Our Senior Leadership Team
Rob Johnson
Chief Executive Officer
“I am passionate about education – expanding horizons, creating opportunities and unlocking potential. I am dedicated to lifelong learning and personal growth, one passport stamp at a time!”
Dominic Anderson
Director of Performance, Standards & Curriculum
“In my role, I oversee the quality of academic standards across levels 4-6 within the Sports and Performing Arts Qualifications. My expectation is for high quality to embed, develop and expand over all aspects of quality and delivery across each aspect of the academic portfolio. I believe that every young person deserves a first class education regardless of social background or postcode and that there should be no excuses not to achieve highly.”
Katie Ewing
Senior Quality Lead
“I have experience in various educational settings, including Higher and Further Education and I am dedicated to supporting students in their development and helping them achieve their career goals. Additionally, I work professionally in the sports sector, specialising in performance nutrition and athlete lifestyle and I am a National Trainer for UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), providing national education on clean sport.”
Featured Tutors
Name: Aidan Buffey
Qualifications: PhD Candidate in Exercise Physiology, MSc Sport and Exercise Science – Physiology, BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science
Profile: Aidan is a Lecturer of Sport, teaching across the BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching and the Higher National Diploma and Certificate in Sport and Exercise Science (Coaching Science) programmes. Aidan has an established research profile within sports science and regularly contributes his expertise on the benefits of physical activity on health to media outlets such as the New York Times and National Geographic Science. Aidan has served on the International Society for the Measurement of Physical Behaviour committee for numerous years and has acted as a reviewer for several journals.
Aidan emphasises the importance of critical thinking, interdisciplinarity and applying theoretical knowledge to real-world sporting and exercise scenarios. With the aim of developing students and thus the next generation of sports coaches, with the practical skills and understanding necessary to excel in their careers and make a positive impact on athletes and in the world of sports.
Teaching Specialism: Aidan specialises and teaches across exercise physiology, anatomy, research methods and professional skills in respect to the academic and sporting world. Applying his knowledge and experiences to various sporting settings and athletes. For example, coaching within schools, international students and physical performance testing with elite Para-Footballers and the British Army.
Research Interests:Â Aidan is an active researcher in the field of exercise physiology, contributing novel literature on the benefits of light-intensity physical activity on health and the detrimental effects of sedentary behaviour. He has represented Ireland at the 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting as a Young Scientist dedicated to Physiology and Medicine.
Name: Frankie Harrington
Qualifications: MSc Sport & Exercise Science – Psychology, BSc (Hons) Sport & Exercise Science, Level 5 Diploma in Education & Teaching.
Profile: Frankie is a Lecturer in Sport, contributing to the BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching programme as well as the Higher National Diploma and Certificate in Sport and Exercise Science (Coaching Science). With over five years of experience in higher education, particularly within football education partnerships, she has established a strong professional profile in the field. Her extensive experience in sports research spans various disciplines, including sport and exercise physiology and psychology. She has been involved in PhD research assistance and has played an active role in supporting England Deaf Football (Futsal U21), with a particular focus on developing mental toughness and psychological preparedness.
Additionally, Frankie is a qualified Operator under the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations [IR(ME)R] for DXA scanning, and her primary research interest lies in sport and exercise psychology. Her coaching expertise has been cultivated through work in primary schools, where she has focused on promoting physical activity among young people and advocating for healthy lifestyle practices.
Teaching Specialism: Frankie specialises in sport and exercise psychology, professional and applied practices, nutrition and research methods. She applies her expertise across various sporting contexts and a range of athletes. Furthermore, she is dedicated to supporting first-year students by equipping them with the essential academic skills needed to succeed in their university studies.
Research Interests:Â Frankie’s research interests lie in sport and exercise psychology, with a particular focus on anxiety and attentional focus. Her work explores the critical role attentional mechanisms play in elite athletes and she investigates how applied interventions, such as eye-tracking technology, can help develop these mechanisms in amateur and novice athletes to enhance their performance. More recently, her research interest has extended to clinical settings, examining how improving attentional processes and visual search strategies can benefit older adults with a fear of falling, with the aim of assisting the NHS to improve lifestyle and well-being for this particular population.
Governors
Eric Mason
Governor and Chair of the Board of Governors
Eric is a consummate professional with a wealth of experience managing programmes of change within organisations. As a consultant he has a track record providing business reviews and making an immediate and lasting positive impact. Amongst his career as a Director at large corporations he was TSL Limiteds’, (TES Times Educational Supplement ) IT Director and Infrastructure Programme Director Responsible for the delivery of a completely new Infrastructure design and implementation at their new offices.
Craig Beecham
Governor / Director
Craig has worked in education since qualifying as a teacher in 1995. Roles have included Director of Sport, School Improvement Advisor and CEO of VLUK. As a shareholder and co-founder of the Oxford Virtual Education Group, Craig’s interests in the education sector are wide and varied. He believes passionately that every young person has a right to a good education, and is driven to help support the VLUK & UCS leadership teams in their pursuit of this objective through our shared vision and values.
Simon Abercrombie
Governor / Director
Simon is a shareholder and co-founder of the Oxford Virtual Education Group, which hosts a number of education based organisations including Oxford Spires International Language School, Oxford Active, Virtual Education Systems, Universal Centre for Sport and Virtual Learning UK. Simon has spent the majority of his professional life working within education, often in schools that have faced significant challenges. Simon supports the governing board in all areas of governance, but with a particular focus on teaching and learning across further and higher education.
Owen McGovern
Governor / Director
Owen is a Shareholder of the Oxford Virtual Education Group. Owen has been involved in sport, childcare and Education for 25 years.
Neil Holman
Governor – Safeguarding
Neil has spent over 20 years working with children/young people and families across a range of settings, including Social Services, Youth Offending, Youth Services and Community Safety. He is a safeguarding trainer for the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children’s Board and works as a Designated Safeguarding Lead for a number of organisations. Neil is committed to improving the lives of all children and young people that he works with.
Bill Toyer
Governor
Bill Toyer is an accomplished higher education professional with extensive experience in academic partnerships, transnational education, and strategic programme development across the UK and internationally.
Joy McKenzie
Governor – Alumni
An author and healthstyle designer, Joy’s expertise lie in designing, creatively curating and promoting health and wellbeing products by addressing key lifestyle factors, including mental health, the reduction of harmful substances, cultivating healthy relationships, balanced nutrition, restorative sleep, and physical activity.
Mark Simmons
Governor
Mark Simmons is a senior-level leader in international education and the non-profit sector. With a career spanning over three decades, he has established himself as an educational strategist and facilitator, specialising in operational management, international business development, and intercultural relations
Brandon Watts
Student Governor
During his time studying his Level 3 BTEC at VLUK, Brandon was appointed as a Student Governor, and his experience in this role made him a strong and natural choice to continue as a Student Governor within UCS. This position enables Brandon to represent the student voice effectively and contribute meaningfully to shaping a positive and inclusive learning environment whilst studying for his degree in Sport Coaching.
Sharon McGuire (MEd, GTCS)
Governor
A senior HE and FE professional based in Scotland, Sharon is passionate about the power of education to transform lives and believes it should be accessible to all. Education should be inclusive, supportive, and designed around the needs of learners, with teaching and assessment approaches that help students succeed.