DN Colleges Group recently celebrated a major milestone after one of its former students, Oska Ready achieved global recognition at the prestigious WorldSkills Competition held in Lyon, France in 2024. This success was more than just a personal triumph for Oska; it reflects the college group’s ongoing commitment to raising learner aspirations. Embedding a culture of ambition, where students are encouraged to aim higher was the driving force behind the college joining the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence in 2020.
Run in partnership with specialist awarding organisation NCFE, the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence is a workforce development programme. It empowers educators and leaders to use international best practice to drive excellence in technical education and apprenticeships.
A strategic focus on excellence
DN Colleges Group’s Strategic Plan demonstrates the importance it places on excellence for students and apprentices across its member organisations which include Doncaster College, North Lindsey College, University Campus Doncaster, University Campus North Lincolnshire and Humber Energy Training Academy. A key challenge for the Group is raising the aspirations of learners against a backdrop of young people, in the Doncaster region, performing lower than the national average by the end of Key stage 4.
Julie Kaye, Vice Principal explains: “We wanted to be part of the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence because we believe every learner deserves the opportunity to achieve their full potential. It aligns perfectly with our strategic plan and mission to raise aspirations, drive up standards and equip our learners with the advanced skills employers need both now and in the future. That is why Oska’s success at WorldSkills was so important for us, he is the perfect role model, it shows our leaners everything that they could achieve.”
Embedding the Centre of Excellence learnings
DN Colleges Group has placed the Centre of Excellence at the heart of the leaner journey during their time at the college. Competition-based learning is introduced to learners at their induction week, information is included in the student handbook, and all learners are encouraged to complete mindset masterclasses via the WorldSkills UK Learning Lab. Furthermore, learners are supported to take part in inter and cross college competitions as well as external industry competitions, including WorldSkills UK.
Simon Barton, Lecturer and Skills and Competitions Ambassador at DN Colleges Group explains that educators have found the training hugely beneficial for their own personal development. “The Competence to Excellence module, especially the focus on ‘raising standards for marginal gains’, can be a real lightbulb moment for staff. Its all about breaking down skills for learners so they understand how improving in just 1% in different areas of a skill or task, can improve their overall performance. And importantly how this can be applied to a competition, assessment or a job trial to make a real difference.”
As a WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence Endorsed Trainer, Simon is responsible for cascading the CPD training across the college group to all staff. Emma McKenzie, a lecturer at the college highlights the benefits of this setup, explaining that Simon supported her in developing a clear and effective marking scheme for a competition for Uniformed Services students, where a national competition framework was unavailable. Emma explains: “Simon’s guidance was both practical and insightful, he took the time to understand the specific requirements of the competition and worked collaboratively with me to ensure the criteria were fair, measurable, and aligned with industry standards.”
Delivering impact
Since embedding the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence learnings, achievement rates and learner outcomes for Education Programmes for Young People are 88% and positive destinations have risen to 93%.
Ofsted also recognised the involvement of DN Colleges Group in WorldSkills UK’s programmes, stating it directly supported learners in achieving their aspirations.
This academic year (24/25), the group has had over 115 students and apprentices register for WorldSkills UK National competitions and SkillsBuild 2025, putting the group within the top three colleges in Yorkshire in terms of registrations. It was recently announced that two learners have reached the national finals of the WorldSkills UK Competitions and will represent DN Colleges Group in Catering (Foundation) and Renewable Energy. While a further learner will take part in joinery at the SkillBuild Finals.
Simon Barton concludes: “This national recognition shows the sheer determination of our educators to give our learners the best chances of success and employment through skills growth and competition based learning.”
About the DN College Group
DN Colleges Group is an educational group in the Doncaster and North Lincolnshire areas of England, which includes Doncaster College, North Lindsey College, and University Campus North Lincolnshire. Offering a wide range of further education, adult education and higher education choices, professional and technical qualifications, apprenticeships and bespoke courses.
