City College Norwich Governors
The Corporation of City College Norwich consists of up to 18 Governor members. The College Governors serve in a voluntary capacity for initially a period of four years and can generally serve up to two terms of four years.
Governors elect a Chair and Vice Chair from amongst their number. In addition to attending Corporation Board meetings, Governors also serve as members of one or two of the committees which undertake the detailed work of the Corporation during the year.
Under the Corporation’s constitution (Instrument & Articles of Government), the Governors are appointed to the Corporation by the full Board. Additionally, the Principal serves as a Governor, two Staff Governor is elected by staff and three Student Governors are elected by students at the College.
The current City College Norwich Governors can be viewed below.
Andrew Barnes (Chair)
Chair of Board from July 2018 following position as Vice-Chair since October 2012.
Until October 2021, Andrew was the Master and Chief Executive of the Great Hospital in Norwich.
In 2017, he left Howes Percival after 28 years, where he was a Solicitor and senior partner. He aims to do all he can to ensure that the College's students develop the skills and have the support they need to find jobs in their chosen careers or start and sustain their own businesses.
Nikki Gray
Nikki is Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Pikl Insurance.
Since qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young, Nikki has held a variety of senior roles across the energy and insurance sectors, not just in Finance but across many business disciplines.
Nikki is passionate about helping others grow and develop and, having now lived in Norwich for 15 years, is also passionate about Norfolk. As a mum of two boys, she has become increasingly interested in understanding how education works in the county and how to bring her broad business experience to bear. Nikki is also Trustee Treasurer of the Norwich Puppet Theatre.
Marcus Bailey (Vice-Chair)
Jerry White
Norfolk born and bred, Jerry began his professional career in Kent as a university lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science, specialising in Sport and Exercise Psychology and the Sociology of Sport. In this role he worked not only with undergraduate and masters students, but also with elite and professional sports people and junior sports teams.
Following a return to Norfolk in 2002 he held a number of roles within the Norfolk County Council's Adult Education Service.
In 2009 Jerry joined City College Norwich, was Deputy Principal from 2012 and became Principal and Chief Executive Officer in 2022.
Jerry holds a number of Board memberships including serving on Norwich City Council Towns Deal Board, the Productivity East External Board and being a Senator of the University of East Anglia. Jerry is the FE representative on the Children and Young People Strategic Alliance (CYPSA) for Norfolk.
As a sector leader, Jerry chair’s the Association of College’s national Policy Group for Teaching and Learning and is also the FE representative on the Executive Group for the Network for East Anglian Collaborative Outreach (neaco, part of the UniConnect programme), facilitating communication with the college sector for the project.
Jerry served as a school governor for over a decade at primary and secondary school levels including serving as a Governor of the University Technical College Norfolk.
Jerry holds a Non-Executive Director’s position with the company RCU Ltd, which provides data analysis services to Further and Higher Education institutions and organisations.
Shirley Barker (Staff Governor)
Shirley has worked in Curriculum Services, the SEN department, for 9 years. She feels the college is as good as those who work and learn here. To this end, she looks forward to being able to support the college to continue to be as inspiring and inclusive as we strive to be and aim high as a centre of excellence.
Laura Stewart (Staff Governor)
Phil Gormley
Noel Bartram
Noel is an experience businessman with a background in finance. He is a non-Executive Director or Chairman in a variety of different businesses. He has been a Governor in a preparatory school in the private sector and more recently a Governor of Paston Sixth Form College in North Walsham, now part of City College Norwich.
His particular areas of interest are strategy, governance and risk management.
Philip Pearce
Life is what you make it, but to make it you need the opportunity. City College Norwich can open doors to allow students the opportunity. As a Governor, Philip seeks to use his experience in the insurance industry, corporate governance and risk management to assist the college to keep the doors open.
Freddie Simpson (SU President)
Freddie studied A-Level Geography, History and Environmental Science at CCN from September 2022 to July 2024. He has been in the role of Student Union President since July 2024.
Sean Green
Sean's background is working class with parents who immigrated to the UK. His family were fortunate to benefit from social housing and had supportive teachers who encouraged and believed in him at High School. Education has always been an enabler throughout his career, leading to his current role as Director of Digital and Data at the UEA. He has strong digital, data and technology skills and board experience in health, education and local government. He looks to use his knowledge and skills to support the future success of City College Norwich.
Josie Fryer (Student Governor)
My name is Josie (she/her) and I am a student at Paston College studying A-Levels. I am passionate about women's rights and period poverty. Whilst also being interested in Maths and Chemistry at College.
Karen McCullagh
Karen has worked within Higher Education Institutions for over a decade, after practising law as a Solicitor in Norther Ireland, she has the knowledge and experience of working in regulated environments and complying with quality assurance processes. Karen brings finance skills from her role as Treasurer for the British and Irish Law, Education & Technology Association. She has also has a long standing interest in special educational needs and disability (SEND) in the content of education, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the workplace, and widening participation to Higher Education.
Joe McNeill
Joe is an Operations Manager for Flagship Group. Previously a Higher Education Student with City College Norwich, Joe qualified as a Chartered Manager, where he was awarded City College Norwich, Higher and Degree Level Apprentice of the Year in 2022.
Joe is passionate about the benefits of education, in supporting the development of others to reach their full potential. With a drive for excellence, Joe is keen to contribute his expertise to the continued growth and success of the college. Through his leadership skills, Joe aims to foster an environment of innovation, inclusivity and academic achievement for all students and staff.
Lucy Sydney
Lucy is a career civil servant with broad experience of communications and stakeholder engagement, policy development and implementation, governance and strategy. She is a Director at the qualifications regulator Ofqual, with a particular interest in vocational and technical qualifications and apprenticeships. Born and raised near North Walsham, she returned to Norfolk in 2005.
Jock Downie
Currently the Head of Wellbeing (Access & Early Intervention) at UEA, Jock has spent the last 16 years working in the Education Sector including 11 years in Student Services at City College Norwich.
Jock's focus throughout his career in education has been on wellbeing, including the safeguarding of students. He has supported services in higher and further education to develop clear processes and working practices that help students find a balance between looking after their own wellbeing and being able to reach their academic potential.
Jock aims to bring the knowledge and passion he has developed while working in both HE and FE to the Governing Board, ensuring that the College remains at the forefront of education in Norfolk.
Jock hopes his passion for wellbeing, and harnessing the skills and knowledge of a work force will help City College Norwich to continue to thrive and work for the best interests of students.