A NEW Principal has been appointed at Bournemouth & Poole College to take over from Diane Grannell.

Diane will retire at the end of this year with Phil Sayles taking over the position in January 2022.

He is currently the Principal and CEO of Selby College in Yorkshire and has held several other senior positions including deputy principal at Rotherham College and leadership roles at Grimsby and Lincoln College.

He said: "I am absolutely delighted and very proud to have been selected to lead Bournemouth and Poole College at a time when technical skills for work, or further education study, are both vital to local people of all ages.

"The college plays a pivotal role in delivering this and training the workforce of the future. I look forward to growing our connections with key sectors such as engineering, health and digital when I start my new role."

Diane said: "Although it is with a heavy heart that I am leaving Bournemouth & Poole College, I am pleased to hand over its leadership to such capable hands. I wish Phil all the best in his new role and hope to see the college continue to grow and develop in the coming years.

Phil will join The College at a pivotal time with its Lansdowne site to soon benefit from the government’s national £1.5bn fund to improve its learning environments. New courses are also continually launching in exciting new sectors.

Home to around 12,000 students from across the region, UK and the world, Bournemouth & Poole College is the largest provider of further education and apprenticeships in the area.

For more information on Bournemouth & Poole College, go to thecollege.co.uk