Becoming an employer of choice by putting staff wellbeing front and centre: a case study from the New Collaborative Learning Trust

Staff at the New Collaborative Learning Trust (NCLT) say working there feels like being part of a big, inclusive family where hard work is recognised and rewarded, flexibility and collaboration is encouraged and careers can flourish. This focus on people and emphasis on the wellbeing of both teachers and support staff helped NCLT win Employer of the Year at the Multi-Academy Trust Excellence Awards 2023. Judges noted how the trust’s people strategy is translated into practical, sustainable and replicable action and were impressed by its positive impact.

 

 

For Richard Fletcher, the CEO of NCLT, and Diane Heritage, NCLT’s Chair, putting staff wellbeing at the heart of the trust’s work has been crucial; from reviewing staff workload and deadlines, to finding new ways to reward them, to setting aside time for trust-wide wellbeing days. In this article, Richard (with reflections from Diane) shares how NCLT does things and some of the lessons he has learned as CEO in leading the trust to become an award-winning employer.

 

 

Background to the trust and working towards being an employer of choice

NCLT started as a sixth form college trust and is currently made up of three colleges, one secondary and three primary schools in West Yorkshire: New College Pontefract, New College Doncaster and New College Bradford; Wingfield Academy in Rotherham; and Thorpe Hesley, Redscope and Anston Greenlands primary schools.

Our journey began with New College Pontefract, where I served as principal. Following our outstanding Ofsted in 2014, the Department for Education encouraged us to expand our impact by establishing free schools. As a result we opened New College Doncaster and New College Bradford under the government’s free school initiative.

Over the last few years we have welcomed Wingfield Academy and three primary schools into our family, and we are now working with two more secondaries in Rotherham. An application is with the DfE for them to join NCLT and New College Keighley is also in the pipeline, which was accepted in the free school wave published a few weeks ago. By March 2024, we hope NCLT will comprise four colleges, three secondaries and three primaries, serving a student population that is set to grow from 7,500 to 10,000 students.