AoC Performance and Accountability Conference 2026

Paul has worked for the Department for Education and its predecessor bodies since 2007, most recently employed as Interim Deputy Director for the London, Southeast and East Anglia Place-Based Team, leading a team of 30 civil servants responsible for oversight, intervention and support for the statutory FE sector. Paul is leading the departments work on Regional Improvement Teams and will take on the role of Interim Deputy Director Strategic Operations & Systems Support Division from January 2026. Before joining the Civil Service, Paul worked in advanced manufacturing, managing apprenticeship and graduate programmes and previously served in the Royal Air Forc

Sarah Pearce is Head of Data and Analysis for Post‑16 Education, Training and Skills at Ofsted. Her FE journey began at North Devon College, studying the short‑lived GNVQ in Business Studies, before working at the college’s adult IT training centre, supporting learners to upskill. Joining Ofsted in 2009 as a social care data analyst, Sarah returned to her FE roots in 2015. For the past five years, she has led Ofsted’s FE data and analysis team, transforming behind the scenes systems and processes to improve inspection practice. Sarah brings an infectious passion for improving data to tell learners’ stories.

Janet is CEO and Principal of Nottingham College. Her career in education has spanned almost 40 years, mostly in FE but with nine years in teaching and management roles in HE. She has been a CEO since 2015. As someone who has benefited from a college education herself, Janet is a passionate advocate for further education, the opportunities and improved life chances it creates for learners of all backgrounds. At Nottingham she is responsible for a £92m general further education college which trains and educates over 8,000 full-time and 14,000 part-time students each year.

James Staniforth has been CEO of Shrewsbury College since 2017, overseeing growth in college turnover from £22m to £41m, with 16-18 numbers increasing from 3100 to 4400. The college was judged as ‘Outstanding’ in March 2025. James was previously CEO of Strode College in Somerset for seven years, leading the college to an ‘Outstanding’ judgement in 2014. James has BA/MA degrees in History from the University of Cambridge. James has served as a senior A Level examiner and written an A Level History textbook. He sits on two national groups for AoC, is a school governor, and served on both the Marches LSIP and LEP boards. He loves his job but would rather be Harry Brooks.