Paul Phillips

Dr Paul has overseen a dramatic transformation at Weston College since being appointed Principal in 2001.

He has driven the College from below-average academic results and a poor financial standing to Ofsted Outstanding status and a national reputation for excellence.

Under his leadership, the College has won a wealth of prestigious awards, including TES College of the Year and Overall FE Provider of the Year numerous Association of Colleges Beacon Awards and the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in 2018.

Dr Paul has also received extensive recognition for his individual efforts and achievements. In 2011 he was awarded an OBE for his services to further education and the voluntary sector, followed by a CBE in 2017 for his work in further and higher education. Most recently, Dr Paul was named FE Leader of the Year at the 2019 TES FE Awards.

Dr Paul has experience in industry and all fields of education, including university, secondary and further. His work in Further Education has spanned over thirty years and he has a wealth of experience and a history of academic excellence in maths, economics, law and statistics. This is complemented by his work as a NLFE for the Government alongside inspection experience in both England and Wales.

His responsibilities for the Weston College Group include the overall management of the College and the strategic direction of the organisation, which has seen its annual turnover increase from £9 million in 2001 to more than £60 million. The Group is now spread across five key sites, including a University Centre – one of the first of its kind in the UK, the latest edition of which is a flagship Institute of Technology for the West of England.

Dr Paul’s work is extensive in the sector. He has been appointed to the role of National Leader in Further Education (NLFE) – one of just seven national appointments – and to the Advisory Board to the FE Commissioner. He represents South West colleges regionally, as well as being a member of the National Board, and also writes for some of the leading national journals in education.

Dr Paul’s work has been recognised by both Bath Spa University, where he received an honorary Doctor of Letters, and the University of West of England, Bristol which awarded him a Doctorate in Education.

Dr Paul’s great interest – the SEND agenda and inclusivity of learning – led to the College being the first in the UK to open an autism spectrum residential training facility, which won a Beacon Award in 2018. Similarly, his vision for a university centre within an urban town model and development saw the College achieve Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework assessment.

Dr Paul also represents the Principals' Professional Council in the South West and is an active supporter for the sector, known for his robust approach and always placing the learner first.