Change of Leadership at Lakes College as Principal retires after more than a decade in post

The Principal and CEO of Lakes College, Chris Nattress, has announced his retirement after 16 years at the college. 

Mr Nattress has been the principal for 13 years and under his leadership the college has placed itself at the forefront of further education in West Cumbria, doubling in size since he started the role.   

He will be succeeded by Mark Fell, currently Executive Principal at Milton Keynes College, who will take up the post on December 1st. 

Mr Nattress, who was presented with a Lifetime Achievement accolade in the Pearson Teaching Awards earlier this year, said he is ‘immensely proud’ of what has been achieved at the college during his time. 

He said: “I have been very fortunate to work with fabulous colleagues and partners who have always supported me in seeking ways to improve opportunities for everyone in West Cumbria to thrive and prosper. 

“Amongst many highlights, visiting Buckingham Palace to receive the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for our work, opening our Construction Skills Centre and the National College for Nuclear Northern Hub, and working with key employers and organisations in our area to more than double the size of our college do stand out.” 

He said he is pleased to welcome Mr Fell into the role and is looking forward to supporting him in continuing the college mission in having a first-class facility. 

Mr Fell has more than 20 years of experience in the Further Education sector. In his current role he has overseen £75m worth of provision across several campus locations. 

With a wealth of experience in Further Education in the region, including senior roles in several Lancashire colleges, Mr Fell is well equipped to lead the college into its next chapter. Born and currently living in Cumbria, he has a strong connection to the area and well-established relationships with local employers and stakeholders. 

He said: “I am delighted to be joining Lakes College as Principal and CEO and have been working closely with Chris and the Executive Team over the last few weeks to ensure a seamless transition and I can’t wait to get started. I’ve been inspired by the commitment of the staff in supporting our students to succeed and progress. I now want to help further progress the College to be at the absolute forefront of technical, vocational and professional learning.   

“Further Education is entering an era of change, with the Government white paper, the Ofsted and apprenticeship reforms, but what won’t change is our college playing a crucial role within our local community and beyond. Our approach to learning will be around raising aspiration, supporting skills development and ensuring that we meet the needs of stakeholders locally, regionally and nationally.”