Julian Appleyard to leave Rochdale Sixth Form

Julian Appleyard OBE

Julian Appleyard OBE is leaving his post as Executive Principal and CEO of Rochdale Sixth Form College after over eight years at the end of February 2018.

Dame Pam Coward, Chairwoman of the Trust Board said, “It is with a mix of very deep sadness and extreme gratitude that the Board of Trustees announces Julian’s departure.

"The Board is thankful for his eight years of service and inspirational leadership. Since 2009, as Founding Principal of Rochdale Sixth Form College, and more recently as the Executive Principal, the College has enjoyed enormous success, and he has led a simply remarkable transformation in turnaround for post 16 achievement in the Borough.

"While we will miss him, we wish him the best of luck in his new role as the CEO of the Pontefract Academies Trust. We want to thank him for the eight8 years of dedicated service.”

Since opening in 2010, the College has gained a glowing reputation across the educational landscape breaking a number of records along the way.

The College was the only institution to have gone from being a new build to gaining an outstanding Ofsted grade at the first inspection.

In addition, over the last four years the College has made history by topping the Department for Education Performance Tables for A level progress. The College is a designated National Support School and Mr Appleyard a National Leader of Education (NLE).

Mr Appleyard said, “It has been an enormous privilege to have led Rochdale Sixth Form College. It seems a long time since 2009 when I walked on to what was only a building site back then!

"It has been a tremendous eight years and my decision to move on a very difficult one for me as I have a real affinity for the Borough. The development of the College from a 'hole in the ground' to the reputation the College has nationally and locally makes me immensely proud.

Mr Appleyard, awarded the OBE for Services to Education in the 2016 Queens Birthday Honours List, paid tribute to his staff adding: “I am fortunate to have worked with remarkable colleagues who are so committed to improving the life chances of young people in the Borough.

"The College success story is a wonderful narrative and I have no doubt the College will go on to even more success in the future.”

Dame Pam Coward added: “Over the next few months, Tom Fay, Head of College, and a founding member of the College senior leadership team, will work closely with Julian, with whom he has worked for seven years, and assume responsibility for day-to-day college operations during a transition phase.

"The Board have every confidence in Tom and he has a growing reputation for his teaching and learning work.

"Foremost in the mind of the Board is to safeguard our excellent standards and the reputation of the College. This is our priority whilst preserving the culture and stability of what is a highly effective organisation.”