Interview with New Principal Simon Woolley

As Lord Woolley of Woodford prepares to begin his new role as Principal in October, we talked to him about what makes Homerton different, the importance of widening access, and how it feels to take on a College you’ve never visited.

How did the position of Principal first come to your attention? Were you approached by the recruiters or did you see it advertised?

I was approached by the recruiters. I had been approached about a number of Colleges and hadn’t really given it much thought. Then I saw Homerton and immediately thought “Homerton’s different.” I had worked in Hackney for 25 years, so I knew Homerton in East London very well and wondered whether it had any link to the College. When I found out that it did, I liked the connection. It felt like a place with strong working class roots that nevertheless aspires to greatness, and I liked that.

Your interview process was all conducted remotely, and you didn’t visit the College until after you had already accepted the role. Did you feel that you were able to build up a reasonably accurate impression of it?

I had seen a lot of pictures, but I couldn’t get the heart and soul of the place from those. But the heart and soul emerged from the conversations I had – with staff, with Fellows, with students, with cleaners, with maintenance staff. They all spoke with such passion about the College, about it not being puffed up, about it being a family. I thought “this is something quite special”.

What is it about Homerton that particularly excites you?

I like the idea that it doesn’t just aspire to greatness, but tries to instil a sense of responsibility, a sense that part of the privilege of receiving a world-class education is a duty to give back. We have enough selfish bankers and immoral politicians – we don’t need to nurture any more of them.

I feel very lucky to be taking the reins from Geoff. We’re custodians of this wonderful institution and he’s handed it to me in great shape. He’s said to me: “Now you’ve got to take it to the next level,” which is very exciting. What interactions with Cambridge have you had before, and what preconceptions do you have that you’re hoping to disprove?

Absolutely none, except for one visit when I was 26 which inspired me to give education another go – I ended up returning to university via an access course. I suppose my preconception is that Oxford and Cambridge are very privileged places that too often can lock talent out and lock privilege in. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, to make them more representative. But I hope to ride the crest of that wave towards greater representation, to demonstrate that Homerton is open to talent and dynamism on every street.

Your career to date has focused on racial inclusion, and supporting the participation of people from minority ethnic backgrounds in democracy. How does that translate to your new role?

We have to ensure that pathways to Homerton are much clearer, and that when people are here, that they’re well supported. It can be intimidating for anyone, coming to somewhere like this, but particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Although really, it doesn’t have the feel of somewhere that screams “you don’t belong”. But I want to make that beacon shine brighter.

I also want to bring in more diverse talent, bring in great Fellows and nurture our own.

Your appointment has been met with huge excitement, not least among those students and alumni who see their own story reflected in yours. But what would you say to those who might be concerned that your focus will be too narrowly engaged with one community?

I would say that my appointment is not a zero-sum game – because I and others like me win doesn’t meant that anyone has to lose. Embracing diversity gives us all a chance to shine, and to learn about each other. The announcement of your appointment coincided with the release of the Sewell report (the report by the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities), of which you’ve been a vocal critic. What in particular did you object to?

The Sewell report missed an opportunity to talk about people’s lived experience and formulate a strategy that could get all our institutions to a better place. But in reality, most businesses and institutions seem to be on the right side of the curve in acknowledging the inequalities we’ve all seen laid bare.

Operation Black Vote has been a hugely significant part of your life for the past 25 years. How does it feel to step away from it?

Leaving Operation Black Vote is like seeing a child go off to university – you’ve done everything you can for them and you have to let them go. I’ve been utterly privileged to be able to make a difference in British politics. But it’s time for the next stage of the journey – I’m in Homerton mode from now on!

What are you most looking forward to?

I’m looking forward to the energy of all these wonderful people in academia. My role is facilitator-in-chief, ensuring people can flourish. It’s a huge privilege, and a huge responsibility, particularly in this Covid space. But while we are sensible in navigating that, the optimism of what we’re embarking on will carry me to work each day. There’s a lot of goodwill for me in this role, and I hope that I can do the Homerton family proud, and help Homerton to be a wonderful beacon of hope and ambition.