A nationally recognised leadership development opportunity for Chief Executive Officers and Principals working in the further education (FE) and skills sector.
Funded by the Department for Education (DfE), commissioned by the Education Training Foundation (ETF), and delivered by the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School, the programme is designed to strengthen the strategic capabilities of further education and skills leaders and support their role as system-wide change agents.
What will you gain?
The CEO Programme will help build individual, college-wide and system-wide leadership capacity – through:
understanding the adaptive challenges facing the college and the sector
enhancing the ability to work with conflict and uncertainty
generating insights and new perspectives on key challenges and opportunities – including the role of Artificial Intelligence in Further Education
deepening self-awareness and individual leadership impact
enhancing financial acumen and ability in leading strategic finance
deepening awareness of individual leadership impact
understanding the process of building networks of action
supporting systems-thinking and systems-leadership
providing space for reflection and supporting an approach of reflective practice and continuous learning.
Who can apply?
The programme is open to Chief Executive Officers and Principals who are the designated Chief Accounting Officer for their organisation in the FE and Skills sector.
Applications are welcome from both new and experienced leaders who are committed to their own development and to contributing to the future of the sector.
50 percent of the places on the programme will be fully funded by the DfE. These will be allocated to applicants who meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the application form.
Programme structure
The programme includes two core phases:
Phase 1: GatenbySanderson Development Centre – Autumn 2025
Before the residential, participants complete a tailored leadership development process delivered by GatenbySanderson. This includes:
A welcome webinar to introduce the development centre
A short pre-programme questionnaire to identify leadership goals
Psychometric assessments and a 360-degree feedback process
Two individual coaching conversations to explore leadership strengths, challenges and aspirations
A confidential development report aligned to the ETF Professional Standards for Principals and CEOs in the FE and skills sector
Phase 2: Residential at Saïd Business School – 2 to 6 February 2026
This in-person, week-long residential is delivered at Oxford Saïd Business School. It includes:
Expert-led teaching on strategy, finance, systems leadership and organisational culture
Peer-to-peer learning and facilitated group discussions
Time to step away from day-to-day demands and focus on development and strategic thinking
Accommodation and meals are included. Travel to Oxford is not covered. Participants are expected to stay for the full duration and to dedicate their full attention to the programme.
“The quality of academic input was exceptional, really world-class. As a CEO, creating time and space for focused, strategic thought is essential; the programme, in the terrific learning environment of Saïd Business School, was a tremendously valuable way of creating such time.”
Gary Headland, CEO, Lincoln College Group
“The combination of residential modules, application of learning to real-life situations, small tutorials and group discussion was highly stimulating and helpful.”
Amanda Melton CBE, Principal and Chief Executive, Nelson and Colne College
Expression of Interest
Applications for the current cohort are now closed. If you are interested in attending a future cohort please express your interest in the form below.
Have a question?
To help you decide if the CEO Programme is right for you, we’ve created a detailed Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document covering everything from programme content and expectations to logistics and support.
Need more support
Contact the leadership team for more detailed support
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