STORY
Ellen Thinnesen OBE has been appointed the new Further Education Commissioner, with a three-year term beginning in January 2026. The Department for Education said she will lead a national team of deputies and advisers to strengthen leadership and governance across colleges, prioritising faster improvement and support for institutions under pressure. Thinnesen is currently Chief Executive of Education Partnership North East and formerly served as Principal and CEO of Sunderland College. She led the mergers that created EPNE, bringing together Sunderland College, Northumberland College and Hartlepool Sixth Form College, and is credited with improving educational quality and financial resilience across the group.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said Thinnesen’s track record in turning around colleges would be “invaluable” as the government pursues its Plan for Change, including efforts to grow the economy in key sectors and reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training. Thinnesen called the role a privilege and said FE must adapt and align provision to future labour-market needs while re-engaging those currently out of education or work. Sector bodies welcomed the move. Association of Colleges chief executive David Hughes CBE congratulated Thinnesen and said he expects the commissioner’s office to keep focusing on sharing good practice and supporting leaders, not only intervening when things go wrong