Singing the praises of FE

Ian Pryce CBE of The Bedford College Group is laying claim to being the longest ongoing serving Principal and Chief Executive of a further education establishment.

Others may have lasted longer in the previous century, but in today’s fast-changing environment, Ian’s 21 years+ in situ is looking like a record.

Ian continued: “The talents of our team members across all college services means that our students enjoy their experience with us, more than 90% would recommend us to others and there is no higher compliment.

At a national FE level, Ian is known as the “Singing Chief Executive” having written tracks about various issues aimed at Government Ministers and more which are widely shared on social media.

During his two decades at Bedford College, which became The Bedford College Group in 2017 following the merger with Tresham College in Northants, Ian has been a co-founder of the Collab Group and is a member of the Syndic of Cambridge University.

In Bedford he was founder Chair of the very successful Bedford Free School, recently mentioned by PM Boris Johnson, established the Bedford College Academies Trust which has brand new primary and secondary schools at Wixams, rescued the internationally known Shuttleworth College and took over a “Hogwart’s style” private girls’ school site to establish a successful co-ed Sixth Form. All are now flourishing.

Ian added:

There is more I want to do and luckily I have an energetic young, but experienced, team around me who are stepping up to take on the new challenges. There is a generation of young people out there who need to be helped through the changes ahead. If I am able to complete 25 years as Principal and CEO I will consider myself to have had the best job not just in Bedford. but in the region.

The Bedford College Group is No1 college, based in the region, for Overall Student Achievement.