East Lancashire Learning Group Leader Lisa O’Loughlin Awarded CBE in New Year Honours

Lisa O’Loughlin, Principal and CEO of East Lancashire Learning Group (ELLG), has been appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Year Honours 2025 for her exceptional services to post-16 education.

The honour recognises Lisa's 30-year career championing technical education and her pivotal role in shaping the future of learning for young people across England, most notably as one of only two further education representatives on the government's landmark Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) panel.

Lisa has also been announced as one of the members of the new Young People and Work Group - a government-linked advisory group focused on improving how young people (typically aged 14-25) are prepared for, supported into, and sustained in education, training and employment.

“I’m truly humbled by this award and deeply grateful to those who took the time to nominate me. Excellence in education is never the result of individual effort; it is built through strong collaboration between students, parents, employers, partners and the exceptional teachers and support colleagues I have the privilege to work alongside every day. I’m immensely proud of what we achieve together, and thankful that our collective commitment is being recognised at a national level.”

National Impact on Education Policy

As a member of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review panel – described as a "once in a generation" opportunity to reshape England's education system – Lisa has helped evaluate over 7,000 responses from young people, educators, and employers. The review's recommendations, published in November 2024, will inform education provision for millions of young people for years to come.

Professor Becky Francis CBE, CEO of the Education Endowment Foundation and Chair of the Review panel, said: "Lisa is an inspirational role model for other leaders in the college sector, due to her ability and determination to realise a vision. Beyond her leadership of her own outstanding college group, she contributes to national success via roles such as the Curriculum and Assessment Review Panel, work which will affect the lives of millions of young people."

Lisa's national influence extends to her role as a Board member of the Association of Colleges and membership of the FE Leaders Advisory Group, where she advises Skills Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith on skills policy development.

Leading Excellence at ELLG

Under Lisa's leadership since December 2022, ELLG has achieved remarkable success:

• Maintained its position as the only college in England rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted for 20 consecutive years, with its fourth consecutive outstanding inspection in December 2024

• Ranked number one in England for A-Level and vocational progress in March 2024, demonstrating students make greater progress than at any other college in the country

• Lancashire Adult Learning ranks as the top college in England for adult learning

• Students are twice as likely to achieve grade 4 in English and maths at ELLG than at any other FE college nationally

• Achieved a 98% pass rate for level 3 technical courses and 100% for T Levels

Phil Wilkinson, Chair of ELLG's Corporation, said: “Lisa’s complete commitment, drive and expertise has been evident since day one and critical to the College’s success and impact on our local communities and learners.

“She embodies the Group’s values, including ‘We never stop at good enough’, with a passion for improvement and inspirational leadership that is recognised and felt by learners, colleagues and partners alike."

Transforming Greater Manchester's Skills Landscape

Prior to joining ELLG, Lisa spent a decade as Principal of The Manchester College, transforming it from 'Requires Improvement' to 'Good' with a curriculum strategy Ofsted described as a model of best practice.

Achievement rates increased from 82% to 93% under her leadership.

As Chair of the Greater Manchester Colleges Group for six years, she led unprecedented collaboration across the region's nine colleges, working alongside Mayor Andy Burnham to create the Greater Manchester Integrated Technical Education System – now used as a blueprint by emerging Combined Authorities nationally.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: "I had the pleasure of working alongside Lisa at The Manchester College, where she consistently went above and beyond to deliver an inclusive approach to technical and vocational education, ensuring that residents across GM gained the skills they needed to grow and prosper in the city's high-growth sectors."

Overcoming Personal Challenges

Lisa's recent achievements are made more remarkable by her personal journey. Shortly after joining ELLG in 2023, she was diagnosed with grade three breast cancer and underwent extensive treatment while continuing to lead the college and serve on the national curriculum review panel.

"I'm a positive, glass half-full kind of person," said Lisa, now clear of the disease. "When I came back to work, I was ready to be a normal, functioning human being again. Coming back was a real positive for me."

Building the Future

ELLG is currently investing millions in Industry Innovation Hubs focused on engineering, digital and health sectors, addressing regional skills gaps while partnering with Lancaster University to offer guaranteed interviews to students through their Lancaster Link initiative.

"We're incredibly excited about what this investment means for our students," said Lisa. "We've made these investments because we know it's what the area needs. Our mission is to ensure every young person, regardless of their starting point, has access to world-class education that opens doors to meaningful careers."