Diana Bird, currently the Principal and CEO at Shipley College, is to succeed Bill Jones in the role. The move follows an earlier announcement that Jones will take over as CEO of the college’s parent organisation, Luminate Education Group, from January – following the retirement of current chief, Colin Booth, at the end of this year.
Bird, who was born and raised in Leeds and has more than 20 years’ experience in further education, is relishing taking up her next challenge – and has a strong vision for the role.
She said: “I’m driven by creating environments where students and colleagues can genuinely thrive. Leeds City College’s values of kindness, aspiration, collaboration, respect, inspiration and celebration of individuality really resonate with me – they are things I try to live through my own leadership.
“I’m very much looking forward to meeting new colleagues from across Luminate Education Group, and to reconnecting with those I have worked with in previous roles.
“The group is entering a period of change within its leadership team. My focus will be to provide steady, values-led leadership through this change, building on the excellent work already underway across the group.”
Bird’s educational career started as an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) tutor, when she taught for two hours a week at her local FE college. That quickly transformed into a full-time role in community based adult education.
She went on to hold a variety of roles – including Lead for Initial Teacher Education, Director of Education and Head of Department for English, maths and ESOL – which included spells in higher education and the voluntary and community sector.
Her heart, however, ‘definitely belongs to FE’ and she says she is excited to be joining Leeds City College (and Luminate) at a time when ‘the sector is finally being recognised by the government as central to economic growth and opportunity’.
She said: “The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper and qualification reforms addressed in the Curriculum and Assessment Review present real opportunities, and as one of the largest education groups in the country, Luminate has a responsibility to help shape the national response.
“My focus will be to ensure the college supports the group to play a strong, confident role in these conversations.
“I am really looking forward to having the opportunity to be an ambassador for the college and to nurture really strong partnerships that expand opportunities for individuals, businesses and communities.
“One of the things that most attracted me to this role is that I will have responsibility for teaching, learning and assessment (TLA) at executive level. I believe that every student deserves the very best experience we can give them and outstanding TLA is at the heart of that.”
Jones, who has been the college’s executive principal and group deputy CEO since 2015, said: “We are really looking forward to welcoming Diana, who demonstrated a clear vision for the future of the college during our rigorous interview process, to the Luminate family.
“As a passionate advocate for FE with a wealth of experience, we are certain she will help guide the college as it rises to the challenges – and opportunities – that lie ahead.
“We are confident she has all the attributes needed, working in collaboration with our campus principals and industry partners, to align our vision and culture with Leeds and the region’s ambitious growth plans to ensure we are producing students equipped with the skills our employers need.”
Luminate Education Group teaches more than 30,000 students across its three FE colleges, and also has two sixth form colleges and two higher education institutions.
The group maintained its ‘Good’ Ofsted rating following its latest inspection earlier this year.
We’re pleased to share a programme of professional development opportunities designed for educators, leaders, and practitioners across the FE community. These sessions focus on practical strategies, innovative ideas, and collaborative approaches that support high-quality practice – particularly for teams working with SEND and neurodiverse learners.
All sessions are delivered online via Zoom, and a joining link will be sent to participants once they have registered.
Whether you’re looking to deepen your knowledge, enhance your curriculum design, or develop more inclusive and impactful career pathways, we hope you’ll join us for one or more of these events.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) sessions: Strengthening Practice Across the FE Community
Our CPD (Continuing Professional Development) sessions are designed to provide colleagues across the FE sector with focused, evidence-based training that enhances inclusive practice, curriculum design, and learner support.
This session offers an in-depth look at developing ambitious, individualised vocational pathways that truly reflect learner aspirations. Drawing on evidence-based practice from across Luminate Education Group, we’ll explore how Vocational Passports can move provision beyond “one-size-fits-all” models, particularly within Supported Internship programmes. Participants will leave with actionable tools, templates, and approaches they can apply in their own settings.
CPD Session 3
Building a College-Wide Culture of Recording Career Development for SEND & EHCP Learners
8 December 2026 – 3.30-4.30pm via Zoom
How do we ensure every learner’s progress, skills, and experiences are captured meaningfully? This session will focus on developing consistent, robust approaches to documenting career education and guidance, work experience, and employer encounters across a whole college. We’ll showcase practical tools and systems that bring this information together in one place, improving both staff practice and learner outcomes.
Leading the Local Approach to Job Coach Development: Luminate’s Regional Job Coach Network
January 2025 (Date TBC) – 3.30-4.30pm via Zoom
This session will explore how colleges can lead a regional approach to job coach development – drawing on Luminate’s successful establishment of a collaborative, multi-provider Job Coach Network. We’ll share insights into securing local authority funding, elevating the job coach role, and creating a professional forum that amplifies good practice and collective voice across the sector.
Booking link coming soon
Communities of Practice (CoP) Series: Effective Careers Guidance & Information for SEND Learners
Alongside our CPD sessions, we will also host a three-part Communities of Practice series focused on strengthening CEIAG for SEND learners. These sessions are designed to help teams reflect, collaborate, and enhance their approaches across all aspects of careers guidance.
CoP Session 1
Driving an Integrated Career Guidance (CEIAG) Model
25 November 2025 – 3.30-4.30pm via Zoom
A strategic, high-level session exploring how to build a cohesive, college-wide CEIAG model. We’ll look at Gatsby Benchmarks, destination tracking, quality standards, and how to deliver strong provision even when budgets are tight. We’ll also reflect on Luminate’s own model and lessons learned.
CoP Session 2
Having Effective Career Information and Guidance (CIAG) Conversations
9 December 2025 – 3.30-4.30pm via Zoom
This practical session will focus on equipping all staff with the tools and conversational models needed to support learners in one-to-one career discussions. We’ll explore ways to maximise adviser expertise through blended approaches such as campus-based meetings and online platforms.
Supporting SEND Students to Achieve Positive Destinations
20 January 2026 – 3.30-4.30pm via Zoom
In this session, we’ll look at how Labour Market Information (LMI), partnership signposting, and employer engagement can guide learners towards meaningful next steps. We’ll highlight Luminate approaches to enhancing encounters and improving the planning of future pathways.
Booking link coming soon
How to Register
Places for all sessions can be booked through theEducation and Training Foundation (ETF)website. You will be asked to create a free ETF account if you don’t already have one.
The Centres for Excellence in SEND initiative is part of the Universal SEND Services programme, which provides sector-led support to leaders, managers and practitioners to create a step change in inclusive teaching and learning. To access resources and find out more about upcoming activities and support, visit the CfESEND area of the ETF website.
Manufacturers from across Yorkshire assembled in Keighley recently to celebrate the opening of a new apprenticeship training centre that could be key to bolstering the local industry’s fortunes.
The official opening of the Keighley College Technical Engineering Centre (TEC) represented the culmination of a shared commitment between the college, Keighley Towns Fund and Bradford Council to give our rightly celebrated manufacturing sector a shot in the arm.
Yorkshire has long been a manufacturing heartland and continues to punch well above its weight in terms of the expertise and specialisms of its firms. And here in the Keighley district, in everything from precision engineering to advanced fabrication, we are home to some of the most innovative and resilient businesses in the region.
Manufacturing is also one of our most important employment sectors, with a 2023 report by Bradford Council noting that the sector accounted for 5,000 local jobs, representing 13.5% of the workforce – significantly above the national average.
Even in these febrile economic times, this industry is well placed to grow – but only if educators, businesses and local authorities work together to ensure the current skills gaps, which are holding it back, are tackled.
Apprenticeships, especially in advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies, will be key to achieving this. As John Harrison, Apprenticeship Manager at Fives Landis, told us at the opening: “Apprentices for us are the lifeblood of the business.” It is a sentiment that is shared by so many of our partners.
Kelly-Marie McAllister, Group Director of Apprenticeships at Luminate Education Group
So we made sure local businesses and their apprenticeship needs were at the forefront of our minds as we pulled together plans for this new engineering centre, and designed it in consultation with them. Purpose-built to train up to 120 apprentices at a time, the TEC has been kitted out with industry-standard equipment and facilities – including a full engineering workshop and future technologies lab – to equip those learners with the real-world skills the sector urgently needs.
With £3m of funding from Keighley Towns Fund, this project reflects a serious commitment to skills and growth in the area and opens at a fitting time – with our college celebrating its 200th anniversary and local manufacturing being championed by the recently re-launched Keighley Made group. The centre is also opening when there is renewed support, at governmental level, for vocational education and training.
One of the biggest challenges for the sector, however, is getting enough new skilled people to join the workforce pool each year to keep the momentum going. A recent Gi Group UK article, summing up a July 2025 Skills England report, lays out the scale of that challenge in stark terms – pointing out that currently: “Nearly 49,000 vacancies remain unfilled, with 42% of these classed as skills-shortage vacancies. This figure has risen sharply from 29% in 2017, revealing a growing gap between the skills employers need and the skills available in the labour market.”
That is why our new engineering centre in Keighley matters: it is a direct investment into our workforce and the productivity and long-term success of local businesses. It will help us get more of our young people into engaging, meaningful work while ensuring our key local businesses have access to the talent pipeline they rely on.
For employers like Ex-Pressed Steel Panels Ltd, the benefits are clear. Managing Director Michael McColgan said: “This centre allows us to recruit more apprentices and get them into college to study what we need them to learn – what manufacturers and engineers need. The biggest positive effect the centre will have on the region is that it allows local people to train local people to work locally.”
The opening of the TEC also sends out a clear, and really important, message that positive things are happening in the district – which should, in turn, attract further investment. As Chair of Keighley Towns Fund, Tim Rogers, put it: “Through skills growth, we can show investors that Keighley is a sustainable and prosperous place.” This can hopefully also inspire educators and local authorities in other areas to push for similar, potentially transformational, projects.
Manufacturing is the backbone of Keighley, and indeed much of West Yorkshire’s economy. But it’s not just our heritage – it’s our future. With initiatives like this, we are taking bold steps to ensure that its future is bright.
We’ll leave the final thoughts to one of our former apprentices – Managing Director at Fives Landis, Phil Jenkins, who trained at the college nearly quarter of a century ago. He told us: “I really think that this area has a lot to offer for manufacturing and, for me, to sustain the future of Britain we need to invest in manufacturing and industry. To see this happening in our area is a really, really great thing.”
Kelly-Marie McAllister is Group Director of Apprenticeships at Keighley College’s parent organisation, Luminate Education Group.
Further education colleges play a vital role in delivering high-quality education and skills to young people. There are 693,000 16- to 18-year-olds studying in colleges – more than the number studying in schools (513,000). Students in FE are more likely to come from disadvantaged backgrounds, with 23% of college students having been eligible for free school meals at age 15, compared to just 13% of students attending school sixth forms. Accordingly, colleges are critically important to the Government’s mission of breaking down barriers to opportunity.
Colleges are, however, at a disadvantage. While both colleges and schools are classed as public sector organisations, the way they are treated by the Government is different. Schools are able to reclaim VAT costs from the Government, whereas colleges cannot recover VAT on most of the purchases related to their education activities. This fiscal anomaly reduces the resources available for frontline teaching and learning – especially given that the costs associated with technical and vocational training are significantly higher than those required for academic courses such as A levels. The Association of Colleges estimates that the total annual VAT cost to the college sector amounts to approximately £250 million.
A new research report produced by the London School of Economics in partnership with the Large College Group examines the fiscal and operational impact of the current VAT regime on FE colleges. The analysis suggests that aligning colleges’ VAT arrangements with schools would be fiscally neutral in the medium term for HM Treasury, while unlocking millions in reinvestment for the benefit of students, staff and communities.
One example of this for Luminate Education Group is linked to our recently completed £10.5 million refurbishment of our Park Lane Campus, which accommodates around 2,000 students. The Group incurred just over £2 million of irrecoverable VAT on these refurbishment works. If we had been able to recover this VAT, we would have replaced the whole of the roof and refurbish all of the student toilet facilities.
You can download and read the full report by clicking on the button below.
LSE Report: Executive Summary
FE colleges operate as exempt charities, typically incorporated as statutory corporations or charitable companies. While they do not have to pay VAT on some of their activities, many of colleges’ services fall outside the scope of VAT exemption, including commercial lettings (e.g. renting out rooms or sports facilities to third parties), retail sales (e.g. textbooks, stationery not essential to the course), consultancy services, catering services open to the public, hairdressing salons operated as part of training but serving paying customers, and much of the capital expenditure on large-scale building projects to provide industry-standard teaching facilities.
The Association of College estimates that the total annual cost of VAT to colleges in England is £250 million. This is funding which ends up in the coffers of HM Treasury rather than being used to support education and training provision.
In contrast, schools and academies benefit from the Section 33 VAT refund scheme under the VAT Act 1994, which allows them to reclaim VAT incurred on non-business activities funded by public money. In January 2025, the Government ended the VAT exemption for private schools on education and boarding provision in order to generate additional revenue for state education funding.
After the Post 16 Education and Skills Act 2022 became law in November 2022, the Office for National Statistics reclassified colleges as public sector bodies, giving them the same status as schools and academies. However there has been no change in the VAT rules since then. As a result of this anomaly colleges remain forced to repay millions of pounds each year which could otherwise be used for improving facilities for students or recruiting and retaining teaching staff with the industry experience needed to train the next generation of skilled employees the UK economy needs.
This creates a real financial impact, as VAT becomes a net expense that reduces FE colleges’ available budgets for investment, expansion and student services, compared to universities and schools.
As a result of the VAT rules, FE colleges are less competitive and have fewer resources available for improving facilities, hiring staff or supporting disadvantaged students. The VAT disadvantage has become more pronounced as public funding for FE colleges has tightened over the past decade (Institute for Fiscal Studies, 2023).
The absence of VAT recovery mechanisms for FE colleges in England contrasts with international practices where vocational and independent education are treated as legitimate public goods deserving of fiscal support. Extending VAT exemptions or refund rights to FE colleges would not be anomalous, but rather aligned with international norms aimed at supporting inclusive and efficient education systems.
The LSE researchers’ simulation of a VAT rebate on capital investment, using a sector-specific refund mechanism limited to FE and sixth-form colleges similar to the arrangements introduced for academies in 2011, suggests that such a reform could be fiscally neutral over a 10-year period, while delivering significant benefits in terms of educational outcomes and regional development.
Current VAT policy discourages capital investment and undermines financial resilience. Aligning the fiscal treatment of FE colleges with that of schools and universities is both a matter of equity and of sound economic policy. Removing these distortions would not only improve the efficiency of public investment in education, but also signal a clear commitment to supporting skills development across all regions and social groups. In doing so, it would help unlock the full potential of the UK’s FE sector as a driver of inclusive growth.
The 2025 Budget delivered several announcements with implications for learners, families and the education sector. Colin Booth, Chief Executive of Luminate Education Group, has shared his reflections on some of the key measures impacting education.
“Reiteration of the Youth Guarantee is positive, but we are still waiting for the detail on how it can be delivered at scale. If the aim is to expand opportunity for young people, the Budget needed to go further on the essentials, particularly increased capital investment so colleges can grow their capacity to meet rising demand for technical qualifications. The continued inability of further education colleges to reclaim VAT, where secondary schools are able to, represents a missed opportunity to end a structural inequity and unlock funds that could be reinvested directly into facilities and growth. Colleges will play a central role in delivering on the Government’s skills and growth ambitions, but we need the resources and capital to be able to do so.”
“Raising the minimum wage for apprentices is welcome, especially at a time when living costs remain a real barrier to young people starting and completing their programmes. The decision to fully fund apprenticeships for SMEs hiring under-25s is another positive step that should help widen access and support smaller employers to take on new talent. But pay rises and funding changes alone won’t grow the pipeline. Continued investment into apprenticeships and sufficient resources for colleges to deliver them remain essential if we want more people to access high-quality training and progress into skilled work. We look forward to working with employers and government to ensure these reforms translate into greater opportunity for learners and local communities.”
“The removal of the two-child limit is a significant and positive change for many families across the communities we serve. We see first-hand how child poverty affects young people’s learning, participation and positive progression throughout the education system, in addition to the impact on young parents and adult learners attempting to gain qualifications or retrain. This change will ease the financial pressure on many households, but wider action is still needed to tackle the root causes of hardship and ensure that every learner can access and succeed in education.”
We are delighted to announce that Luminate Education Group has been appointed as a Centre for Excellence in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF)
This recognition reflects our long-standing commitment to inclusive education. Hosting one of the largest post-16 cohorts of SEND students in the country, Luminate places inclusive practice at the very heart of teaching and learning across Yorkshire.
A Leading Force in Inclusive Education
Operating across West and North Yorkshire, Luminate Education Group is one of the UK’s largest providers of post-16 education. Each year, we support around 30,000 learners through our family of institutions, which includes Leeds City College, Keighley College, Harrogate College, Leeds Sixth Form College, Pudsey Sixth Form College, University Centre Leeds and Leeds Conservatoire.
As a group, we are dedicated to delivering high-quality skills training that addresses local workforce needs, drives social mobility, and strengthens the regional economy.
What It Means to Be a Centre for Excellence
The ETF’s Centres for Excellence in SEND programme provides free, expert support to leaders, managers, and practitioners across the FE and training sector.
As a newly appointed Centre for Excellence, Luminate will deliver CPD seminars, facilitate Communities of Practice, convene peer reviews, and host employer-led events. Together, these activities will enable us to share best practice, tools, and insights that help improve outcomes for learners with SEND across the country.
Championing Inclusion
Chris Thornton, Director of Inclusive Provision and SEND at Luminate Education Group, said:
“We are honoured to have been recognised as a Centre for Excellence in SEND. This enables us to extend our inclusive practice beyond our campuses, sharing tools, insights and leadership with the wider sector to improve outcomes for learners with SEND across the country.
Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. We are deeply rooted in the communities we serve and are firmly committed to removing barriers, embracing diversity, and ensuring every learner, regardless of background or need, has the opportunity to thrive.”
Upcoming Events
As part of our ongoing work through the Centre for Excellence in SEND, we are hosting a series of CPD sessions and Community of Practice events designed to share inclusive approaches and practical tools for supporting SEND learners.
CPD Sessions
Session 1 – Exploring AI for Enhancing Job Skills for Neurodiverse Learners Tuesday 21 October 2025, 3.00 – 4.00pm (Online via Zoom)
Session 3 – Building a College-Wide Culture of Recording Career Development for SEND & EHCP Learners Monday 8 December 2025, 3.30 – 4.30pm
Community of Practice: Effective Careers Guidance & Information for SEND Learners
Session 1 – Driving an Integrated Career Guidance (CEIAG) Model Tuesday 25 November 2025, 3.30 – 4.30pm
Session 2 – Having Effective Career Information and Guidance (CIAG) Conversations Tuesday 9 December 2025, 3.30 – 4.30pm
Session 3 – Supporting SEND Students to Achieve Positive Destinations Tuesday 20 January 2026, 3.30 – 4.30pm
Get Involved
Places for all sessions can be booked through the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) website – click here to register. You will be asked to create a free ETF account if you don’t already have one.
The Centres for Excellence in SEND initiative is part of the Universal SEND Services programme, which provides sector-led support to leaders, managers and practitioners to create a step change in inclusive teaching and learning.
To access resources and find out more about upcoming activities and other support, visit the CfESEND area of the ETF website.
