STRONGER TOGETHER Discover the benefits of joining New Collaborative Learning Trust
Retaining your unique identity while gaining the strength of a successful and ambitious Trust
New College Bradford
NCLT HQ
New College Pontefract
M62
M180
New College Doncaster Thorpe Hesley Primary School
Redscope Primary School
Wingfield Academy Brinsworth Academy
Anston Greenlands Primary School
Dinnington High School
Our Schools and Colleges Our Vision: Our Colleges and Schools will make a significant difference to the lives of young people. As a result, together we will make a positive contribution to social mobility.
Shaping the Future of Post-16 Education Through Collaboration As the educational landscape continues to evolve, sixth form colleges face increasing challenges around funding, compliance, recruitment, curriculum breadth, student outcomes and long-term sustainability. NCLT provides a model where colleges can maintain their individual identity while benefiting from the expertise, capacity and resilience that comes from being part of a successful and values-driven Trust.
Why Join NCLT?
✓ Outstanding educational expertise ✓ High-performing sixth form colleges ✓ High-quality teaching and learning ✓ Collaborative leadership and shared best practice ✓ Exceptional opportunities for students ✓ Professional shared services ✓ Award-winning workforce development ✓ Financial sustainability and future security
The Future of Sixth Form Education is Collaborative The challenges facing post-16 education have never been greater. Rising costs, increasing accountability, recruitment pressures, curriculum complexity and changing student needs require colleges to be agile, innovative and resilient. At NCLT, we believe outstanding colleges become even stronger when they work together. Joining NCLT means becoming part of a successful family of colleges and schools united by a common purpose: improving life chances and transforming communities through education. Our approach combines the strength of collaboration with a deep respect for local identity. Colleges retain their unique character while gaining access to additional expertise, leadership capacity and strategic support.
Stronger Together Educational excellence is at the heart of everything we do. Across our family of colleges, students consistently achieve strong outcomes, benefit from exceptional teaching and progress to ambitious destinations including leading universities, higher apprenticeships and rewarding careers. All three of our sixth form colleges have achieved top Ofsted outcomes, reflecting the strength of our educational model and the power of collaboration. Through shared expertise, common values and a relentless focus on improvement, we have created learning environments where students thrive and staff excel. Joining NCLT means becoming part of a Trust with a proven track record of helping organisations improve, whilst preserving the individual strengths and distinctive character that make each college unique.
What Joining NCLT Provides Greater Capacity Access experienced educational leaders, specialist directors and highly skilled operational teams. Shared Expertise Benefit from collaboration across curriculum, quality assurance, professional development, safeguarding and school improvement. Financial Resilience Gain stronger procurement power, more efficient services and sustainable long-term financial planning. Future Security Become part of a stable, growing organisation with a clear strategic vision and proven track record.
Dedicated Specialist Support Including: Finance HR Payroll Estates Governance IT
Safeguarding Marketing & Communications Health & Safety Compliance Project Management
"Independence does not have to mean isolation."
THE NCLT DIFFERENCE
A Proven Trust. A Shared Purpose. The most successful organisations never stand still. They continually learn, adapt and improve. At NCLT, collaboration drives everything we do. Our colleges and schools work together to share expertise, support innovation and create opportunities that would be difficult to achieve alone. This collaborative culture has enabled us to build a reputation for educational excellence whilst maintaining a strong focus on the needs of individual communities. As a Trust, we believe every young person deserves access to outstanding teaching, an ambitious curriculum and opportunities that prepare them for a successful future. Whether students aspire to university, apprenticeships or employment, our goal is to ensure they leave us equipped with the knowledge, confidence and skills required to succeed. By bringing together talented leaders, teachers and support staff, we create capacity for improvement, strengthen organisational resilience and ensure that every institution within the Trust benefits from collective experience and expertise.
The Scale to Make a Difference NCLT Today Over 10,400 students More than 1,100 staff Education from age 2-19 Operations across multiple local authorities Significant annual investment in education, staffing and facilities This scale enables us to invest strategically while maintaining a strong local focus.
FIVE REASONS WHY WE ARE SUCCESSFUL
1. Committed to Collaboration Collaboration is far more than simply sharing resources. It is about building a culture in which colleagues, leaders and institutions learn from one another in pursuit of a common goal. Across NCLT, teachers meet regularly to discuss curriculum developments, share successful teaching strategies and develop approaches that improve student outcomes. Senior leaders work together to solve challenges, plan strategically and provide mutual support, while professional services teams collaborate to ensure colleges have access to efficient, high-quality operational support. This approach allows colleges to retain their individuality whilst benefiting from the collective expertise of a larger organisation. Instead of working in isolation, leaders and staff become part of a professional community committed to continuous improvement. The result is a culture where good ideas spread quickly, challenges are solved collectively and success is shared by everyone.
2. Expertise in Post-16 Education NCLT has established itself as one of the leading providers of sixth form education in the country. Our success has been built on a relentless commitment to educational excellence, a deep understanding of post-16 education and a culture that encourages collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement. Over many years, our colleges have developed strong reputations within their communities and across the sector for delivering outstanding educational experiences, creating opportunities for young people and consistently helping students progress to ambitious destinations. Through the collective expertise that exists across the Trust, colleges benefit from proven approaches to curriculum design, teaching and learning, quality assurance, student support and leadership development.
3. High-Quality Inclusive Education At NCLT, we believe every young person, regardless of background, circumstance or starting point, deserves access to an exceptional education and the opportunity to fulfil their potential. Our commitment to high-quality inclusive education goes beyond academic achievement. We aim to create environments where all students feel known, valued and supported, enabling them to thrive both academically and personally. We recognise that young people arrive with different experiences, strengths and challenges, and our role is to ensure that every learner has access to the support, guidance and opportunities they need to succeed.
4. Professional Shared Services One of the greatest advantages of joining NCLT is access to a highly experienced and well-established central services team. Modern educational organisations face increasing demands in areas such as finance, governance, compliance, HR, estates management, safeguarding, health and safety, data protection and information technology. Successfully managing these responsibilities requires specialist expertise, dedicated capacity and robust systems. NCLT's Shared Services model is designed to provide exactly that. Rather than expecting individual colleges to independently manage every operational function, our central team provides strategic support, expert advice and operational delivery across a wide range of specialist areas. This reduces administrative burden, strengthens compliance, improves efficiency and provides organisational resilience. By becoming part of NCLT, colleges gain access to a team of experienced professionals who work alongside local leaders to ensure that systems, processes and resources support the delivery of outstanding education.
5. Employer of Choice We invest heavily in our people because great organisations are built by great staff. At NCLT, we recognise that exceptional outcomes for students are only possible when staff feel valued, supported and able to thrive. Being an employer of choice is not simply about recruitment; it is about creating an environment where talented professionals choose to build long and successful careers. Our approach is founded on the belief that staff wellbeing, professional development and workplace culture are fundamental to organisational success. By investing in our people, we create a positive and sustainable working environment that benefits colleagues, students and communities alike. We have a staff Workload Charter, Wellbeing Framework, long service awards, Trust ‘Heart’ awards and are proud to be FREDDIE for our commitment to fairness in the workplace. We also won the ‘Employer of the year’ at the 2023 MAT Excellence awards and were announced as ‘Further Education Provider of the year’ by the Centre for Diversity. Scan the QR code or visit nclt.ac.uk/employer-of-choice to find out more.
Our
Values The 5 Cs
Collaboration
Candour
Care
Open, honest and transparent relationships.
Supporting students, staff and communities.
Challenge
Commitment
Holding high expectations for everyone.
Delivering consistently excellent outcomes.
Achieving more together than we could alone.
Strategic Priorities Every organisation joining NCLT contributes to five Trust-wide priorities: High Quality Inclusive Education Creating exceptional educational experiences for all learners. School & College Improvement Driving improvement through evidenceinformed practice and collaborative expertise. Workforce Development Recruiting, developing and retaining exceptional people. Financial & Operational Sustainability Creating organisations that are resilient, efficient and future-focused. Leadership & Governance Building leadership capacity and ensuring robust accountability.
Strategic Plan Our Strategic Plan sets out the vision, strategic business objectives and overarching educational priorities for the Trust which are based on those in previous years. You can view the latest version at nclt.ac.uk/strategic-plan
What It Means For Your Students At the heart of every decision we make is a simple question: how will this improve the experience, opportunities and outcomes of our students? When a college joins NCLT, students immediately become part of a wider community of learners. Whilst continuing to benefit from the distinctive culture and ethos of their own college, they gain access to the opportunities, expertise and experiences available across the wider Trust. Students benefit from organisations that are stronger, more resilient and better equipped to invest in educational excellence. They learn within environments where innovation is encouraged, expectations are high and support is readily available. Most importantly, they become part of an organisation that is committed to removing barriers, raising aspirations and opening doors to brighter futures. Broader Curriculum Opportunities Students benefit from wider expertise, collaborative curriculum development and access to specialist provision across the Trust. Improved Progression Students gain access to enhanced pathways into: University Apprenticeships Employment Professional Careers Enhanced Enrichment A richer student experience including: Sport Performing Arts Music Leadership Programmes Volunteering Employer Engagement Cultural Experiences Competitive Challenges
What It Means For Your Staff Successful colleges are built by talented, committed people. One of the greatest advantages of joining NCLT is the opportunity to invest even more effectively in those people. As part of the Trust, staff gain access to a wider range of professional development opportunities, specialist networks and leadership programmes than many individual institutions can provide alone. Whether someone is at the beginning of their career or preparing for senior leadership, there are opportunities to learn, grow and progress. Our collaborative culture encourages staff to work alongside colleagues from different institutions, sharing ideas and benefiting from the expertise of experienced professionals. This not only strengthens practice but also creates a sense of belonging to something bigger than a single organisation. By reducing operational pressures through professional shared services, staff and leaders can focus their energy on what matters most: delivering outstanding outcomes for students.
Professional Development Access: Trust-wide CPD programmes Coaching and mentoring Curriculum networks Leadership development Research-informed practice
Career Progression As part of a growing organisation, staff can access: Leadership roles Cross-trust opportunities Specialist positions Project leadership Executive development pathways
Professional Networks Subject networks enable colleagues to: Share resources Moderate standards Develop curriculum Exchange ideas Learn from experts
Recruitment & Retention Larger organisations create: Strong talent pipelines Better succession planning Greater workforce stability Increased recruitment capacity
Award-Winning Employer NCLT is committed to being an employer of choice through: Staff wellbeing programmes Flexible approaches to working Leadership development Career progression opportunities Professional recognition Workplace wellbeing initiatives
"Being part of NCLT has given me opportunities to collaborate with exceptional colleagues, access leadership development and continually improve my practice. Working together has helped us achieve more for students and staff alike." New College Doncaster Staff Member
Why Colleges Choose NCLT Every college's journey is different. Some seek greater financial resilience. Others want access to improvement expertise, stronger professional support or increased opportunities for students and staff. What unites them is a recognition that collaboration can achieve far more than isolation. Colleges choose NCLT because they want a trusted partner that understands education, respects institutional identity and shares their ambition for excellence. They want a relationship built on support rather than control, collaboration rather than prescription and long-term success rather than short-term solutions. Most importantly, they want to join a Trust that has demonstrated it can deliver sustainable improvement whilst remaining true to the values and principles that matter most. They Want To Protect Their Identity Joining NCLT does not mean losing what makes your college unique. Your: Name Ethos Culture Values Community relationships
They Want Greater Resilience Access additional expertise, support and leadership capacity. They Want Better Outcomes Benefit from proven school and college improvement strategies. They Want Long-Term Sustainability Become part of an organisation with a clear vision and strong foundations. They Want A Trust That Understands Sixth Form Education NCLT was built upon successful sixth form colleges. That understanding remains at the heart of everything we do.
Governance, Identity & Autonomy Frequently Asked Questions Will We Lose Our Identity? No. Joining NCLT strengthens colleges without removing their individuality, culture or heritage. Will Our Students Notice A Difference? Students continue to enjoy their own college identity while benefiting from wider opportunities and expertise. What Happens To Governance? Local governance remains important and continues to play a vital role within the Trust framework. Who Makes Decisions? Decision-making combines local leadership with trust-wide expertise and accountability.
nclt.ac.uk/governance-information
What Colleges Often Ask How Will This Affect Our Finances? Joining NCLT can provide:
✔✔ Enhanced purchasing power Improved procurement ✔✔ Shared services organisational risk ✔✔ Reduced Operational efficiencies Greater financial sustainability How Will This Improve Outcomes? Through:
✔✔ Proven improvement expertise best practice ✔✔ Shared Quality assurance systems collaboration ✔✔ Curriculum Evidence-informed practice Leadership development What Support Do We Gain? Immediate access to specialist expertise including:
✔✔ Finance HR ✔✔ Payroll ✔✔ Estates Governance ✔✔ ITSafeguarding ✔✔ Compliance Marketing & Communications & College Improvement ✔ School Curriculum Development
Outstanding Colleges. Outstanding People. Outstanding Opportunities. Choosing the right Trust is one of the most important strategic decisions a college can make. At NCLT, we understand that every organisation has its own history, culture and ambitions. That is why our approach is built on partnership, collaboration and mutual respect. We do not believe successful colleges should lose what makes them special. Instead, we help them build on their strengths through access to additional expertise, enhanced capacity and the support of a wider family of educational organisations. Together, we are creating exceptional opportunities for young people, strengthening communities and making a lasting contribution to social mobility.
Let's Start The Conversation Richard Fletcher Chief Executive Officer 01977 802636 richard.fletcher@nclt.ac.uk www.nclt.ac.uk
Pontefract Road Normanton Industrial Estate Normanton West Yorkshire 01977 802802 www.nclt.ac.uk
Opening Doors to a Brighter Future