Windsor Forest Colleges Group (WFCG) is delighted to announce the appointment of Oliver Symons as its new Chief Executive Officer and Group Principal.
Oliver brings more than two decades of further education experience to the role with much of that time spent in senior leadership posts. He is currently serving as Principal and Chief Executive of Moulton College in Northamptonshire, where he has led the institution to an Ofsted ‘Good’ rating across all areas and drove a wide-ranging programme of transformation focused on curriculum quality, employer partnerships and regional skills development.
Prior to Moulton College, Oliver served as Deputy Principal at Wiltshire College & University Centre. He has also held roles in teacher education earlier in his career, reflecting a longstanding commitment to the quality of learning and teaching that sits at the heart of great further education. Oliver is a serving Ofsted inspector, giving him a uniquely informed perspective on quality assurance and the standards to which the best colleges in the country are held.
Oliver said: “I am incredibly proud to be joining The Windsor Forest Colleges Group at such an exciting point in its development. The Group has a strong reputation for educational excellence, innovation, and ambition, and I am looking forward to working with colleagues, students, governors, and partners to build on that success.
While I am excited for the opportunity ahead, leaving Moulton College is not a decision I have taken lightly. Moulton is a very special place and I am enormously proud of what has been achieved together over recent years. The College is now in a much stronger position and entering an exciting new chapter with real confidence.”
Jo Croft, Chair of Governors at Windsor Forest Colleges Group, said: “Oliver is an outstanding appointment. His track record of leadership, his depth of knowledge across the FE sector and his direct experience as an Ofsted inspector make him ideally placed to lead WFCG forward. We are delighted to welcome him to the Group and look forward to everything we will achieve together.
I also want to recognise Gillian May, whose contribution to Windsor Forest Colleges Group has been truly exceptional. Gillian leaves WFCG in a strong position, and her appointment as Deputy FE Commissioner is a testament to the esteem in which she is held across the sector. We wish her every success in what is a hugely important national role.”
Oliver will formally take up the post at Windsor Forest Colleges Group in the autumn term, with transition arrangements to be finalised over the coming months. In the interim, the Group will be supported by Samantha Foley, a Chartered Accountant with extensive board level experience across the public and third sectors. Samantha previously served as Chief Financial Officer at the University of Reading and as a governor within our college group.
