Colin Diamond has worked in education leadership roles for over 40 years. He started as a humanities teacher and soon began to specialise working with students with additional needs. He became a local authority adviser for SEND and an associate headteacher in east London. He took over as Director of Education in North Somerset when it was in intervention from the then DfEE and led its improvement journey until it gained “outstanding” judgements from OfSTED. He returned to DfE in London to head up the Academies and Free Schools Education Adviser team and engage in the development of the new government’s 2010 Act policies.

In 2014, he was asked by DfE to lead the team that went to Birmingham in the wake of the Trojan Horse crisis. This led to his appointment as Deputy Education Commissioner for Birmingham working directly to the Secretary of State and her ministers. In 2015, he was appointed as Executive Director of Education and DCS in Birmingham.

In September 2018 Colin took up the new post of Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Birmingham. His main role is to create greater engagement between schools and the university and establish an Education Leadership Academy.

He is driven by the power of education to transform the lives of working-class children and wants them all to have the same opportunities that he was lucky enough to get through going to brilliant schools in Liverpool.

He is a member of the Liverpool Education Improvement Board, trustee at the University of Birmingham School and chair of members at the Waverley MAT Birmingham

In 2018 he received a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to education.

He is a lifelong supporter of Liverpool Football Club and Anfield is his spiritual home. He used to play in blues and rock and roll bands until Birmingham took over his life.