College’s new Deputy Principal excited to ‘create sparks’ for students

LOOKING FORWARD: Kirsti Lord

By Rick Lyon

The new Deputy Principal of Bishop Burton College says she’s looking forward to “creating sparks” to inspire students and help them fulfil their potential.

Kirsti Lord joins the college today as both Deputy Principal and Deputy Chief Executive.

For the last five years she has been Deputy Chief Executive at the Association of Colleges (AoC), the not-for-profit membership organisation that represents further education and sixth form colleges across the country.

Now, she says she’s looking forward to getting back into a college setting to deal directly with students, and helping them on the path to success.

Kirsti, who started teaching Music at Worcester College of Technology in 2000, said: “The AoC gave me the opportunity to have an impact on the sector by developing links and relationships with stakeholders and officials, but I was always focused on coming back to work at a college.

“Further education colleges provide a unique opportunity for people who perhaps haven’t had the most inspiring experience at secondary school, or haven’t found their passion or what they’re good at yet.

“They’re amazing at teasing out what excites you in life, and creating those sparks, and that’s what I want to do.

“I drifted for about four years after my A-Levels, then went back to college to study Music and it was the first time I ever felt I was good at anything. It ignited something in me and I just wanted to learn more.

“That’s what further education colleges do. They make students ambitious and excited for the future, and make a real difference.”

Kirsti’s career in further education has included senior positions in Birmingham and Leicester, before she joined the AoC, but this be her first role at a “land-based” college.

‘ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL’: Bishop Burton College’s campus

Ofsted ‘Good’-rated Bishop Burton, near Beverley, specialises in Agriculture, Equine and Engineering, and Kirsti believes this is another reason to be excited for her new role.

“It really appeals to me that this is a land-based college, because it’s something different for me,” she said.

“I really want to learn all the nuances and the ins and outs of a land-based college, and I just feel really privileged to have been offered this opportunity.

“The staff have been so welcoming, so helpful, and so clearly proud of where they work and who they work for. I’ve found that really inspiring.

“The students I’ve met have been equally as proud to be here, and have told me some incredible stories of the experiences they’ve had.

“The campus is just something else. It’s absolutely beautiful and has a slightly other-worldly feeling. It’s truly glorious and is so well equipped, with incredible resources and cutting-edge technology.

“This really is a great place to be teaching and learning.”

Kirsti, who has moved up from the Midlands to take on her new position in East Yorkshire, says she’s looking forward to getting to know the college better and then helping build on its success.

“The first thing for me is to understand the college, learn about the staff and learn about the students,” she said.

“I’m a big exponent of evolution, not revolution. There’s a reason why the staff and students are so proud to be here, so, first and foremost, I need to understand why that is.

“Then, going forward, it’s about grasping the opportunities ahead of us, in the best interests of our students.”