This article was shared from the New Collaborative Learning Trust website.

Brinsworth Academy has now joined New Collaborative Learning Trust. After several months of legal process and due diligence by both LEAP and NCLT, Brinsworth is now part of a multi-academy trust that currently contains three primary schools, three secondary schools and three post-16 colleges.

Dinnington High School has now joined New Collaborative Learning Trust. After several months of legal process and due diligence by both LEAP and NCLT, Dinnington is now part of a multi-academy trust that currently contains three primary schools, three secondary schools and three post-16 colleges.

NCLT was formed following the expansion of a single sixth form college, New College Pontefract. After its outstanding Ofsted inspection in 2014, the DfE approved the opening of New College Doncaster in 2017, and New College Bradford in 2019. These three post-16 colleges developed a shared commitment to making a significant contribution to social mobility in the communities with which they work.

When Wingfield Academy were looking for a like-minded MAT that shared their passion for working with young people and improving their life chances, they quickly found a natural rapport with senior leaders from NCLT, joining the Trust in 2020. With the benefit of a supportive MAT, Wingfield Academy were appointed a national Behaviour Hub by the DfE in 2021, and senior leaders from there have gone on to work with 12 secondary schools across the country, helping them improve their learning culture and their outcomes for students.

NCLT was joined by three Rotherham primaries in January 2023, schools which work with similar communities to Wingfield: Anston Greenlands, Thorpe Hesley and Redscope primary schools.

It was shortly after this that LEAP began discussions with NCLT about the ways in which our Trust might work with Brinsworth Academy. In September 2023, an ambitious service level agreement was put in place, providing an executive head and additional senior leaders to help support Brinsworth through this period of transition.

NCLT has in seven years established itself as a distinctive Trust with an excellent track record. Between 2021 and 2023, all seven schools and college were inspected by Ofsted, with New College Bradford, New College Doncaster, New College Pontefract and Thorpe Hesley all being rated as outstanding, and Anston Greenlands, Redscope, and Wingfield all rated as good.

NCLT, its schools and colleges have won praise and awards from a range of partners and national organisations. In 2023, NCLT was ranked second in the National Centre for Diversity’s list of the 100 most inclusive workplaces across the country, as well as winning their “Further Education Provider of the Year” award. NCLT was also recognised in 2023 by the MAT Excellence Awards as Employer of the Year. In spring

2024, Wingfield Academy was shortlisted for Secondary School of the Year by the Pearson National Teaching Awards, whilst Phil Davis was also shortlisted for Secondary Headteacher of the Year. [Full details of our awards can be found at www.nclt.ac.uk/our-achievements/]

We are delighted to welcome Brinsworth Academy as partners in this special community.