South East

Dear South East colleagues,

What a truly amazing Colleges Week it was, with so many South East colleges getting involved and showing their support. The range of activity across the region really demonstrated the strength, energy and achievements of our sector. Please do pass on an enormous thank you to everyone in your college who contributed to making it such a success.

The AoC Spring Awards Celebration at the House of Commons on the 3 March was a fantastic way to launch Colleges Week, shining a spotlight on some of the outstanding practice taking place across our sector. A huge congratulations to Activate Learning, who were announced as the winners of the Jisc Award for Effective Use of Digital Technology in Further Education. We are also incredibly proud of Slough and Langley College (Windsor Forest Colleges Group) for being named finalists in the Bell Foundation Award for Excellence in ESOL, and of Activate Learning for being recognised in the AoC Award for Mental Health and Wellbeing.

I am delighted to welcome Rebecca Conroy, CEO and Principal at East Sussex College Group, as the new AoC Board South East regional representative. We are thrilled to have her join the AoC Board, where her voice and expertise will be invaluable in representing the South East. Rebecca’s three year term of office will be confirmed at the AoC Board meeting on Wednesday 11 March 2026 and we look forward to working closely with her as we continue to support AoC member colleges.

It was great to see James MacCleary MP highlight the 100th anniversary of Plumpton College during education questions in the commons. You can watch the moment here on parliament TV (his contribution begins at 3:17). From its beginnings in 1926, the college has grown into a leading provider across 19 specialist subject areas on its 800 hectare estate. As part of the celebrations, Plumpton is inviting alumni, staff and the wider community to share their memories for a new Centenary Story Archive. Events, exhibitions and reunions will run across the year to celebrate its heritage and future ambitions.

Finally, I encourage you to take a few minutes to watch the uplifting and truly inspiring performance by Rafferty Coope, a student from Peter Symonds College, during his remarkable appearance on Britain’s Got Talent. It’s a wonderful reminder of the talent, confidence and creativity within our college communities.

As we begin to see the first signs of spring, I look forward to seeing many of you at the upcoming network meetings.

Gemma Baker
Area Director –South East

Calls for Action
Online Equity Exchange
Tuesday 10 March 12 -1.30pm
Discussing War and Conflict
We know that colleges are increasingly looking for guidance on how to support students and staff during the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and in response to wider global events. To help you navigate these conversations with confidence, we have worked in partnership with the British Red Cross to host an online Equity Exchange specifically for the FE sector.
At moments like this, colleges play a vital role in ensuring that every student and colleague feels safe, respected and able to learn and work without fear. This includes being clear that all forms of hate and discrimination have no place in our institutions, while also safeguarding lawful freedom of expression and creating space for respectful dialogue handled with care and professionalism.

To register your attendance and receive the online link for the event, please follow this link.

AoC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Conference 2026
Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 March 2026, 9.30am – 12.45pm
Join colleagues from across further education at the AoC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Conference and help shape how colleges act as true inclusive anchor institutions in their communities. This online event brings together further education staff, senior leaders, and managers to explore how the everyday decisions colleges make about learning, employment and partnership can tackle inequality and strengthen belonging.
Through sharing of practice, honest discussion and practical tools, the conference will focus on how colleges can use their influence, resources and relationships to hard‑wire equality, diversity and inclusion into their civic role. Add your voice and experience to a sector‑wide conversation about what it means for colleges to lead for inclusion in the places they serve.
You can find our more and book your place here.

WorldSkills UK National Competitions
Register by 27 March
Entries are now open for the WorldSkills UK National Competitions 2026, giving apprentices and learners the chance to develop advanced technical skills and gain confidence through real world, industry designed challenges.
Please encourage London learners and employers to register now and help talent across the region take their skills to the next level.
More details and entry links are available here.

T Level Provider Insight Day
East Kent College Group, Ashford College Campus
Wednesday 22 April 2026, 9.30am - 3pm, free to attend
This is an excellent opportunity for providers who are planning or delivering T Level programmes to gain valuable insights during an in-person visit with this Wave 2 (2021) provider. The event will feature presentations from senior leaders, the marketing and employer engagement teams and an opportunity to network with the curriculum teams in the afternoon. A facility tour will be available to have an up-close look at how the specialist equipment allocation has been effectively utilised. This event is open to all providers who are in the process of planning and delivering T Levels particularly in:

• Digital
• Engineering and manufacturing

Initially places are limited to three people per provider. Any additional bookings will be added to a waiting list and contacted in the new year regarding availability.
You can find out more and book your place here.

Network meetings
AoC South East Quality and Curriculum Directors
Wednesday 18 March 2026
10 – 11.30am

AoC South East and London Finance Directors
(In person, AoC, London)
Thursday 19 March 2026
10 – 1pm

The network meeting invitations will be circulated shortly and added on our events page. If you don’t receive direct communications from us and would like to be added to our distribution list, please email yasmin.byrne@aoc.co.uk

AoC South East contact details
The contact details for Gemma, Gavin, Claire and Yasmin are available on the AoC website.
Follow us on Twitter @AoC_SE and @AoC_info
South East College News

Dear South East colleagues,

I hope the new year has started well for you and learners are settled back into their courses.
I am sure you will be busy with National Apprenticeship Week, shining a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy. Please do use the official toolkit and resources that can be found here.
Just one month later, we’ll be marking Colleges Week 2026 from Monday 2 March to Friday 6 March, with this year’s theme: Skills for All. Many of you will already be planning activities aligned with the daily themes, and additional resources are also available here, including template letters for MPs, media and press materials, and ideas for involving employers and partners.
If you haven’t done so already, please do visit the webpage for the Adult Learning Pays campaign, which seeks to champion the transformative potential of adult education, and get involved and sign up for regular updates. Adult education strengthens individuals, employers, and communities by building skills, confidence, and social connection, delivering benefits that reach far beyond the classroom. Yet it remains undervalued, and this campaign aims to shift the narrative by showing that investing in adult learning is a strategic choice that tackles skills gaps, reduces inequality, and drives long‑term social and economic growth.
Finally, I am sure you are aware that WorldSkills UK National Competitions registration will be opening next month, with more information about the timeline and competitions to be found here.
I hope you’re able to enjoy a well-deserved and relaxing half term break after such a busy start to the term and as always if you need any help or support, please do get in touch.

Gemma Baker
Area Director – South East

Network Meetings

AoC South East HR Directors
Monday 9 February 2026
1.30 – 3pm

AoC South East Clerks and Governance Professionals
Tuesday 10 February 2026
10 – 11.30am

AoC South HE Forum
(SE/SW and London)
Thursday 12 February 2026
11am – 12.30pm

AoC South Apprenticeships Forum
(SE/SW and London)
Wednesday 25 February 2026
10 – 11.30am

AoC South East Quality and Curriculum Directors
Wednesday 18 March 2026
10 – 11.30am

AoC South East and London Finance Directors
(In person, AoC, London)
Thursday 19 March 2026
10am – 1pm

South East college news

Milton Keynes College Group
Names one of the most inclusive workplaces in the country
Read more here.

EKC Sheppey College
Strengthens partnership with Wire Belt Ltd after signing MOU
Read more here.

East Sussex College Group
Student shortlisted for national moving image awards
Read more here.

Windsor Forest Colleges Group
JB Gill officially opens new top farm facilities
Read more here.

AoC South East contact details

The contact details for Gemma, Gavin, Claire and Yasmin are available on the AoC website.
Follow us on Twitter @AoC_SE and @AoC_info

Dear South East colleagues,

Happy New Year, and welcome to the first South East update of 2026! I hope you were able to enjoy a well-earned and restful break with family and friends over the festive season.

A heartfelt thank you to all the colleges that shared such thoughtful holiday greetings with us. It was wonderful to see the creativity on display, especially the excellent designs produced by students across the region.

We truly appreciate your warm wishes and personal messages of support, and in return we send our very best to you all for a successful and uplifting year ahead.

We were delighted to learn that two of our South East colleagues were recognised in the New Year Honours. Huge congratulations to Sara Russell, Principal, Peter Symonds College, recognised for services to further education who received an OBE, and Julie Kapsalis, Principal and Chief Executive, North East Surrey College of Technology (NESCOT), recognised for services to economic development who received an MBE.

We are also equally delighted to welcome several new appointments across the South East as we begin the year.

Itchen Sixth Form College: Rebecca Stratton, previously deputy principal, steps into the role of principal. She succeeds Alex Scott, who retired in December 2025 after many years of dedicated service.

Havant & South Downs College: Kurt Hintz joins as interim principal, bringing experience from his previous role at Petroc. He takes over from Mike Gaston, who stepped down in December 2025.

Windsor Forest Colleges Group: We are pleased to welcome Gary Dixon and Sinead O’Donoghue as the new principals for the group. They follow Anne Entwistle, who left her position in December 2025.

Basingstoke College of Technology: Gary Clark joins as the new Director of Finance. He succeeds David Moir, who has moved into semiretirement.

We wish all new leaders every success in their roles and look forward to working closely with them in the year ahead.

It was fantastic to learn at the AoC Annual Conference that two South East colleges were shortlisted as finalists for the prestigious Good for Me, Good for FE social action campaign, which champions volunteering and fundraising across the sector. This is an incredible reflection of the commitment to our learners and wider communities within our region.

Congratulations to:

• Lewis O’Callaghan from MidKent College: Finalist for Staff Volunteer for the Year
• Milton Keynes College Group: Finalist for Volunteering Project of the Year
• MidKent College: Finalist for Volunteering Accreditation Excellence Award

Particular congratulations go to Lewis O’Callaghan from MidKent College who was subsequently announced as the winner for Staff Volunteer for the Year 2025 at the winner’s ceremony hosted at the House of the Lords just before Christmas.

I am sure you will have noted that Colleges Week 2026, will take place from Monday 2 March to Friday 6 March and the theme for this year Skills For All. I encourage you to start planning activities in the diary, and further information and resource including themes for each day can be found here.

AoC has launched a new College News page where colleges can now upload their own press releases directly via a simple online form. This gives members a dedicated space to showcase successes and share updates without overwhelming the main AoC newsroom. Every press release submitted will also receive a corresponding AoC X (Twitter) post, helping boost visibility and celebrate the fantastic work happening across the sector. You can view the new page here. Please do make use of this new feature to share your stories.

Finally, if you haven’t already you may wish to have a look at the 2025 College Collective Impact Report that highlights how the initiative has grown into a powerful national network since 2021, bringing 42 colleges and 319 AoC associate experts together to share strengths, build talent, and support nearly a thousand staff. The report showcases strong outcomes, rising confidence, and inspiring stories of professionals who have developed as leaders and improved practice for students across the UK.

I have no doubt that 2026 will be just as busy as last year. We will continue to do our best working with you to influence policy, communicate key messages and provide timely support, and as always, we have a number of events planned for this term that we very much look forward to seeing many of you at. More details below.

Best wishes for the start of term and as always if you need any help or support, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Gemma Baker
Area Director –South East

Network meetings

AoC South SEND Forum (SE/SW and London)
Tuesday 27 January 2026
10:00 – 11:30am

AoC South Chairs (SE and London)
Wednesday 4 February 2026
4:00 – 5:30pm

AoC South East CEOs and Principals
Friday 6 February 2026
10:00 – 11:30am

AoC South East HR Directors
Monday 9 February 2026
1:30 – 3:00pm

AoC South East Clerks and Governance Professionals
Tuesday 10 February 2026
10:00 – 11:30am

AoC South HE Forum (SE/SW and London)
Thursday 12 February 2026
11:00 – 12:30pm

AoC South Apprenticeships Forum (SE/SW and London)
Wednesday 25 February 2026
10:00 – 11:30am

AoC South East Quality and Curriculum Directors
Wednesday 18 March 2026
10:00 – 11:30am

AoC South East and London Finance Directors
(In person, AoC, London)
Thursday 19 March 2026
10:00am – 1:00pm

AoC South East contact details
The contact details for Gemma, Gavin, Claire and Yasmin are available on the AoC website. Follow us on Twitter @AoC_SE and @AoC_info