Dr Sam Parrett OBE
Sam is an experienced Principal and CEO of a large Further and Higher Education Group. Appointed as Principal of Bromley College in 2010, Sam oversaw the first of the Group’s mergers in 2011 with Orpington College, closely followed by the creation of a new Multi Academy Trust in 2013. Following this success, Sam went on to lead the College through the country’s first three-way college merger with Bexley College and Greenwich Community College – creating London South East Colleges in August 2016. In 2017, London & South East Colleges Group was created, comprising of London South East Colleges, London South East Academies Trust, London South East Apprenticeships Company and London Skills for Growth, with Sam appointed as Group Principal and CEO.
Sam successfully led the country’s first three-way college merger, established a highly regarded Multi Academy Trust with all sponsored schools Ofsted grades now “Good” or “Outstanding”, and rebuilt external confidence in all constituent parts of the Group, providing a platform for future growth.
Starting her career in the HR sector, Sam went on to manage a training provider and worked for a funding agency before joining the FE sector in 1997. She took up posts in three colleges before being appointed Principal at Bromley.
Sam was awarded an OBE for services to Further Education in 2016 and has recently achieved a Doctoral Degree in FE Policy. She sits on the Board of Advance HE, is the Chair of Collab London and has recently been appointed as a Vice-Chair of Mixed Economy Group. Sam is a fellow of the CIPD, RSA and the Chartered Institution of Further Education.
Recently Sam has been named as a National Leader of Further Education (NLFE) - one of just eleven in the country and will be joining the network of outstanding college leaders who have been selected by the Department for Education to offer strategic advice, support and mentoring to colleges in need of improvement.
Sam was appointed as a SEN Ambassador for the DfE during the SEN reform period of 2011-14, and led on the ‘transition to Adulthood phase’ across South East London piloting EHC Plans. Sam understands how important it is that approaches to teaching and learning take account of inclusive and aspirational expectations. Improving progression into, and beyond, FE and HE is a particular passion of Sam, and nationally London South East Colleges secures the highest progression into jobs rates across the FE sector for young people with SEN. She was also a Fairness Commissioner on the 2016/2019 Greenwich Fairness Commission, where she reviewed and implemented plans to address educational inequality. Sam looks forward to advising the Commission on how this could translate into strong practical guidance for the wider HE sector as she is confident there is much local evidence in FE that could contribute to the work of the Commission.