Leadership and governance

Peter Tavernor, principal

Peter Tavernor has been a college principal for more than 13 years, and has been active in education and public service throughout his life. In his previous role as principal of MANCAT he made it his mission to address poor local recruitment and poor educational outcomes in Manchester. As principal of The Manchester College, he has created a strong further education college with a financial surplus, exceptional buildings and impressive educational outcomes.

Under his leadership, the college has had a major impact on levels of participation in education in Manchester and has delivered one of the highest value added scores nationally. His vision for The Manchester College is that it should work in local partnerships, particularly with high schools, to meet neighbourhood needs, whilst at the same time providing excellent skills programmes on a regional and national basis.

Peter’s visionary leadership has created a college staff whose shared vision is to target local people of all ages and to encourage them to aspire to achieve. In addition, under his direction the college has prioritised employer responsiveness and is now one of the most successful colleges in the country for employer engagement.

Nationally, Peter has made an impact with his contribution to the not in employment, education or training (NEET) agenda and through his highly influential role on the DfES committee to implement EMAs. His views on the future of further education and its role in economic and social change are regularly sought by others.

Peter also chairs the Greater Manchester Principals Group and is an active member of the 157 Group of colleges and the Manchester Skills Board.

Barbara Forshaw, deputy principal

Barbara has been a principalship member for 13 years and, as well as deputising for the principal, she leads on staffing matters. She has prioritised the building of staff skills and facilitating effective career progression. She has created the impetus for the highly regarded inclusive approach and integrated Skills for Life work across the college. Her background in working with students with emotional and behavioural difficulties, first as a teacher, then as a headteacher, has nurtured her strong interest in behavioural psychology. Her expertise and experience have enabled her to take the lead in culture in The Manchester College. The work in the college in partnership with The Pacific Institute has earned acclaim nationally.

Jack Carney, senior vice principal

Jack is a longstanding member of the principalship with responsibility for the college’s guidance and youth support services and the development of the 14-19 curriculum and the Manchester Academies Programmes. He has strategic responsibility for the college's review and evaluation processes, involving chairship of the principalship's Quality Improvement Group, and performance reports such as self assessment and development plans. He played a significant role in setting up the GQAL awarding body in 2005, which enabled the college to introduce the highly successful PEARL qualification, designed to develop the personal, social and employability skills of young people. Jack was recently appointed to the North West Sports Board for his sports, business and education expertise and experience and, as such, plays a key role in growing participation in community sport in the region.

Marie Gilluley, senior vice principal

As a former principalship member of MANCAT, Marie joined the college originally to teach engineering and computing and has held a range of management posts as well as leading major development projects. Marie has been a principalship member for more than 15 years and has been instrumental in leading some of the college’s most successful initiatives, including the successful TQS application and work with several National Skills Academies. She is currently responsible for strategic and business planning, higher education, employer responsiveness and external relationships with key organisations. A chartered mechanical engineer, Marie has a hands-on background in production and plant engineering and takes a keen interest in these and other curriculum areas.

Andrew Harrison, senior vice principal

Andrew was appointed director of finance in 2007, having previously held an equivalent post at Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College. He gained extensive experience of the FE sector as the director of finance and corporate services at LSC Greater Manchester, working with all the Greater Manchester colleges on finance, merger and property issues. At The Manchester College, Andrew has responsibility for financial reporting, advising on statutory and legal requirements and leading on non-mainstream income. Andrew trained with the Audit Commission and is a CIPFA (Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy) qualified accountant with 16 years’ post-qualification experience.

Merron Mitchell, senior vice principal

Merron is responsible for the college’s Offender Learning Directorate, delivering excellence in learning and skills to over 60,000 learners, supported by 3600 staff, in 84 secure establishments across England. Her career in offender learning started over 34 years ago as a basic skills teacher at HMP Risley in Cheshire. Since joining the Offender Learning management team in 1993, the directorate’s estate has expanded significantly, establishing the college as the lead specialist in offender learning. In 2008, Merron was awarded the OBE and a prestigious STAR award for leadership and management in recognition of her services to education and skills.

Peter Cox, vice principal

Peter is vice principal for Offender Learning with responsibility for strategic development and ensuring effective contract performance. With a background in business development and as a member of the CIPD, he has 14 years’ experience of working in offender learning and has played a key role in its recent growth. The college now manages offender learning and skills in around 66% of the prison estate in England. Peter’s strengths lie in driving forward strategic development, nurturing a national offender learning culture and developing provision that impacts positively on all learners.

David Patterson, vice principal

With a strong track record in teaching, curriculum development and the management of vocational education – both in the UK and in capacity building projects overseas – David now provides strategic leadership of the college’s work with adults and employed learners. This role includes the continued re-focusing of the college’s provision in line with local and national priorities (including the successful implementation of Train to Gain) and the establishment and maintenance of the college’s national lead in generating fee income from employers.

David originally graduated in econometrics and also has an MPhil in competence-based education from Manchester. He is a CBI Regional Council member for the north west.

Sue Hart, vice principal

Sue joined the further education sector 19 years ago as an early years tutor and has progressed through the college to become vice principal for employer responsiveness. She has responsibility for collaborative working in key areas, including managing NHS contracts, running four nurseries with Surestart, developing training programmes for Greater Manchester Police (GMP), helping Manchester City Council fulfil its Skills Pledge, and establishing Manchester Internships for 16-19 year olds. Sue is currently supporting the Residents Wages Project which will address ways of increasing the incomes of residents through training and other means.

Tim Benson, vice principal

With 10 years’ secondary teaching experience and several years of managerial experience in the further education sector, Tim brings extensive curriculum expertise to the principalship team. He was appointed to improve quality and promote growth within the 14-19 segment – a mission he has steadfastly achieved over the last eight years. His extensive work and excellent strategic leadership have helped to secure The Manchester College’s status as the college of choice for school leavers in Manchester. Tim is currently involved in leading the development of the Manchester Academies Programme.

Sam Wright, vice principal

Working closely with Jack Carney and Tim Benson, Sam has strategic and operational responsibility for the large, complex and successful segment of 14-19 learners and is taking a lead on further developing progression pathways within this area. Sam has a wealth of experience from working in the further education sector, both as a teacher and a curriculum manager, and in the last nine years has been instrumental in shaping the college’s own innovative 14-19 agenda. With her experience and insight, she has also represented the college externally, making valued contributions to 14-19 reform on a city-wide scale.