Leeds City College Appoints New Executive Principal

Diana Bird to lead college through leadership transition

Leeds City College has announced the appointment of Diana Bird as its new Executive Principal. Bird, currently Principal and CEO of Shipley College, will succeed Bill Jones, who is set to become CEO of the college’s parent organisation, Luminate Education Group, in January following the retirement of Colin Booth at the end of this year.

Experienced leader with local roots

Diana Bird was born and raised in Leeds and brings over 20 years of experience in further education (FE) to her new role. Her career began as an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) tutor before moving into full-time community-based adult education. Throughout her career, she has held various positions including Lead for Initial Teacher Education, Director of Education, and Head of Department for English, maths, and ESOL. Bird has also worked in higher education and the voluntary and community sector, though she maintains a strong commitment to the FE sector.

Focus on teaching, learning and assessment

Bird has expressed a clear vision for her leadership at Leeds City College, emphasising the importance of creating environments where both students and staff can thrive. She highlighted the college’s values of kindness, aspiration, collaboration, respect, inspiration, and celebration of individuality as aligning closely with her own leadership approach.

One of the key aspects of her role will be overseeing teaching, learning, and assessment (TLA) at an executive level. Bird stated that she believes every student deserves the best possible educational experience, with outstanding TLA central to achieving this goal.

Leadership during a period of change

Bird joins Leeds City College at a time of significant change within the Luminate Education Group’s leadership team. She has expressed a commitment to providing steady, values-led leadership during this period, building on the existing work across the group.

She also noted the opportunities presented by recent government initiatives, including the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper and qualification reforms addressed in the Curriculum and Assessment Review. Bird indicated that Luminate, as one of the largest education groups in the country, has a responsibility to contribute to shaping the national response to these changes.

Comments from outgoing Executive Principal

Bill Jones, who has served as Leeds City College’s Executive Principal and Group Deputy CEO since 2015, welcomed Bird’s appointment. He described her as a passionate advocate for further education with a clear vision for the college’s future. Jones expressed confidence that Bird will help guide the college in meeting upcoming challenges and opportunities, working collaboratively with campus principals and industry partners.

About Luminate Education Group

• Teaches more than 30,000 students across three further education colleges
• Includes two sixth form colleges and two higher education institutions
• Maintained a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating following its latest inspection earlier this year

Diana Bird’s appointment marks a new chapter for Leeds City College as it continues to play a significant role in education and skills development within Leeds and the wider region.