From Army Officer to FE Commissioner: Shelagh Legrave on Building Outstanding College Culture скачать в хорошем качестве

From Army Officer to FE Commissioner: Shelagh Legrave on Building Outstanding College Culture

What does it take to transform a college from 'requires improvement' to outstanding—not once, but twice? And how do you sustain that culture of excellence across an entire sector? In this episode of The Culture & Leadership Podcast, host Guy Walker sits down with Shelagh Legrave, the FE Commissioner, at Chichester College Group - where Shelagh spent nearly 20 years, including 12 as Principal. Shelagh shares her remarkable journey from army officer to investment banking, then into education finance, before becoming one of the sector's most respected leaders. Now overseeing 200+ FE colleges, she brings hard-won insights on what makes culture stick, why middle leadership matters more than we think, and how personalisation, meeting people where they are, drives real outcomes. Key topics include: Why culture pervades everything and can't be separated from strategy The "serve to lead" leadership model that shaped her approach How to develop middle managers beyond just promoting good teachers Moving from autocratic to empathetic, democratic leadership Balancing financial pressures with outstanding student experience The crucial role of onboarding, mentoring and professional development Why place matters, and why no two college cultures are exactly the same Recruitment, retention and selling the FE sector properly Embracing change, technology and the next generation of leaders Whether you're an educator, college leader, aspiring principal, or passionate about how culture shapes student success, this episode is packed with practical wisdom, honest reflections and inspiration from someone who's lived it at every level. 00:00 Intro 00:03:45 Sheila's varied career journey: army, banking, finance to FE leadership 00:08:20 The shift from CFO to Principal at Chichester College 00:12:30 Becoming FE Commissioner and supporting colleges sector-wide 00:18:15 Why culture is essential for outstanding student experience 00:22:40 The challenge and importance of developing middle leaders 00:28:45 Meeting students where they are: personalization as a core value 00:32:10 How culture adapts to constant change in FE 00:38:50 Changing college culture: vision, mission, values and lived behaviours 00:45:30 Leadership competencies and learning from Good to Great 00:52:20 Recruitment, retention and making staff feel valued 00:58:15 Advice for aspiring FE leaders: ambition with humility 01:02:50 Looking ahead: technology, adaptability and the future of FE leadership dovetailslate.co.uk #educationleadership #collegeculture #furthereducation #fecommissioner #staffwellbeing #studentoutcomes #teacherdevelopment #eduleadership #learninganddevelopment #cultureineducation #leadershippodcast #middlemanagement #recruitmentandretention