The principal of Epping Forest College is to leave.

As the Borders Lane institution prepares to join the New City College group early next month, Saboohi Famili gears up to say her goodbyes on July 31, 2018.

A statement from the college does not make it clear why Mrs Famili is leaving, beyond saying it is "due to merger plans".

While the principal helped the college shed Ofsted's lowest grade of 'inadequate' to gain a 'requires improvement' rating earlier this year - an announcement that shortly preceded the departure of chairman of the governors and district councillor Gagan Mohindra - Epping Forest College has been served with two financial warning notices from the central government since January.

Mrs Famili took up the role in September 2016 and was immediately faced with the poor Ofsted report.

Martin Rosner, chairman of the board of governors, said: “Epping Forest College has been privileged to have been led by Saboohi over the last two years.

"When she joined the College, the quality of provision was poor and just a few weeks after her appointment, Ofsted, the government inspection service, judged the college to be “Inadequate”.

"Within just over a year, Ofsted re-inspected the College, acknowledged the substantial improvements that had been made and increased the College grades accordingly.

"Much of this improvement is down to the inspired, dedicated and diligent contribution of Saboohi."

Ms Famili, who is originally from Iran, arrived in the UK in 1999 and applied for refugee status after she was accused of instigating riots in her home country.

The former professor of engineering at the University of Tehran spent seven years working at Guernsey College and Sutton College.

She said: “Epping Forest College will continue to have a long future and I want to thank all staff and governors for working with me in partnership to secure the future of the College and for improving the quality of education for our students.

"The College is, indeed, a different and better place to work and study and this is thanks to everyone’s hard work.

"I have witnessed first-hand the results of the staff’s dedication and commitment to our students. It has been a very rewarding time for me and I shall miss a great deal about the College, especially the people I have worked and made friends with.”