West Lancashire College Welcomes Christian Thersby as Principal

West Lancashire College is proud to announce the appointment of Christian Thersby as its new Principal, as it prepares to welcome students for the new academic year.

Christian joins from Carlisle College, where he has served as Vice Principal since 2021, developing a deep understanding of the transformative power of education. Prior to this, his career spanned more than 20 years in the FE sector, including roles at Kirklees College and Leeds City College.

“It’s a tremendous honour to lead West Lancashire College at such a pivotal but exciting time for the college and further education,” Christian said.

“West Lancashire College has huge potential to be a real anchor institution, and with the support of NCG, I am committed to building on our strengths, deepening our ties with the local community and employers, and ensuring every learner is empowered to thrive, both here and in their future careers.”

Christian’s journey through every level of FE, from teaching to senior leadership, has been driven by a passion for inclusive learning and student success. Diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD as an adult, he’s a vocal advocate for neurodiversity and adaptive teaching.

West Lancashire College supports over 3,500 learners annually, equipping them with the skills and experience to thrive in the workplace. It is part of NCG, the UK’s largest college group.

CEO of NCG, Liz Bromley, added:

“I am very pleased to appoint Christian as Principal of West Lancashire College. His experience and track record stood out in a highly competitive process, and I’m confident his leadership will help the College continue to serve the people and employers of West Lancashire with excellence.”

West Lancashire College is a division of NCG, one of the UK’s largest national training and colleges groups. With a nationwide network of colleges and training centres and around 2,500 staff, we work with thousands of learners and businesses every year, regionally and nationally, to help them reach their full potential and build a talented workforce through high quality education and training.

NCG operates seven colleges:

• Carlisle College
• Kidderminster College
• Lewisham College
• Newcastle College
• Newcastle Sixth Form College
• Southwark College
• West Lancashire College

NCG offers a wide range of vocational Further Education and Higher Education courses and training programmes, including apprenticeships, employability, and workplace learning.

We are the first Further Education institution in the UK ever to be awarded Taught Degree Awarding Powers (TDAP), which enables us to develop and award our own Honours and Masters degrees.