Colin’s working life was spent in Education. Prior to his ‘retirement’ in 2013 he was the headteacher of two successful high schools, 1990-2000 and 2000-2013. In 2012 he became an Additional Inspector with Ofsted and a Lead Inspector for Section 48 Diocesan Inspections. His work for the Catholic Diocese of Salford took a fresh direction in 2016 when he was asked to develop a strategy to support the creation of a number of Catholic Multi-Academy Trusts across the diocese. This role has enabled him to be strategically engaged in the local and national growth of Catholic Academy Trusts.
From 2014 to 2018 he was a member of the DfE Faith Steering Group which sought to address the emerging national difficulty of recruiting high quality senior leaders in the faith school sector. He is currently a member of the Catholic Education Service, Academies Working Group and is utilising this access, to the wider national landscape, to influence strategy, policy and overall effectiveness of the three Diocesan Catholic Academy Trusts. When not working, Colin undertakes his Grandad duties, tries unsuccessfully to reduce his very high golf handicap and follows his home town Middlesbrough FC.