In May 2003, the UK Ministry of Defence awarded a contract to the Minerva consortium for the £250 million PFI (Public Finance Initiative) Defence Sixth Form College project. The contract was for Minerva to build and manage the new College in Woodhouse, Leicestershire.
The DSFC was opened in September 2005, as a centre of excellence for young people wishing to pursue successful careers as technical officers in the Armed Forces and Civil Service. It is a fully serviced, residential, technical sixth form college with a capacity of approximately 340 students. The DSFC provides first class teaching, delivering A Level courses together with physical education and personal development experience. TQ, the training partner within Minerva, provides teaching staff to work alongside military staff to enable students to develop their abilities and maximise their highest academic and personal potential.
Central to this project is the provision of educational services. TQ are responsible for developing implementing and delivering a broad, integrated curriculum in tune with national developments. In addition, TQ's role is to manage all educational learning resources as well as ICT, sport and pastoral care for the college over a 28-year period.
Welbeck's modern and comprehensive facilities have been designed to provide a fully equipped sixth form college. TQ has developed and fitted an IT infrastructure throughout the college with each student being provided with their own laptop on entry into the lower sixth. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is supported by a bespoke management information system and intranet provision.
Classrooms have interactive whiteboards and the College has specialist areas and laboratories for Science, Technology, IT and the Arts. A fully provisioned Learning Resource Centre on two floors has been designed around both group and self-study areas and is adjacent to an Internet café. The college hall has retractable seating and a fixed stage will provides a flexible space for assemblies and performances.
Since it opened, the College A Level results have been amongst the highest in the country, with students gaining entry to prestigious Universities to study Technical Degree courses.
