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Corporation

The Corporation – our governing body – runs a strong and solid business. We are extremely lucky to have individuals from business, the community, the staff and our student body who work closely with the Principalship to drive, direct and support the strategic direction of Yeovil College. As a College, we are accountable to our corporation and we strive to both deliver and exceed their expectation.

Our Corporation will:

  • Determine the educational character and mission of the College;
  • Oversee College activities;
  • Ensure the effective and efficient use of the College’s resources, the solvency of the College and the safeguarding of its assets;
  • The appointment, pay and conditions of The Principal & CEO, other Senior Post Holders and the Clerk; plus setting a framework for the pay and conditions of all other staff;
  • Publish arrangements for obtaining views of staff and students on a range of matters.

View our Corporation’s Accountability Statement here.

Should you wish to contact a member of the Yeovil College Corporation, please email the Clerk to the Corporation at Gillian.Keogh@yeovil.ac.uk

Sam Best

Vice Chair of the Corporation & Safeguarding Champion

Sam Best

Vice Chair of the Corporation & Safeguarding Champion

Sam joined the Corporation in July 2013. Sam has vast experience of working in the voluntary sector having been CEO at South Somerset Association for Voluntary & Community Action (SSVCA) for 10 years to 2016 and more recently as Operations Manager for a local mental health charity. Sam has helped steer both organisations through many changes.

Previous to this, Sam has over 20 years’ experience in the public sector mainly working within the disability and mental health fields; supporting individuals back into paid work and specialising in access for disabled people in the workplace. She has also been Managing Director of her own property development company.

Actively involved in her local community; Sam was the Chairperson of her local village hall in Henstridge for over 7 years and is now Chairperson of the PTFA at her son's school; dedicated to community development and championing the good work of the voluntary sector.

As a Governor, Sam is particularly interested in ensuring the safeguarding and wellbeing of our students and how the college can support students with additional needs to integrate more easily.

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Rebecca Bevins

Member of the Finance & Remuneration Committee

Rebecca Bevins

Member of the Finance & Remuneration Committee

Becky has lived in the Chard area since she was a child and is married with 2 children. She has vast experience working in HR and after having her children she returned to education and completed her CIPD and became a Chartered Member. Becky then set up her successful Yeovil based business, Rebecca Bevins HR Consultancy Ltd. Becky gained a Fellowship of the CIPD and during that time she taught at Yeovil, Bridgwater and Taunton Colleges on their CIPD programmes.

Currently, as well as her business, she is also the full time HR Director at Numatic International. During her career she also held the position of Somerset Branch Chair of the CIPD, HR Director for Yeovil Town Women and Chair of Trustees for 1610.

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Julian Bisset

Staff Governor Teaching and Member of the Curriculum Quality & Assurance Committee

Julian Bisset

Staff Governor Teaching and Member of the Curriculum Quality & Assurance Committee

Julian Bisset joined the board as a teaching staff governor in 2022. He is currently an Engineering lecturer at Yeovil College and has 40 years’ experience in Aerospace Engineering, covering technical, management and senior site leadership roles. He ran a highly successful apprenticeship program for his company, sending his apprentices to Yeovil College for 15 years prior to joining the college staff in 2020. He attended Yeovil College in the 1980s to complete a full engineering apprenticeship.

Julian is married, and a keen motorcyclist and shooter. He has been shooting pistol for the County A team for many years now. Julian is looking to bring experience and insight to the Corporation and helping to shape the direction of the college going forward.

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Mark Bolton

Principal & CEO of Yeovil College

Mark Bolton

Principal & CEO of Yeovil College

Mark has been Principal of Yeovil College since October 2019. He studied at De Montfort University where he graduated with an Honours Degree in Graphic Design and Illustration in 1993, and then worked as a freelance Illustrator and Graphic Designer until 2007. He began teaching Graphic Design in 1995 in the North East of England and continued to develop his work in the sector over the following years until he joined the senior team at Northumberland College in the North East. Mark then moved into the Principalship team as Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning, and then subsequently for Apprenticeships and Business Development.

Mark joined Yeovil College as Director of Employer Engagement in November 2015, and became Vice Principal, Curriculum & Quality in 2018.

Mark lives in South Somerset with his wife and young children.

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John Clark

Member of the Finance & Infrastructure Committee

John Clark

Member of the Finance & Infrastructure Committee

John Clark graduated in Engineering from the University of Warwick and has an Executive MBA from the University of Bath.
He moved to Yeovil in 1975 to join Westland Helicopters Ltd (now Leonardo).

In 1992 he joined the rail industry as Head of International Marketing at ABB Rail Vehicles Ltd in Derby, and was appointed Sales & Marketing Director at Westinghouse Brakes Ltd in Chippenham in 1995. He was moved as Sales & Marketing Director to the larger Westinghouse Signals Ltd on the same site. Before retiring, John was managing director of Control & Display Systems, a supplier of remote monitoring equipment.

From 2015 to 2023, John was a Councillor at South Somerset District Council, and in his second term was responsible for Economic Development and Commercial Strategy for the District. The priorities of business, innovation and skills brought him in frequent contact and co-operation with Yeovil College.

John is married to Jane with 4 children, 2 of whom inconveniently live in Australia.

Outside work, John has always played an active part in theatre, and he is Chairman of Bath Opera. He founded South Somerset Community Energy Society Ltd in 2015 which is still successfully contributing to the environment with solar panel systems on local schools and community centres.

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Paul Clowes

Chair for the Audit Committee & Member of the Infrastructure Committee

Paul Clowes

Chair for the Audit Committee & Member of the Infrastructure Committee

Paul is a retired Chartered Accountant who worked mainly in financial roles in the engineering sector, including Westland and GKN (1993 – 2002). He is also experienced in start-ups, risk, compliance assurance and project management.

Paul has been involved with Yeovil College in varying degrees since 1996, including roles as Corporation member, Chair of the Audit Committee and most recently as a co-opted Audit Committee Member. Following recent retirement, Paul has now re-joined the Corporation as a full member.

Paul is based in Taunton, and is married with 3 adult children who now live and work away from home.

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Ken Comber

Co-opted Member of the Audit Committee

Ken Comber

Co-opted Member of the Audit Committee

Ken is the Joint CEO of the Hub – Yeovil Community Support Charity, who support adults with learning disabilities and autism. Ken joined the charity in November 2018 and became Joint CEO in April 2020.

Prior to the Hub Ken worked at Yarlington Housing (now Abri) as Head of Community Services and before that as Assistant Director of Corporate Services.

Ken is a Director of Chard Watch CIC, which supports isolated and lonely adults, many suffering with their mental health. Ken is also a Trustee of South East Somerset RSPCA. He loves going to Glastonbury Festival and Bristol City Football Club.

He has a passion for the local community and for supporting individuals to reach their full potential. Ken was previously Chair of the Audit Committee, and has recently re-joined the Board as a co-opted member of the Audit Committee.

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Sydney Edwards

FE Governor and member of the Curriculum Quality & Assurance Committee

Sydney Edwards

FE Governor and member of the Curriculum Quality & Assurance Committee

Sydney is in her first year of A levels, studying biology, chemistry, and photography. She likes to feel involved within her community and would like to help in as many ways possible and is very excited to join the Board. As FE governor, she hopes to share any concerns she has from a student's perspective and give insight to the student's thoughts and feelings on different subjects.

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Jack Gibbs

Higher Education Student Governor and Member of the Curriculum Quality & Assurance Committee

Jack Gibbs

Higher Education Student Governor and Member of the Curriculum Quality & Assurance Committee

Jack is moving into the third year of his degree apprenticeship with Leonardo, studying Aeronautical Engineering.

As the Higher Education Student Governor he aims to uphold and improve the standards of learning provided at Yeovil College, and ensure that all students receive the best opportunities possible. He plans to do this by using his role as a Student Governor to aid the Corporation in making decisions that benefit college staff, students and the community.

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Peter Green

Co-opted Member of the Curriculum, Quality & Assurance Committee

Peter Green

Co-opted Member of the Curriculum, Quality & Assurance Committee

Peter brings extensive experience in education to his co-opted role on the Curriculum, Quality & Assurance Committee, which he joined in 2019, having recently retired from his role as HMI and Lead Advisor for Equality at Ofsted. Peter is a qualified teacher and prior to joining Ofsted in 2005, held senior management roles in schools, colleges and the Learning Skills Council.

Peter is an active member of the Black Leadership Initiative, supporting aspiring leaders in FE, and a founder member of the Dorset Race Equality Council. He is also a qualified mediator and trustee of Mediation Dorset, trustee of Citizens' Advice Dorset and Chair of Dorchester YMCA.

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Wendy Grey

Member of the Infrastructure Committee

Wendy Grey

Member of the Infrastructure Committee

Wendy is a registered nurse with over 30 years of experience working in both the NHS and Australian healthcare systems. Holding board-level posts at both executive and non-executive levels, Wendy brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in clinical governance, risk management, patient safety and quality arenas.

Since taking semi-retirement in 2019, Wendy has set up a private consultancy company, which provided support to NHS England and other health and social care organisations during the Covid pandemic. Until July 2022 she served as a non-executive director with Somerset CCG, chairing the Patient Safety Committee and the Somerset Equality & Diversity subgroup.

Wendy is married to Simon, a part-time lecturer in Earth Sciences with the Open University, and has three grown-up children and 4 grandchildren.

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Lee Harwood

Chair of the Finance Committee

Lee Harwood

Chair of the Finance Committee

As a lifelong resident of Yeovil and a former pupil of Yeovil College, Lee was thrilled to be asked to join the Corporation in June 2018.

Lee is Finance Director at Bradfords Building Supplies and prior to that has held a number of senior finance roles in the construction industry.

Before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, he also served in the Royal Navy as a Warfare Officer for 8 years. Lee enjoys spending time with his young family, supporting Yeovil Town Football Club, coaching his sons’ football team and running ultramarathons.

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Jo Howarth

Higher Education Champion and Curriculum, Quality & Assurance Committee Chair

Jo Howarth

Higher Education Champion and Curriculum, Quality & Assurance Committee Chair

Jo joined the Corporation in 2019 and brings over 30 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse with the NHS. She attended Yeovil College to study A Levels in the late 1980’s before undertaking her nursing training Bristol. She is the Chair of the Curriculum, Quality and Assurance Committee and Higher Education Champion.

She has a range of professional interests including widening entry, participation and inclusion to NHS careers, professional development in Nursing and Allied Health Professions, and developing innovative approaches to addressing health inequalities. Jo is the Chief Nursing Officer at the Dorset County Hospital and a Board member for the trust.

She is married to a serving Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Marines and has three children, two of whom are in secondary and further education in Somerset.

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Rebecca Marshall

Equality, Diversity & Safeguarding Deputy Champion

Rebecca Marshall

Equality, Diversity & Safeguarding Deputy Champion

Rebecca is a partner at Porter Dodson Solicitors, heading up the Children's Team based in Yeovil. She has extensive experience of all aspects of family law; specialising now almost exclusively in matters relating to children. Rebecca has made a personal commitment to ensuring all members of society, including those who may be disadvantaged, have a right to be heard and a right to a fair trial.

Rebecca has lived locally to Yeovil since childhood, studying her A Levels at Yeovil College before moving away only to complete her legal education. Her two children are also both educated locally. Rebecca was appointed to the Corporation in 2018.

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Jagtar Ner

Meeting Local Skills Need Champion

Jagtar Ner

Meeting Local Skills Need Champion

Jagtar has been co-owner and director of Yeovil-based Intelligent Enterprise Products since April 2011. IEP specialises in cloud-based software systems.

He has been a Corporation committee member since March 2014. Jagtar graduated from Loughborough University with a BSc in Electrical and Electronic Engineering in 1988 and moved to Yeovil to work as a Software Engineer with Aerosystems International, now part of global defence company BAE Systems.

During his 22 years, Jagtar held many roles including project management and sales, and travelled extensively. Jagtar is married with two children and is heavily involved in local charities close to his heart.

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Gayle Pogson

Staff Governor Business and Member of the Infrastructure Committee

Gayle Pogson

Staff Governor Business and Member of the Infrastructure Committee

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Emma Read

Careers Champion and Member of the Audit Committee

Emma Read

Careers Champion and Member of the Audit Committee

Emma Read lives in Yeovil and has three grown-up children. She lives with her husband and they are both ex-students of Yeovil College.

Emma is a Safeguarding Nurse at the Clinical Commissioning Group, which gives her opportunities to improve and change strategic safeguarding with local agencies such as the Police and local authority. She is also a Best Interest Assessor and ensures that individuals at risk are not deprived of their liberty. Her interests include singing in a ladies' pop choir, writing her own poetry, going for long walks in the countryside with her golden lab Buddy, and cooking and enjoying good food.

She is delighted to be supporting the college and is very enthusiastic about individuals reaching their aspirations.

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Louise Reah

High Needs Champion and Member of the Curriculum, Quality & Assurance Committee

Louise Reah

High Needs Champion and Member of the Curriculum, Quality & Assurance Committee

Louise is passionate about education and has worked in several secondary school environments for over 20 years. She served a senior leader in 3 of those schools, specialising in curriculum and support for learners with special educational needs.

Notably, Louise is a previous student of the College. She is excited to join the Corporation as our High Needs Champion.

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Jo Roundell Greene

Chair of the Search & Governance Committee

Jo Roundell Greene

Chair of the Search & Governance Committee

Jo has been a familiar and popular figure in the community for many years, having spent 16 years as a South Somerset District Councillor. During her time on the Council, Jo was Deputy Leader and a member of the Executive Committee with specific responsibilities for Economic Development, the Environment and Equality and Diversity.

Jo was a Board member of Yeovil College until 2013 and is remembered for leading a number of charitable fundraising campaigns at the college. She has now returned to the Board of Yeovil College.

Jo has proved herself a passionate supporter of the Community served by Yeovil College and a great ambassador for the college, its achievements and its plans.

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Scott Roy

Subcontracting Champion & Remuneration Committee Chair

Scott Roy

Subcontracting Champion & Remuneration Committee Chair

After a 40-year career in the Aerospace Industry, Scott retired as Managing Director of Aerosystems International Ltd (BAE Systems) in 2010.

Scott has been a Governor at Yeovil College since 2005. He is a Trustee of the Motivation Charitable Trust and a Director of CME Ltd, a locally-based manufacturing business creating innovative automation solutions.

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James Scott

Chair of the Infrastructure Committee

James Scott

Chair of the Infrastructure Committee

James retired from the NHS after a 36-year career, the first 16 of which were spent working in a number of university hospitals in London. In 1999, he and his family moved to South Somerset when he was appointed Chief Executive of Yeovil District Hospital.

For the last 13 years prior to his retirement, James was Chief Executive of the Royal United Hospitals in Bath. He was recently awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Bath for his service to the NHS.

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Peter Thomas

Chair of the Corporation

Peter Thomas

Chair of the Corporation

A former Vice Principal of a Further Education College in Essex, Peter retired to Somerset in 2007 with friends to form a small community and create a garden which has been opened to the public under the National Gardens Scheme since 2012, raising money for charity.

He was appointed as a Governor at Yeovil College in December 2008, before serving as Vice Chair of the Audit Committee for several years, and as Corporation Vice Chair for four years. He became Chair of the Corporation in October 2019.

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David Woan

Champion for Apprenticeships & Employer Engagement, and Member of Curriculum, Quality & Assurance Committee

David Woan

Champion for Apprenticeships & Employer Engagement, and Member of Curriculum, Quality & Assurance Committee

David was born and raised in Yeovil, and as a former student at Yeovil College, he is passionate about Yeovil and South Somerset. He has grown-up children and lives in Yeovil with his partner Julia.

For David, everything is about people and supporting his community. In addition to his former role as a finance professional, David was President of Yeovil Chamber of Commerce from 2015-2022, and Board Director at Somerset Chamber of Commerce from 2019-2022.

David is no stranger to the education sector and was a governor at nearby Milford Junior School from 1988-2009, being chair from 2007-2009. He was also a founder and chair of the Love Yeovil Community Group. In 2022, he sold his investment practice, and is now a County Councillor for Yeovil Central, with a Somerset-wide economic development brief.

As a performing and recording artist, David is a champion for local grassroots music, diversity, and culture; regularly performing to raise money for charities which benefit his community.

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