Principal, Dudley College

Having completed O levels and A Levels at St Columba’s College, St Albans, Lowell progressed to the University of Warwick where he completed a degree in English and American Literature. Between 1985 and 1991 he worked for an educational charity in Coventry supporting disaffected young people through the medium of outdoor education.

He entered the further education system in 1991 joining Daventry Tertiary College as a middle manager before progressing to Stephenson College, Coalville, in 1998 as Deputy Principal and South Leicestershire College (formerly Wigston College) in 2001 as Principal. Between 2001 and 2008, Lowell led the transformation of the college. In June 2007 Ofsted rated South Leicestershire College as ‘outstanding’ in all areas. The college was awarded Beacon status in January 2008.

In March 2008 he took up a new challenge as Principal of Dudley College and led the college through a very successful Ofsted re-inspection in May 2008. The college has recently been graded as Outstanding by the Skills Funding Agency for its financial and business performance. The college specialises in programmes for employers and is now recognised as a leading provider of leadership and management and technical training across the West Midlands.

Lowell has an MBA with distinction in Education Management and in November 2007 was highly commended in the QIA Star Awards in the Outstanding Leadership category.