Sir David Collins
Steve Hook FRSA
Increasing student numbers for colleges. Former national education journalist. Marketing. Strategy. Communication.
I’m sure I’m not the only person to feel a genuine sense of sadness at the news of the death of the former FE Commissioner Sir David Collins.
Some years ago, David was extremely generous with his expertise and encouragement when he advised me to work in the sector to help colleges improve their student numbers. I’d known him for some years during my time as an FE reporter and then FE editor at the Times Educational Supplement - the newspaper which preceded today’s TES magazine.
He was intellectual in his approach, humorous, and a great contact for any journalist who wanted to understand what further education was actually like from the inside rather than the lofty heights of Whitehall.
As the extremely successful Principal of South Cheshire College, David was a voice to be listened to and was prepared to speak out, even when his views didn’t coincide with those of the sector’s paymasters. The word “maverick” was used about him more than once.
As a new boy to covering FE, I had been baffled by the opaque language used in the sector by education leaders who, given their credentials, should have understood the value of plain English.
When I reviewed David’s book, the Survival Guide for College Managers and Leaders, it was a breath of fresh air. Well-written, generous in its honesty, funny in places, and something of value to anyone considering a management career, whether in colleges or elsewhere.
If you take little else from the book during this cold weather, it’s surely this - Under no circumstances allow yourself to become a target for wet sponges. Not even for charity.
To those who knew of David only for his role as the Commissioner, I would thoroughly recommend they get their hands on a copy of this book. It can be easy to lose sight of the fact many people in FE, when they are elevated to roles which can sometimes necessarily make them unpopular, have only reached those positions because they care deeply about the sector.
David was one such person, and there are many others who no doubt will continue to be inspired by him long after his passing.
Self Employed
1 年David (Doc) Collins was my first head of department and what an inspiration he was too. I taught out in the community and David came along to enrollment evenings, chaotic times for all. He just quietly came along making us all cups of coffee and chatting to people waiting to sign up. I had no idea who he was on that first evening but from then on he was always there for those of us in the community just as he was for those working full time in college. A very special man who knew FE inside out and so many could learn so much from him, I am blessed that I met David when I did and he set me off on the right pathway
National Subject Specialist in Governance, Leadership and Management at AoC/ETF
5 年Me too; very sad news and so sorry he couldn’t enjoy the retirement he so much deserved. I worked with and learned from David on many occasions; as a colleague principal with S Cheshire College, delivering outstanding FE provision for people young and old of all abilities, developing leadership programmes for principals, supporting governors when appointing a new principal, making a success of LSIS and in his role as the first and greatly respected FE Commissioner. He was driven by his values including the belief that good education and training was everyone’s right. Of his many strengths, the ability and willingness to speak truth to power was paramount, something that is sorely needed by FE today. He will be missed and I send my sincerest condolences to his family.
Retired Consultant
5 年I agree it is a sad loss. David was a great ambassador for further education and a wonderful colleague and friend to so many in the sector. At Weymouth College he was a great support to us during his time as FE Commissioner. Our thoughts are with his family and many friends at this time.