Derwentside College is supported by a Board of dedicated and ambitious professionals who share a collective belief in the transformative power of education. Join them in their journey to create positive futures for all learners and make a meaningful impact on the community and region.
Located in a semi-rural location, high on the edge of the Pennines, Derwentside College is based on a single site in the heart of the town of Consett. We offer a diverse range of provision to young people and adults from across the local, predominantly rural, community. We currently deliver education and training to around 4,000 learners across over 200 courses, supported by around 170 staff.
Who we are
Derwentside College is not your traditional FE college.
Whilst we deliver a broad range of 16-18 classroom-based provision, including beauty therapy, catering, construction, engineering, hairdressing, health and social care and digital technology, along with Maths and English, 55% of our students gain their education through apprenticeships. Our differing mode of delivery is one of the things that sets us apart from other colleges across the northeast of England, as we deliver more apprenticeships than other local colleges.
Due to our heavy focus on apprenticeship delivery and through our launch of T-Level provision, which has just completed its first successful year, we are privileged to work with over 1,000 employers from across our local region.
It is not just our apprenticeship provision which is industry-focused. All of our adult provision – delivered to over 1,000 learners each year – is tailored to meet local skills needs and support local industry.
Graded ‘Good’ by Ofsted in 2022, and with a refreshed strategic plan that takes us to 2031, we have a firm base from which to progress with our ambitions for growth and development on our journey to Exceptional in the years ahead.
We are proud that across the four key groups of students, staff, leadership and governance, we are able to demonstrate our values of trust, respect, excellence, enjoyment and enterprise each day. Through a shared commitment to these values, we have established ourselves as a beacon of opportunity within the local area.
We are an organisation that is deeply rooted within the local community and understand the challenges that they face: deprivation, generational unemployment and the cost-of-living crisis. By achieving our aims and serving as a vital partner for local employers, we are well-positioned to help people across our local area overcome the barriers and challenges they face.
Our finances are consistently strong with an annual turnover of over £10 million. Despite our relatively small size compared to others across the sector, we are punching well above our weight with achievement rates placing us in the top 5% nationally for vocational education. This is something we are immensely proud of, and we are well aware that this couldn’t have been achieved without a dedicated and determined staff team who are proud to be members of staff at Derwentside College. It is this positivity, coupled with a vibrant and determined student body, which creates such a positive culture across our College.
About the role
Our new strategic plan outlines our roadmap for delivery and impact over the next six years. Reflecting on all that we have achieved in recent years and considering the voices of our staff, stakeholders and learners to understand what the future may hold, we will dedicate our future activities to our mission to transform lives through education, ambition and impact.
We recognise, as a leadership team and as a Board, that, without exceptional governance, you can’t be exceptional in other areas. It is this understanding, coupled with our shared values of trust, respect, excellence, enjoyment and enterprise, that will drive our collective success into the future. Five bold priorities will underpin this future success, and we will use these to guide everything we do.
Our priorities for the future are:
- Leadership, Governance & People
- Curriculum
- Learners
- Partnerships
- Resources & Investment
Our Board is led by our Chair, David Allsop, who has worked tirelessly with our Principal & CEO, Chris Todd, and other colleagues across our leadership team and Board to refocus our direction and culture, and to grow our aspirations as a college.
Part of this process has seen David and Chris work together to build a renewed sense of collegiality across our board. We have appointed several new and experienced members, successful experts in their respective fields who are already offering a new level of challenge, scrutiny and support. This is resulting in driving a more inclusive culture of successful governance.
Given the depth of our ambitions and considering our future strategic priorities, we are now seeking to recruit a further Governor to our Board.
Who we are looking for
To strengthen our Board and the Finance, Resources, and Projects Committee we are seeking a senior leader or strategic business professional to provide new perspectives, oversight and their commercial acumen to help ensure our long-term financial sustainability and operational efficiency. We believe the Board is a catalyst for growth; by providing industry foresight, we can align an innovative curriculum with real-world employer needs, directly addressing regional skills gaps.
Your involvement, as part of the Board and the Finance, Resources and Projects Committee, will help support the leadership team to transform the College into a vibrant community hub, opening doors to apprenticeships and industry placements. Ultimately, you will provide the diversity of thought needed to drive innovation in governance, ensuring our students graduate with the practical expertise required to thrive in the modern workforce.
We seek candidates who can bring their professional expertise to scrutinise our practice and offer insights on how we can be more innovative in this area of our delivery.
Expectations and Commitment
Time commitment: 6-8 hours per month.
We ask our Board Members to commit to a four-year term of office. Appointed individuals will need to be able to attend five Corporation Board meetings per year, including our strategic away day in May. Board meetings take place on a Tuesday in person at the College and usually outside of the working day.
We estimate that our Governors dedicate around 10 hours per month to their roles.
Whilst previous governance experience is welcomed, it is not essential. All new governors are supported through a comprehensive induction and training process, with ongoing support thereafter.
Learn more about Derwentside College
Peridot Partners and Derwentside College are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and our client expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references before any final offer can be made.
To view the role description and person specification, please go to the ‘How to Apply’ tab above, fill in your details and download the candidate pack.
For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Shaun Eden | shaun@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07951 509128
Dan Baxter | dan@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07939 994524
Thank you for your interest in this role. Please download the Role Description and Person Specification.
To formally apply, please submit a CV and supporting statement (ideally maximum 2 sides of A4 each) that clearly outlines your suitability for the role against the criteria provided in the person specification, including your interest and motivation in applying for this position.
Please include your home address, contact email and mobile.
Please ensure that your application is emailed to response@peridotpartners.co.uk, inserting “Application: Derwentside College—Governor” into the subject field. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 2-3 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please contact our admin team.
For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Shaun Eden | shaun@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07951 509128
Dan Baxter | dan@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07939 994524
As a sector-leading executive search consultancy, we know the importance of creating recruitment processes that are fair, inclusive, and free from bias. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a process that values differences.
If you require any job information in an alternative format (e.g. large print), please contact the consultants. Please also let us know if you would like to submit your application in an alternative format.
Recruitment selection processes are based on evidence of competence stated in the person specification and in relation to our values.
Timetable
Closing date: 9 a.m. Wednesday 1st July 2026
Candidates informed of outcome: Friday 11th July 2026
Interviews: TBC – most likely to be Thursday 16th or Friday 17th July 2026
We are in the process of confirming interview dates. Once confirmed, we will update the site and contact those who have applied.
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
Peridot and Derwentside College are committed to promoting equality and diversity. To help us raise awareness and support a culture that is diverse and recognises and develops the potential of all, we need to appreciate the profile of candidates who apply for positions. We will send you an equality monitoring survey at the point of receiving your application and at the time of placement. This ensures that our processes remain inclusive and equitable throughout, and provides us with important data to help us showcase our impact.
The information will be treated confidentially and anonymously and will help us to support our commitment to fair recruitment practice. All information provided will be held in the strictest confidence and will not be shared with anyone, in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 launched on 25 May 2018.
The information provided does not form part of the decision-making process and will not affect your application. Learn more about why we collect this data here.
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