Principal’s Update
Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to the final bulletin of 2025!
Christmas Festivities
I thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas Fair last week — it was full of wonderful gifts, exciting raffles, and, of course, the employability team playing the role of the “fruit machine”! It’s fantastic to see how much money was raised for charities. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to making this event such a success.
Governing Body Christmas Meal
Last week, we held the Governing Body Christmas meal, which is our opportunity to thank the governors for the voluntary work they do on behalf of the college.
We also marked some changes:
- David Elliott, who has worked for decades in the retail sector, retired after nine years of service on the governing body.
- Rholo Mba stepped down after five years of service due to other work commitments in the finance sector and his young family.
- Julie Acey, our current Chair of Governors, has stepped down to spend more time with her family after five years of service.
I’m pleased to announce that Matthew Corbin (CEO of BDO) has taken up the interim role of Chair of Governors for one year. Following our recent recruitment campaign, four new members have also joined the board this year already.
The Governing Body asked me to pass on their sincere appreciation for all the work you do and to say how proud they are to be associated with Highlands College.
Looking Ahead
This week, the Senior Leadership Team will focus on the financial forecast for the year-end and the position looks much better than it did a couple of months ago.
I’ll also be meeting with all business support leaders to review and agree on the compliance annual statement and sign off as Senior Reporting Officer. This review covers performance and application of government policy in areas such as data protection, digital support services, and finance.
In the New Year
During the first week of term, I will attend the Children’s Education Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel to present on their current review of lifelong learning in Jersey.
On Wednesday 7th January, we will hold an All-Staff Meeting. At this meeting, you’ll hear:
- Details about the Peer Review with our partner island colleges, scheduled for March 2026.
- A follow-up on cybersecurity and the staff development training offer for the year, presented by Stuart Philip.
Christmas Gathering
I’m looking forward to seeing you all on Thursday afternoon for our Christmas gathering — a brief but enjoyable celebration of the festive season. We will celebrate staff nominations for ovations and also say goodbye to colleagues.
I hope you have a great week and enjoy your final sessions with students.
Best wishes,
Jo
