Local Needs Duty and Accountability Agreement 2025/26
Local Needs Duty and Accountability Agreement 2025/26
Improving the lives of our students and community through excellence in teaching and learning, in a highly supportive, safe, and modern environment, working collaboratively with business for the sustainable success of the region.
Community
It is important to us that the college remains at the heart of our wider community and economy. It is also important to us that we maintain our strong sense of community within the college, valuing our culture of teamwork and respect.
Pride and passion
We all work with pride and passion for our students, celebrating their achievements, and setting high expectations and continued excellence in everything we do.
Student focus
We are committed to being student-focused, and our ambition is for all our students to achieve to the highest level they possibly can. We also put a high value on our reputation as a college with a caring and friendly environment that is second to none.
Inclusion
It is important to us that the College is inclusive, widening opportunities for the future and maximising the potential of all our learners. We value equality and diversity, and our social purpose matters to us.
Care for health and wellbeing
We want our College to be a supportive environment where we care about health and wellbeing amongst staff and students, and we act on concerns wherever they are raised.
Contents...
SECTION 1. PURPOSE
SECTION 2. CONTEXT AND PLACE
SECTION 3. APPROACH
SECTION 4. MEETING LOCAL REGIONAL AND NATIONAL NEEDS PAST ACTIONS AND ACTION RESPONSE
SECTION 5. CORPORATION STATEMENT
SECTION 6. USEFUL LINKS
SECTION 1 PURPOSE
Darlington College is committed to excellence and inclusivity in education. We strive to deliver high-quality learning outcomes that empower all students, regardless of their background, to achieve their full potential.
Our dedication to inclusion ensures that every student has access to the resources and support they need to succeed. In alignment with our mission, we respond pro actively to the evolving needs of local businesses.
By fostering strong partnerships and staying attuned to market demands, we tailor our courses to prepare a workforce that can meet and exceed these expectations.
Understanding the importance of community engagement, we are dedicated to addressing community skills needs.
Through accessible education, training and apprenticeships, we aim to support the community, contributing to its economic growth and prosperity.
Sustainability is at the forefront of our day-to-day operations. We are building a sustainable college that not only services the local skills needs of the areas that we serve, in the present, but also strives to secure a sustainable future for generations to come. This encompasses taking care of our environmental responsibilities, being financially astute, and taking our corporate social responsibility seriously.
Lastly, we recognise that our strength lies in our staff. Ensuring that the college is a good place to work is paramount, to providing the best service possible to our local community. We are committed to creating a supportive, dynamic, and rewarding environment where every member of staff can flourish.
Darlington College Accountability Agreement 2025 - 2026
SECTION 1 PURPOSE
Student Success
Delivering high quality earning outcomes and an inclusive student experience
Community Focussed
Meeting local community skills needs
Skills Priorities
Respond to local business needs
Culture
Ensuring the College is a good place to work
Financial Security
Building a successful and financially sustainable college
SECTION 2 CONTEXT AND PLACE
• Tyne and Wear
• County Durham
• Darlington
• Stockton on Tees
• Middlesbrough
• Hartlepool
• Redcar and Cleveland
• North Yorkshire
Darlington College - and the communities we serve...
Darlington College, established in 1897, has a rich history of serving the local community of Darlington and the surrounding areas of the North East and North Yorkshire regions. The college was initially set up to enhance the efficiency of manufacturing and commerce in the town. Over the years, it has grown and developed into a high-performing organisation that offers a broad and varied curriculum, ranging from entry to Level 7.
In 2009, the college moved to a purpose-built, state-of-the-art building, which continues to receive significant investment. The students at Darlington College benefit from high-quality teaching, support, and industry-standard equipment and resources, preparing them for further or higher education or meaningful employment. The college curriculum is delivered across eight departments by experienced and skilled teachers. In addition to providing a high-quality education, the college also offers much-needed wrap around care and support for its students, enabling them to achieve incredible outcomes and progress to their destination of choice.
During the 2024/25 academic year, the college had a diverse student population, including 1660 16-18-year-olds on vocational programmes, 700 apprentices, 3,500 adults, 180 higher education students, and around 80 pre-16 students who attended the college on a part-time basis.
Darlington College enjoys an excellent reputation with local employers, business leaders, and the local authority. It works collaboratively for the good of the community and plays a critical role in fulfilling the future skills gaps in the region and upskilling the current workforce. The college has participated and led Strategic Development Fund and Local Skills Improvement Fund Projects across Tees Valley and North Yorkshire.
Financially, the college is in good health, with an annual turnover of approximately £22m. It is projected to maintain this good financial rating in its 3-year financial plan. The college continues to invest in its building and facilities. In the current academic year, it opened the new purpose-built, carbon-neutral Ingenium centre to provide high-quality engineering teaching and training and in 2024/25 plans were developed to open a new purpose-built centre for pre-16 students which is due to open at the end of 2025.
It’s important to note, however, that Darlington has its share of challenges. The national Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2019 shows that 18.5% of Darlington’s neighbourhoods are ranked in decile 1, and 50.8% are ranked 4 or under. Furthermore, 18.5% of families in Darlington live with absolute low income, and 52.3% live in families with relative low income. This is higher than the national rates of 15.3% and 18.4%, respectively. This means that nearly 20% of the town’s communities are among the most deprived in England, and more than half of the town’s families live with absolute or relatively low income. Despite these challenges, Darlington College remains committed to providing high-quality education and support to all its students.
Darlington College Accountability Agreement 2025 - 2026
SECTION 3 APPROACH
Darlington College is actively represented on many and varied partnerships across the area. Our approach to determining our priorities involves significant work to support our key stakeholders - residents, employers, schools, community groups, local authorities, combined authorities, and various boards and committees.
Our CEO regularly attends regional education boards, for instance the 11-19 Partnership which comprises of Headteachers across the breadth of schools and colleges in Darlington, also sitting on the Public Services Executive Group and Teesside University College Partnership. These groups meet to work collectively on data sharing, transition planning, tackling the number of NEETS in the community and discuss curriculum development to meet the local skills needs.
The CEO is also Deputy Chair of the Towns Fund Board. This board meets to discuss urban regeneration, skills, enterprise and connectivity. As part of this group the college are involved in making and implementing plans for a central and collaborative adult skills hub, that will serve the community and enhance skills training for adults across the town, as set out in the local skills improvement plan.
The college is a member of the Association of Colleges, ensuring we take note of best practice across the sector. We work effectively with three devolved Combined Authorities - Tees Valley, North East and York/North Yorkshire - and the Department for Education, to ensure funding and course delivery is targeted to meet the employer skills demand represented by each of the Local Skills Improvement Plans for each geographical area.
Regular discussions take place with the employer representative bodies – The North East Chamber of Commerce, ERB for Tees Valley - The West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce - ERB for North Yorkshire – and the Automobile Association –ERB for the North East. We also engage with Darlington Business Club and its members and the Clean Energy Employer Forum, which is helping shape curriculum moving forward.
Employer Engagement is significant and Employer Boards enable us to talk to employers about their requirements for skills and how this can best be incorporated within our curriculum. As a result, in 2024/25 the college embarked on a new curriculum model for group tutorials to take account of employers’ concerns in relation to face to face, presentation and telephone skills within the workforce.
The college is an active member of FE+, which is a strategic partnership of all 5 of the Tees Valley FE colleges and one specialist arts college. This arrangement has been in place for around thirty years, and all Principals/CEOs meet at least monthly, rotating the position of Chair and membership of key forums such as the Tees Valley Combined Authority’s Skills Committee.
By working together, the group speaks as a single voice on behalf of FE across the region. FE+ partners have collaborated on a range of ventures including successfully delivering two skills development funds (SDF) in local priority areas, supporting the development and implementation of the Tees Valley LSIP through the local skills improvement fund, working closely with inward investors and advising on skills policy with local and national stakeholders.
In 2024/25 the group partnered with Balfour Beatty to create a Tees Valley Net Zero sponsored Academy, across all colleges, which will commence for students in September 2025.
In the Spring of 2024, all five colleges mapped their provision against local labour market needs and carried out a full local curriculum review including an independently facilitated workshop involving members of all college corporations.
Data presented at the review and the subsequent analysis highlights the colleges’ curriculum offer and outcomes for students support the Tees Valley economy especially in the engineering/manufacturing, construction and healthcare sectors.
The review identified a few areas that all colleges can work on to enhance the joint response to local employer needs as follows -
• Further develop the employability skills in our young people while strengthening their confidence and resilience. At Darlington College, following Employer Board feedback; we have taken this a stage further with a full remodel of the group tutorial across all study programmes for young people, with a key focus on improving confidence in face to face conversations, presentation and telephone skills.
• Improve digital skills for all our students. At Darlington College this is now built into all full and part-time study programmes.
• Minimise impact of qualifications reform on level 3 numbers. At Darlington College , we have retained a wide and cross-sector vocational level 3 offer.
• Increase the numbers training in logistics, digital and professional skills. At Darlington College we used LSIF funding to develop further high-tech IT suites and numbers training in this area have increased by 20% as a result.
In this academic year we were determined to develop our students cultural capital. In light of the summer 2024 race riots we were determined to expose our students to different countries and cultures and show them the importance of being positive global citizens. We were successful in securing a significant Turing grant to facilitate this work, resulting in over 150 students visiting a range of countries including India, South Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, Tanzania and many European destinations. These experiences were truly lifechanging and allowed our students to participate in both curriculum and cultural activities, enhancing the technical skills they are learning, benefiting also from the significant personal development which comes with participating in such experiences.
Deaf Empowering Network said:
Deaf Empowering Network (DEN) have enjoyed a very supportive and collaborative partnership with Darlington College, which has led to the development of a popular British Sign Language and Deaf Awareness Training short course programme. It is great to see how this collaboration has seen demand for BSL and Deaf Awareness Training go from strength to strength, and we are very excited to see the positive impact of this joint venture as it continues to be rolled out even wider, including to third party organisations across multiple sectors.
Darlington Building Society said:
“Since partnering with the college, we have had nothing other than a positive and supportive experience. The collaboration has provided our colleagues with enhanced learning opportunities, access to advanced resources, and invaluable connections to enable their development and growth. The college's commitment to excellence and innovation has been evident in every interaction, which can be seen in their exceptional facilities and campus. We are proud of the learning successes we've seen so far and look forward to continuing our relationship, ensuring our colleagues are well prepared for their current and future careers through education. ”
Darlington College Accountability Agreement 2025 - 2026
Due to the geographical location of Darlington College, we work closely with colleges beyond the Tees Valley. The CEO attends regular meetings with other college Principals/CEOs within both the North East and North Yorkshire regions, ensuring cohesiveness of curriculum offer, particularly in rural areas, whilst ensuring reducing duplication and saturation of the market.
In North Yorkshire, colleges worked collaboratively on the Local Skills Improvement Fund Projects which have proved highly successful in delivering measurable outcomes for the communities the colleges serve. The colleges within the York and North Yorkshire region are:
The colleges in the York and North Yorkshire region are:
• Askham Bryan
• Bishop Burton
• Craven College
• Darlington College
• Heart of Yorkshire College Group: Selby College
• Henshaws Specialist College
• Luminate College Group: Harrogate College
• TEC Partnership: East Riding College and Scarborough TEC
• York College
North Yorkshire
SECTION 4 MEETING
LOCAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL NEEDS
Geographical Priority
Construction
Manufacturing and Engineering
Digital and Technology
Health and Social Care
Haulage and Logistics
Net zero/’green’ jobs
Science/Life Sciences
Business and Professional
Agri-Skills
Visitor Economy
College contribution
• Largest provider of high-quality adult education in Darlington
• Grade 2, November 2022 Ofsted inspection
• Work with c.1200 local employers
• Supporting employers to recruit skilled workforce and upskill existing staff
• Planned provision supports priority sectors of logistics, digital, advanced manufacture and engineering, life science, health and social care and business/professional services
• Latest technology and facilities to support current and future skills needs
• Actively align curriculum to the three Local Skills Improvement Plans of Tees Valley, North East and York and North Yorkshire and new/developing skills demand areas Darlington College
Darlington
SECTION 4 PAST ACTIONS FOR 24/25
Target performance in 2024/25
Achievement 16-18 to be above national benchmark, with a target of 88%.
Apprenticeship Achievement to be above national benchmark, with a target of 75%.
Positive destinations at Level 3 (16-18) above 78%.
QDP Student Survey: Achieve and Enjoy Summary, target outcome
A or B quartile and above external benchmark
Support local council with the opening of an Adult Learning & Skills Centre in Darlington, boosting adult skills opportunities in the local community.
Increase our curriculum provision content to incorporate environmentally sustainable outcomes. This includes new provision or an update of existing modules.
92% of young people to take part in Work Experience.
To actively plan and grow curriculum offer to meet the LSIP skills requirements across the three distinct regions.
Positive QDP Student Survey outcomes in relation to learning new skills.
Achieve good financial status
4. Financial Security
5. Culture
Positive QDP Student Survey outcomes in relation to achievement and enjoyment.
Positive QDP Staff Survey in relation to community reputation and Darlington College as a good place to work.
Staff retention below the sector average (CPID Survey: Education sector average 17% turnover).
Actual Outcome 2024/25
Predicted Achievement of 16-18 students is currently 86%, above national averge.
Apprenticeship Achievement above national benchmark, at 70%.
Current publushed positive destinations at L3 (16-18) students are at 83%.
Achieve and Enjoy summary outcome in a quartile and above external benchmark
On track to open its doors at the end of 2025. Curriculum planned to be complimentary to Darlington Learning and Skills, to provide a cohesive offer.
Increase our curriculum provision content to incorporate environmentally sustainable outcomes. This includes new provision or an update of existing modules.
92% of young people took part in Work Experience opportunities.
Curriculum offer aligned to meet skills priority sectors and LSIP requirements across the three regions. 2024-25 has seen growth in student numbers in 16-18, adult and apprenticeships.
Positive QDP Student Survey outcomes in relation to learning new skills.
Good financial health status achieved.
Positive QDP Student Survey outcomes in relation to achievement and enjoyment.
Positive QDP Staff Survey in relation to community reputation and Darlington College as a good place to work.
Staff retention remains below sector average of 17% (CPID Survey: Education sector average).
1. Student success 2. Community 3. Skills Priority
SECTION 4 NEW ACTIONS FOR 25/26
How we will measure success
Achievement 16-18 to be above national benchmark, with a target of 86%
Apprenticeship Achievement to be above national benchmark, with a target of 75%
Positive destinations at level 3 (16-18) to be above 78%
Positive customer feedback
Improved engagement within local community to extend the opportunities available for local residents.
Undertake community projects to enhance the services and environment available to local residents.
Become an active member of the local Plan for Neighbourhoods
Ensure all provision meets local and national skills priority requirements and is employer-led to ensure it meets labour market skills gaps.
Maintain a secure financial footing with good financial status.
We want Darlington College to be a great place to work and study.
Target performance in 2025/26
Achievement 16-18 to be above national benchmark, at 86%
Apprenticeship Achievement to be above national benchmark, at 75%
Positive destinations at Level 3 (16-18) to be above 83%.
QDP Student Survey: Achieve and Enjoy Summary, target outcome A or B quartile and above external benchmark
Launch of the new Adult Skills Centre within the Northern Echo Building
Launch of new Pre16 Centre within college new build.
90% of young people to take part in Work Experience.
50 number of staff involved in volunteering through Time for Tees initiative.
Provide £300 funding to plant local trees
Work with the Council to provide a strong project plan for distribution of the £20m of funding.
To actively plan and grow curriculum offer to meet LSIP skills requirements across the three regions.
Hold 5 Employer Boards to take feedback and ensure co-design of curriculum to meet employer skills gaps.
Positive QDP Student Survey outcomes in relation to learning new skills.
Achieve good financial health status
Positive QDP Student Survey outcomes in relation to achievement and enjoyment.
Positive QDP Staff Survey in relation to community reputation and Darlington College as a good place to work.
Staff retention to be above the sector average (CPID Survey: Education sector average 17% turnover/83% retention).
Student success
Community 3. Skills Priority
4. Financial Security
5. Culture
SECTION 5 CORPORATION STATEMENT
On behalf of the Darlington College Governing Body, it is hereby confirmed that the college plan as set out above reflects an agreed statement of purpose, aims and objectives as approved by the corporation at their meeting on 20th May 2025.
This document will be published on the College's website following approval at the Governor's Board meeting on 20th May 2025.
