded to ‘outstanding’ in May.
Faulkner said his biggest achievement was renewing Redcar and Cleveland College. He became principal of the college in 2018, after an FE commissioner visit was prompted over a breakdown in merger talks to save the college’s finances.
Redcar merged with Stockton Riverside in 2018 and then became part of the ETC a year later.
“That’s not just about the achievement data or student numbers,” Faulkner said.
“It is the work that has been carried out with supportive partners, the capital investments that have led to massive innovation at the college, and the relationships built with the local authority and employer partners.”
David Brown, chair of governors, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jason to Burnley College. His dynamic leadership and forward-thinking vision are exactly what we need to continue building an educational environment where every student and staff member can achieve their ambitions.
“We are confident that under his guidance, the college will reach new heights of excellence and further solidify its role as a cornerstone of the community.”
New recruits
The college is also advertising on its website for an FE governor to join its board.
It comes after Ofsted recommended it “strengthen” the governing board with people with FE experience.
The advert is looking for someone with experience in senior FE education or leadership, who can “use their understanding of learning outcomes, further educational policy and inclusion to support the college’s strategic development”.
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