We now have 240 applicants

Welcome to the latest New College Doncaster update.

Applications are coming in fast

Our plans for New College Doncaster are developing really well. At the time of writing we’ve received over 240 applications for the 400 Year 12 places we’ll be offering this September – an amazing start. Thanks very much if you’ve already applied. The sooner you apply the sooner we’ll be able to invite you to an interview evening with us and the sooner we’ll be able to make you a conditional offer. Applying early also helps us to plan the teachers we’ll need to offer the widest selection of A level and BTEC choices in Doncaster. Applying is really simple – it takes just a few minutes to complete the online form at www.ncdoncaster.ac.uk/apply

Our new campus and IT

For me, this week has been about buildings and staffing. Last week we met with the builders – BAM construction – who have confirmed the timeline for building work between now and September 2017. We’ve been planning where we’re going to install our PC and Apple mac suites, where each of the different subjects will go, how we’ll kit out our science labs and learning resources centre. NCD students will not only enjoy a brand new £20m campus, but they’ll also have access to about three quarters of a million pounds of new IT equipment and infrastructure.

Finding outstanding leaders

We’ve also been planning the senior and middle leadership posts we need for the college – the people that will help me to run the college and the people responsible for ensuring you have an outstanding experience. Supporting students with special educational needs, developing sports and enrichment opportunities, making sure teachers deliver top class teaching, making sure we have people to bring the high quality teaching resources from our sister college in Pontefract, developing a students’ union that gives a real voice to students in the college – there’s lots to think about, and these people will be key in helping us to achieve great things together. I can’t wait to appoint them, and I’m keen to bring lots of experienced staff from our well-established college in Pontefract as well as new teachers from in and around the Doncaster area.

Transport

A number of students and parents have asked about plans for buses for the college. This is something we’re working on and we’ve had a number of meetings already with bus companies. We will share more information about this as soon as we can, but please rest assured that it’s in hand. We’re aiming for the maximum coverage that we possibly can.

Visits to schools

It’s been fantastic to visit a number of schools to talk to students over the last few weeks – Hungerhill School, Hayfield School and Armthorpe Academy. I was also really pleased to meet a number of students and parents that came to visit the open day in Pontefract last weekend. We’ve had some great meetings with head teachers from a number of schools and have more in the diary, as well as with Doncaster Council, over the next couple of weeks. New College Doncaster will be a new provider in Doncaster, but we also want to be a friend and ally of schools in the area. It was a pleasure to deliver training tonight for 14 great maths teachers and 10 English teachers from a range of Doncaster schools, supporting the new GCSE courses and focusing on how to help prepare students for A level. We can’t wait for the next 5 sessions.

A reminder about dates for applications

 As always, do get in touch with us if you have any questions at all – we’d be very happy to help, and don’t forget to follow us on facebook.

Brendon Fletcher
Principal Designate