Strategic Vision for the Next 3 years 2021-2024

This is a key moment for education. With the ramifications of Covid-19 becoming more visible, rarely has the vital part education plays in society been clearer. Our Trust’s role as an agent for social change means we will be at the forefront of helping the country take the concrete positive steps needed to recover from this crisis. We want the Trust’s family of colleges and schools, based in areas with high levels of deprivation, to provide an excellent education and enable our young people to access high quality employment and HE provision. We will achieve this by setting ambitious and challenging targets for our students and for ourselves, and seeking out and sharing the best teaching and learning in our sectors. This focus on narrowing gaps in educational attainment is part of the contribution we will make to helping the country recover from Covid-19, and will ensure we are “making a significant difference to the lives of young people”, providing “a positive contribution to social mobility”.

In practical terms, this means maintaining New College Pontefract’s outstanding Ofsted status, and ensuring that New College Bradford and New College Doncaster achieve at least a good in their first Ofsted inspections. The Trust will also be supporting Wingfield Academy, the newest member of our family, to help the Academy achieve a Grade 1 at their next Ofsted inspection. Our vision does not end here, though. We are actively exploring further opportunities to expand our post-16 provision via the government’s free school initiative, as well as investigating ways to establish a second 11-16 secondary school to partner Wingfield Academy. The number of 1118 year olds in the country is increasing, with demand for school and college places making expansion in this sector essential. Conversations are already underway with the Department for Education and Bradford Local Authority with regard to how the Trust can help with the increase in post-16 students. We are also actively engaged in discussion with several secondary schools and one Primary Trust.

Across the whole Trust, we want to become the employer of choice, with staff retention consistently high. This will involve consolidating the Trust’s strong financial health and carefully managing its growth, whilst establishing a first class shared services function to support the work of our colleges and schools. We will continue to market ourselves as leaders of post-16 education, with a secondary arm, very much in its infancy. We are actively forming strong links with other Trusts and strategic partners across our region, including the new Teaching School Hubs in Wakefield and Selby, and Doncaster and Barnsley.

All of this is underpinned by our consistent focus on the needs and success of each individual student. Making a positive impact on the lives of our young people is our ultimate aim, unifying everyone’s work across the Trust.