The senior leadership team for the new Heanor-based Digital Studio College – the first of its kind in Derbyshire – has been announced.
Principal designate Matthew Bromley has been joined by Vice Principals Jacqui Kinch and Matthew Morris who will be holding their next information evening at the nearby Ilkeston campus in Pimlico on Monday 10 February between 5.30pm and 7pm.
The team are now finalising the curriculum and will be overseeing the development of the site in Mundy Street with construction work due to start in early Spring in time for the Digital Studio College opening in September.
Jacqui started her career in banking before retraining as a teacher in 1996 and progressing to head of department at a school in West Yorkshire
She moved to Staffordshire in 2004, concentrating on a collaboration between six secondary schools and an FE college – developing the curriculum for 14-19 year old students. Two years later she moved to Derbyshire County Council to continue this work over a larger geographic area.
“My passion is very much about ensuring that young people have access to a good quality and appropriate curriculum that will equip them with the skills to be successful in the future.
“The programme spearheaded by Derbyshire County Council has seen significant successes in bringing together schools, colleges, training providers and employers together to enable young people to have the right experiences.
“I am now very much looking forward to developing this work through the Digital Studio College.”
Matt Morris started teaching in Dover on the Graduate Training Programme as a teacher of English and Media Studies. He later progressed to Assistant Head Teacher and ultimately Vice Principal in Kent where he was part of a project team to deliver the £1 million technology infrastructure for the Academy’s new £13.5 million building.
For the past year, he has also been a Specialist Leader of Education – supporting leadership teams in Schools across Kent in the specialist areas of Teaching and Learning, Technology and the ICT curriculum.
He said: “With my background in media, IT and school leadership, I am delighted to have relocated to Derbyshire to be part of these exciting developments to establish the county’s first studio school.
“I was particularly attracted to the focus on digital technologies which will be a major challenge for education providers in the coming years.
“The Digital Studio College will be leading the field in harnessing the unique interests that young people have in this field and developing these into skills that they can take into the workplace.”
Digital Studio School Principal Designate Matt Bromley concluded: “We are progressing the plans for the opening of the Digital Studio College at a pace and we look forward to meeting young people and their families who are interested in becoming our first students at one of our information and taster events.
Applications are now being accepted for the Digital Studio College, which is sponsored by Derby College Education Trust, and will cater for around 300 students aged 14 to 19 of all abilities.
The College will be focused on preparing young people for university, apprenticeships and employment with a curriculum combining academic and vocational qualifications.
Students will also undertake weekly work placements and will develop IT and digital media skills which are in such high demand in the local area.
Applications for the Digital Studio College are now being taken online at www.digitalstudiocollege.co.uk where information about the events will also be updated.
