New College Durham recognised as Outstanding for Financial Management

25 March 2025

New College Durham Continuing to Invest in the Future

This Christmas will see the beginning of the next stage of a remarkable programme of investment at New College Durham (NCD).

The current relocation of car parking (including charging points for electric vehicles) is due to be complete by early 2025, with construction of the new multi-use games area, set as the next milestone.

The work, which is anticipated to be complete by next Easter, will bring the amount of investment in facilities and equipment over the past 5 years alone, to a staggering £33 million.

The college has invested nearly £22 million into buildings and over £11 million into training equipment during this period, thanks to its continued ‘Outstanding’ financial rating.

Andy Broadbent, Principal and Chief Executive of New college Durham, said: “The numbers show a considerable investment, but what we are particularly proud of is what this means we are able to provide our students with. The investment has added huge value, and to all of us here at NCD, that makes the big difference.

Because of careful and strategic planning and monitoring we can invest not just in the college but just as importantly, the futures of our students. We continue to aim to provide as many people as possible with the opportunity to gain relevant and respected qualifications.”

Recent projects have included T.H.E. Hub (Technical and Higher Education Hub), STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) extension, and the brand-new Construction Centre of Excellence. T.H.E. Hub itself provides state-of-the-art specialist facilities, enabling the delivery of higher and technical level skills qualifications. It features 23 teaching spaces, including an immersive suite, early-years foundation stage nursery, sensory room, hospital ward, dental suite, optician suite, esports arena, cyber security facilities, specialist IT classrooms and science laboratories.

New College Durham has achieved ‘outstanding’ classification for the way it manages its finances every year for the last 16 years, and this performance enables it to apply for funding from the Department for Education to implement further initiatives and run more education programmes.

Andy added, “To deliver such high-quality education to our students requires a considerable amount of work. It is not just the Board of Governors and Senior Leadership Team that is involved, and I’d like to thank everyone who has helped develop New College Durham into the thriving, diverse community that it is.”