The Henley College has just appointed Satwant Deol as the new Principal. Satwant is an innovative senior education professional with extensive experience of internal and external strategic relationship building in both the Further and Higher Education sectors. A Computer Scientist by background as well as a devoted Star Trek fan, Satwant has a life-long commitment to encouraging more young people to follow her into engineering, computing and sciences.
Her professional career began in software development and she went on to become both the first woman to lead an all male development team and the youngest Head of Department at Coventry University. From Higher Education, she moved to the FE sector in London where she developed a reputation for effective change management and for her inclusive, collaborative approach to leadership. As well as working in senior FE leadership roles to improve teaching, learning and community involvement at a local level, Satwant was invited to take part in a series of national and London-wide policy initiatives.
She is a life-long learner with an entrepreneurial approach who, as well as mentoring aspiring leaders has taken up work experience opportunities whenever possible. These include shadowing the Minister for Education and an Ofsted Inspection team. Her commitment to widening participation, equality and diversity is exemplified by her track record in London where, amongst other initiatives she set up a successful mentoring scheme for under-achieving BAME students.
More recently in Portsmouth, Satwant has been working closely with employers, schools, the university and the wider community to establish robust pathways through the levels of education and into employment. This has involved her in extensive research into the needs of the local economy and the skills gaps within the city as well as building beneficial relationships and networks. Among her achievements as a member of the Executive Team at Highbury College, Satwant has pioneered new approaches to teaching and learning, involved employers closely in the design, development and delivery of curriculum and created opportunities for students to be closely involved in developments through a newly formed Student Forum. She has most recently set up the new Solent Marine Academy inside the historic dockyard. It is designed to revitalise the marine industry, attract more young people and address the skills shortages identified by employers.
Satwant has the skills set and approach to balance our long established SLT team to take us perfectly forward to becoming outstanding, expand our STEM offer and respond to technical changes.
We are very positive about our future together.
