MidKent College has appointed a female principal for the first time in its history.

Sue McLeod, 51, is to take up the role in September.

She joined the college, which has a campus in Medway Road, Gillingham, 20 years ago as a travel and tourism lecturer before climbing the ranks to her present position of deputy principal.

As her appointment was announced, she said: “It means a great deal to me and I hope it demonstrates to all our students that gender is no barrier to them achieving their goals in life.

“I studied at a further education college as a teenager and, if it wasn’t for the expertise and encouragement of the teachers there, I would never have thought that going to university was even a possibility.

“That’s why I’m so thrilled to have been given this opportunity to be principal of MidKent College and help transform the life chances of people throughout Medway, Maidstone and the surrounding areas.”

The mother-of-one said her priorities as principal would include improving the employment prospects of students and strengthening the college’s position at the heart of the community.

She will succeed principal Stephen Grix, who will continue as chief executive on a part-time basis until 2015.