The Board of Trustees for Get Further has appointed Dr Alice Eardley as interim CEO to cover for current CEO Sarah Waite for the duration of her maternity leave. Dr Alice Eardley will be working closely with Sarah to prepare for this transition over the next few months, before taking up the post in early January 2025.
After two decades of teaching English in FE, HE and schools, Alice joined Get Further as our English Curriculum Manager, subsequently moving into the role of Chief Programmes Officer. She has worked as Lead Practitioner for English across a large college group and managed vocational departments including construction, ICT and engineering. During her time in FE, she was shortlisted for two Tes awards and received a SHINE Trust award, all for interventions supporting learners resitting English and maths.
Dr Alice Eardley said:
“I’m delighted to have been appointed interim CEO at such an exciting time for Get Further and for Further Education in general. As we prepare to launch our new strategy in the context of big changes in the skills landscape, I’m looking forward to bringing my experience of working in FE colleges and post-16 policy to the role while Sarah’s away”.
Michele Sutton CBE, Chair of the Board of Trustees for the charity, said:
“We sought an Interim CEO for Get Further who embodies our commitment to supporting FE students from disadvantaged backgrounds to secure crucial English and maths qualifications that open doors to future opportunities. In Alice, we have found a candidate who is ambitious for both students and the sector, with a deep understanding of the challenges they face and a proven track record of leadership. The Trustees would also like to extend our thanks and best wishes to Sarah, whose vision and leadership have laid a strong foundation for our next phase of growth. We are confident that Alice will continue this momentum in her absence, guiding Get Further as we work to raise the standard of post-16 education on a national scale.”
CEO and Founder of Get Further, Sarah Waite, said:
“We received many high-quality applications for this post, making the recruitment process highly competitive. It’s brilliant that our mission and work excite and attract so many great candidates. Following the rigorous recruitment process, I am delighted that the Board of Trustees has appointed Alice, an exceptional leader in the further education sector, to the role. Get Further has an incredibly strong team to continue to drive our mission forward while I’m on maternity leave.”
Get Further is a registered charity that exists to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds in further education to pass gateway English and maths qualifications that unlock opportunities. To do this, we partner with post-16 education providers, delivering innovative small-group tuition programmes for their students and evidence-based training and resources for teachers.
Over the lifetime of our last strategy, we more than doubled our reach working with 2,500 students across England in 2023/24. This November, we are excited to launch our new five-year strategy, and under Alice’s leadership in 2024/25, we look forward to expanding our impact even further.