Ellen Thinnesen OBE, Chief Executive of Education Partnership North East, has been appointed as the next Further Education Commissioner, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced today (28 August 2025).

Ellen has a wealth of experience and knowledge to bring to the role having been CEO and Principal of Sunderland College from 2016 and Chief Executive of Education Partnership North East from 2019. This includes successfully leading three colleges – Sunderland College, Northumberland College and Hartlepool Sixth Form College – through mergers and transforming them to become one of the strongest groups in the sector in terms of both quality of teaching and financial health.

As Further Education Commissioner, Ellen will lead a team of Deputies and Advisers to support and strengthen

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