New Principal and CEO announced

Brooklands College has announced a change in the Senior Leadership Team following the resignation of Principal, Gail Walker.

Gail, who was appointed Principal in 2016, has announced that she will be leaving the education sector in the summer as part of her long term personal plan. Gail joined the College in 2011 as Deputy Principal and has successfully overseen extensive capital projects during that time including; building a new campus in Ashford and major refurbishment works on the Weybridge Campus. Inspected in 2013 and 2017 by Ofsted, the College has maintained its rating of a ‘Good’ provider of education and training for all.

Outlined by the Governing Body of Brooklands College, the change means that Christine Ricketts (pictured right) will take on the role of Principal and Shereen Sameresinghe (pictured left) the role of CEO.

Terry Lazenby MBE FENG, Chair of Governors commented: “To continue the great work that Gail has achieved during her time at the College, we are delighted that the current Deputy and Vice Principals have accepted these leadership roles for the College. This will ensure consistency for all staff and students as we enter the new academic year.”

Christine has over 20 years’ experience in the education sector, having held senior posts at other colleges. She has been Deputy Principal for Curriculum and Quality at Brooklands College for three years and led the College successfully through an Ofsted inspection in 2017 resulting in a grade 2 outcome. Leading on quality improvement and curriculum developments, she has secured the College’s good reputation locally and with stakeholders.

With application numbers on the increase and places in demand for 2019/2020, Christine is excited for the future, saying: “It is a privilege to take this opportunity to lead the College in delivering high quality, innovative work with employers and our community.”

Shereen Sameresinghe as CEO, with over 25 years’ experience in the sector, ten of those at senior post holder level, will manage the corporate services areas of the College. She joined the College in 2016 as Vice Principal and in that time has focussed on providing high quality support functions for both staff and students.

Shereen is excited to continue working closely with staff: “The FE sector is constantly changing and I am proud to work with teams of dedicated professionals who are committed to the service they provide for the College community and are able to adapt and innovate.”

The Principal and CEO are supported by a strong senior team who bring a wide range of expertise to their roles.

The team will continue to deliver the Strategic Plan of the College by working with local schools and external partners, both regional and local, to strengthen relationships and to focus curriculum planning and delivery around the skills needs of existing and emerging markets. 

Delivering training and skills to over 5,000 young people and adults each year, the College plays a key role in the community. The College will continue to contribute to the social and economic prosperity in the region by prioritising the development of skills that will support students of all ages in the workplace and in the community.