Q: When did you join MK College?

A: I joined the College in early June, so I’ve been in the role for about three months.

Q: What did you do before joining MK College?

A: Before coming here, I was working in the Channel Islands, helping their education department with quality improvement. I was an education consultant who became part of the senior management team at a College in Guernsey and helped lead them towards a good Ofsted rating. I’m originally from Cumbria, so I was commuting to Guernsey every week but now I have a base in MK for this role.

Q: What has your career path looked like so far?

A: My career has always been in Further Education—this year marks my 20th year of being involved with GCSE Results Day! I started my career in prison education teaching English and maths for a short while before becoming a PE teacher for 10 years. From there I held senior leadership posts at Accrington and Blackpool Colleges. I’ve gained a lot of experience working with Ofqual and training providers, all of which have prepared me well for this role.

Q: How have the first three months been?

A: The last three months have been all about getting familiar with the College and hitting the ground running. I’ve been focused on understanding what the College does well and supporting our push toward excellence. I’m also assessing and analysing what we want to do as a college to make the student experience as strong as it can be.

Q: What has stood out to you the most about MK College?

A: What’s really stood out to me is how deeply the College lives its values every day. We have a highly skilled team that does amazing work with and for students, and there’s a strong sense of community here. It’s exciting to be part of our next steps.

Q: What are the main responsibilities of your role?

A: My main responsibility is to ensure we have a fantastic curriculum that’s ready for the future and that we’re effectively serving our community. I’m leading on national priorities for the College, like qualification reform and adapting to changes from the new government. I’m also engaging with key stakeholders in MK—such as our three MPs and other key figures in the city and region. For me, it’s about making sure we’re talking to our community and students and really understanding what they want and need.

Q: What are your current priorities and plans?

A: Our next steps after our ‘Good’ Ofsted inspection are to continue being the number one provider in the region and to give students the best possible outcomes and experiences. We’ve established a strong T Level programme and have just launched our new A Level programme, so we’ve got every box ticked. We also have a strong apprenticeship department and are starting to look at how we can grow our Higher Education provision.

The opportunities in MK are incredibly exciting, especially for someone like me who’s new to the city. Our partnership with Red Bull Racing is just one example of the unique opportunities available here.

Q: What is your favourite thing so far about working at MK College?

I think there’s a real tenacity about the College. People here are driven for all the right reasons. We had a CPD day recently that was all about growth and development, and I’m here to ensure that, from a curriculum and quality perspective, we’re the best we can be. I also want to see our staff grow and be part of the journey.

I’m really enjoying working with the people here, and I’m keen that when we do our strategy work for the future, it’s collaborative with our workforce. Because people here really care. Further Education can be a challenging environment, and while the policies and procedures can sometimes be frustrating, our goal is to make a real difference in people’s lives. That’s what motivates me—working with like-minded people who are eager to grow and help others grow too.