Professor Colin Diamond CBE

Colin Diamond works three days a week, normally Monday – Wednesday.

• MA (Education) Open University
• Advanced Diploma in Education Management (Open University)
• Certificate in Counselling (Lincoln Clinic)
• Certificate in Emotional Factors in Learning Difficulties (Tavistock Clinic)
• BA (Hons) Economic History University of Leeds
• Qualified Teacher Status England

Colin Diamond began his career working in inner-London secondary schools. He also worked as a youth worker. His main responsibility at school was to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities were successfully included in all aspects of school life. His school became a pioneer of inclusion and he was asked to work across many secondary schools in London to advise them on inclusion. He also took on a school in very challenged circumstances as associate head.

His career then moved into local education authority senior roles in the north east and south west of England culminating in being appointed as Director of Education. In North Somerset he took the authority from government intervention to the best performing in the south west according to OfSTED. He worked as a senior civil servant in London providing advice directly to ministers on the academies and free schools programmes. When the Trojan Horse crisis emerged in Birmingham he was asked to become Deputy Commissioner to build and implement an improvement plan. This was judged to be successful within 18 months. He then became Executive Director of Education in Birmingham. In 2016 he was awarded a CBE for services to education.

Colin Diamond is particularly interested in urban educational leadership

• Adviser to Never Such Innocence which engages young people globally in understanding the sacrifices made in WW1
• Adviser to the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music
• Adviser to the Compassionate Education Foundation