"We want to be that hub of the community," says Calderdale College's new principal David Malone

From staff to students, and courses to community, new Calderdale College chief David Malone's remit is about so much more than teaching in a classroom.

Inclusion, support, togetherness and community. The principal's principles.

And it's this all-encompassing approach that he is determined will drive the future of the college.

"We've been on a really good journey for the last three or four years and there was a real turn in the fortunes of the college under the previous management," he tells the Courier.

"They've left it in a really strong position, which was highlighted in the Ofsted inspection at the end of last year.

"What we've got to do now is decide where we want to be in the next three, four, five years, which is the activity we're about to launch with every single member of the college team.

"It's an exciting time and we've got a fantastic platform with which to build from.

"For me, the vision needs to come from the team.

"So we're launching the new strategic plan on Thursday, we're taking 400 members off site to The Venue to launch the mission, the vision, and we're going to prioritise under our six P's - people, prosperity, partnerships, performance, place and planet.

"I want to make sure the new plan is built from the ground up.

"Any head of an organisation could walk away and write a strategic plan but I think if you want people to be involved in it, they've got to be involved in it from the very start.

"There's a few things we want to focus on - higher levels skills, lever three, four and five - and industries around digital and the green economy, which is massive for us, advanced manufacturing and construction techniques.

"So there's some key threads that will go through every area of the college, but how we get there, I really want everybody to be involved in the discussion."

David joined at the start of the year from Chesterfield College, where he served as deputy principal, and has 18 years’ experience of working in further education.

His arrival followed a good overall inspection by Ofsted at the end of 2022 which rated the college outstanding in education programmes for young people, adult education programmes and leadership and management.

"Support, absolutely 100 per cent," says David when asked what he feels the college does best.

"Every single student, whether it's an adult, an apprentice, a 16 to 18 first time, it's the wrap-around support that colleges can offer.

"From career advisor to counsellors to personal tutors to coaches who support the tutorial system, there is always somebody at the college that can support you with whatever they're going though.

"And if you don't have that level of support, it doesn't matter how good the teaching is, then the student will never be able to reach their maximum potential.

"So we prioritise that support, making sure that all of those hygiene factors are set in place.

"And once they're comfortable and in a really good place, we can offer them a first-class education."

David admits further education is "a changing landscape" and says that planning for the future is a challenge.

The sector has been beset by strikes from staff about pay and conditions, while the college, a £26m business, is about to be hit by around a £1m increase to their gas and electric costs in the next few months.

"There is serious pressure but we've got the answers to it and we've got to do it together," David says.

"The sector is really exciting but incredibly challenging, but I suppose you could say that about any industry at the moment.

The principal says he hopes to meet rising costs by increasing the college's offering, growing the amount of education available and ensuring the college is run as efficiently as possible but retaining a high quality level of provision.

"The first thing the students look for, about Calderdale College more than anywhere else I've ever worked, is that community space," he says

"Before they look for education and where they want to be, they look for that place, and it means something to them, which is fabulous.

"The next thing they want is aspiration, they want to know that the next level jobs they can go to, they're able to achieve them.

"We talk about careers, not courses, now.

"Students want to come in and know what career they're going to go into, and which sector, rather than '"I'm going to go do a level three course in business', they now want to know what industry that will lead to.

"And because there's so many different routes, they want to know if it's possible to do it as an apprenticeship, or a higher apprenticeship, or a degree or higher national qualification.

"They're coming in thinking more about what careers they want as opposed to just what qualification they want, and our job is to make sure they know that the course they're going on can lead into five or six different career options down the line."

The vast majority of students at the college are from Calderdale. Of the 1,700 students there aged 16 to 18, more than 90 per cent from the borough.

In adult provision, a very large number is from Calderdale but there are more from further afield, across West Yorkshire.

The college has recently set up a new partnership with Calderdale Council regarding supporting more community based adult learning.

"We are Calderdale's college, that's what we want to be, so we're looking to provide more support to adults in particular within the Calderdale area," David says.

"We want to do more.

"There was that university presence near the Piece Hall recently, which is no longer there, so I think there's even more of a need for the college to be going into the level fours, fives and sixes over the next three years.

"That's certainly one of our strategic objectives, is to have more of those higher level skills.

"I'm a big believer that colleges are three, four and five (A-Levels, apprenticeships and foundation degrees), that's where I believe we are, and we go up to those high technical qualifications.

"I want to make sure we're teaching people up to that level five and then we've got those good relationships with some of those local universities where they can do their top-ups, and go on to do their level six, seven, eight, whatever it is.

"It's really important we're all not trying to be everything to everyone, we've got to know our place and I think colleges are absolutely that level three, four and five, that's where colleges are at their best and we want to grow that provision even further."

The college's achievement rate last year was 88 per cent, above the national average of 81 per cent.

"Achievement rates are great but it's the outcomes, the jobs, the transferrable skills that we also want to be known for," says David.

"I want people to be able to say 'I went to Calderdale, it got me the skills and it got me a job' or 'I retrained at Calderdale College to get that higher level job within my workplace'.

"We're very high in league tables but I want to be known for even more than that.

"If you want a high paid job, if you want to improve in your career, then come to Calderdale College.

"Come and see us, come to an event, call us, come and speak to some of our advice and guidance team, they will be able to give up-to-date information about the best course of options.

"At every stage, whether it's a school leaver or somebody not enjoying their job, come to one of our open events and speak to us.

"We can talk people through all the options available to them."

The college is branching out into vehicle electrification through their tech centre in Brighouse, as well as immersive technologies in the health sector with new augmented reality suites.

Further down the line, they will be offering qualifications in advanced manufacturing through 3D printing and renewable manufacturing.

The college are also part of a three-way task force, along with the council and the local NHS Trust, regarding an expanded placement scheme over the next six months.

As well as established apprenticeships programmes with some of the area's biggest employers, the college also work with FC Halifax Town and Halifax Panthers, and offer female basketball and rugby provision.

"When enrichment budgets were cut at colleges 15 years ago, the first thing that got cut was those sporting activities," David says.

"So it's so refreshing to come into a college where they've prioritised sport within the community.

"It brings people into the college, which is exactly what we want the college to be, that hub of the community."

In other words, Calderdale's college.

"I was in a meeting in Park Ward a couple of weeks ago and I said 'what else can we do for the community' and they're calling out for space," David says.

"A lot of the time it's just a safe space for people to go, so we're looking at some coffee days within the college where people can just come in, have a cup of tea, a biscuit, talk to people.

"Whether it's about education or not, just a place to come that's warm, dry and feel part of the college.

"That's an example of what we want to be known as in the community.

"Place is a key thing. The people who work at the college are so proud of what the college is to the community and their role within it.

"They'll stop me and say 'I've been here for 25 years, and this is what we've done over that time' - they're really proud to be here and that's why getting their voice is so important.

"I think the worst thing for someone like me coming in to do would be 'we're changing everything, this is the direction we're going'.

"In Calderdale in particular, it would be a disaster. It's got to be driven up from all that experience that lies within the college."