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AoC South East

We help our member colleges to deliver social and economic benefit to people, businesses and communities. We also make sure they are fully engaged in debates about the sector so they have a say in AoC policy.

Meet the South East Team

Gemma Baker

South East Area Director and Senior Policy Lead (Ofsted Inspection)

gemma.baker@aoc.co.uk

Gemma Baker photo

Gavin Whitworth

Member Services Manager (South)

gavin.whitworth@aoc.co.uk

Gavin

Shreya Desai

Member Services Manager (South)

shreya.desai@aoc.co.uk

Shreya Desai June 2023

Yasmin Byrne

Member Services Coordinator (South East)

yasmin.byrne@aoc.co.uk

Yasmin Byrne

AoC Sport Contacts:

Eleanor Kelly
Contact the Sport Development Officer for advice on: leagues and cups, regional tournaments, local development opportunities and programmes

Ellie Anderson
Contact the Policy and Projects Officer for advice on: sports and education policy and projects, national and regional funding streams, new developments in the sector, and strategic planning

International contact: Emma Meredith, AoC Director of Skills, Policy and Global Engagement

Apprenticeships contact: Claire Barker, AoC Senior Policy Manager, Skills & Industry

SEND contact: David Holloway, AoC Senior Policy Manager, SEND

HE contact: Arti Saraswat, AoC Senior Policy Manager, HE

Governance: Jeff Greenidge, Director for Diversity & Governance, Hayley Igbokwe, Governance Manager, and Ikran Jama, Governance Officer and Member Services Coordinator (London)

Twitter: You can follow us on: @AoC_SE


AoC South East Networks and Forums

Principals and CEOs' Network

Chaired by Anthony Bravo, Principal of Basingstoke College of Technology and Will Baldwin, Principal of Brighton, Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College

Meetings enable Principals and CEOs from the South East region to meet twice a term virtually to discuss current strategic and policy issues in the sector. Members also receive key national updates, with an opportunity to meet collectively with senior representatives from external stakeholders in the Further Education sector.

Finance Directors' Network

Chaired by David Moir, Deputy Principal, Finance & Resources of Basingstoke College of Technology and Eva Dixon, Chief Operating Officer, Orbital South Colleges

This network meets twice a term virtually. Meetings include updates on current financial areas of interest/concern, updates from the AoC and the ESFA, with feedback shared from the national College Funding Directors Group (CFDG) meetings.

HR Network

Chaired by Mickiela Blake, Director of People Strategy and Organisation Development, City of Portsmouth College

This network meets twice a term virtually and provides an opportunity for college HR Managers to share best practice and receive legal updates from Irwin Mitchell LLP on current issues.

Members also receive key national updates from Jo Taylor, HR Specialist Member Services Manager.

Chairs of Governors' Network

Chaired by Julie Dougill, Chair of Plumpton College

Meetings enable Chairs to meet twice a term virtually to discuss current strategic and policy issues in the sector and receive feedback from the AoC National Chairs Council (NCC), with an opportunity to meet collectively with senior representatives from external stakeholders in the Further Education sector.

Curriculum and Quality Network

Chaired by Christine Ricketts, Principal of Brooklands College

This network meets twice a term virtually and supports all aspects of quality improvement in colleges as well as the implementation of new curriculum initiatives and developments. The primary audience is Vice Principals and senior managers with responsibility for quality and improvement, although all interested staff are welcome to attend.

Members also receive key national updates from the AoC Policy Team, with an opportunity to meet collectively with senior representatives from Ofsted and other key stakeholders.

Clerks and Governance Professionals' Network

Chaired by Georgina Flood, Director of Governance at South Hampshire College Group and Belle Howard, Director of Governance at East Sussex College Group

This network meets twice a term virtually and provides members with key information on policy changes and other matters which affect college Governance, as well as an opportunity for round table discussion.

Members also receive relevant national updates from Hayley Igbokwe, AoC Governance Manager.

Apprenticeships Forum

Led by Claire Barker, AoC Senior Policy Manager, Skills & Industry

This virtual forum supports college staff in a range of business development roles with a focus on all aspects of provision for employers or employment, including Apprenticeships, work with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and enterprise activity, plus receiving key updates from Claire.

HE Forum

Led by Arti Saraswat, AoC Senior Policy Manager, HE

The virtual forum supports college staff with management roles in the provision of higher education in colleges, although anyone from a member college with an interest in higher education is welcome to attend.

Each forum features key updates from Arti along with presentations from stakeholders such as HEFCE, QAA and other organisations.  With opportunities for sharing experiences and good practice.

SEND Forum

Led by David Holloway, AoC Senior Policy Manager, SEND

The aim of this virtual forum is to receive key updates from David, share best practice and provide discussion points on issues relating to provision for Learners with Special Educational Needs in colleges. The forum is open to senior managers and expert practitioners, and has a particular focus on sharing practical solutions to current challenges.

International Forum

Led by Emma Meredith, AoC Director of Skills, Policy and Global Engagement

This virtual forum is aimed at supporting colleges to expand and improve the work they do internationally, and exploring new opportunities available to them.

The forum is open to all college staff with responsibility for raising the profile of their college at an international level.

AoC Sport

Led by AoC Sport

The network supports the development of all aspects of sport-related activity in colleges and forms a key regional component of AoC Sport's wider strategy.

The network meets once a term virtually and is attended by college staff with responsibilities for curriculum delivery as well as sports facilities and student participation. Meetings of the network provide updates and sharing of best practice in the areas of study programmes, sport development, and student employability. A key component of the network is to support collaborative development activity which is continued beyond the network meetings.

To see a full list of dates and to register your attendance, please visit our events page.