TONY Lewin has been appointed as new principal for Newcastle College, one of the largest further and higher education colleges in the UK.

Mr Lewin is currently deputy principal and chief executive of the ‘outstanding’ New College Durham.

He is a highly experienced leader in the FE sector and has worked for the grade one college since 2002 in both teaching and senior management roles. He will succeed current principal Carole Kitching and will take up his role in September.

Newcastle College is a member of NCG and, as well as leading the college; Mr Lewin will also take up a position as an executive member of the NCG executive board.

Mr Lewin was appointed to deputy principal and chief executive of New College Durham in 2009. Under his leadership, the college has been in the top ten percent of all college’s for the past five years and was one of the first to successfully secure foundation degree awarding powers, alongside NCG.

Previously he was a manager at Durham City Council before joining New College Durham as lecturer in higher education, business management and professional studies in 2002. He became Director of curriculum and quality in 2009 before joining the senior management team.

Mr. Lewin also chairs the regional quality and currriculum forum for the Association of Colleges (AoC), contributing to national policy discussion. He has also been a governor of a local academy for 5 years.

Commenting on the appointment, NCG Chief Executive, Joe Docherty, said: “Tony is an outstanding appointment to take over the reins at Newcastle College. He is an experienced leader in the FE sector, he can hit the ground running, working with partners including the North East LEP and Combined Authority, and has an enviable track record in leadership. I am confident he will take Newcastle College to even further success”

Tony Lewin said: “I believe passionately that it is important colleges are able to put the needs of their learners and customers first and to invest in the future of their learners, employers and local community. I am delighted to be taking on a new challenge at Newcastle College and look forward to joining in September.”

NCG has six major divisions – Newcastle College, Newcastle Sixth Form College, West Lancashire College in Skelmersdale, Kidderminster College, Intraining based in Sheffield and youth charity Rathbone in Manchester.