Celebrating an incredible year and looking ahead to 2026!

As the festive season twinkles upon us and the calendar turns to a new year, everyone at Dearne Valley College would like to extend the warmest wishes to our incredible students, their families and friends, our amazing community, and to all our staff.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year!

This past year has been nothing short of spectacular. A true whirlwind of success, learning, and exciting new opportunities that have energised our campus.

Successful Community Events

We successfully hosted several community events this year! Including our new and hugely popular Pumpkin Picking event and our Christmas Event! It has been wonderful welcoming so many people onto the campus and sharing what we have to offer with the local community.

Charity and fundraising

Our dedication to community engagement has never been stronger! Students and staff have worked tremendously hard on a diverse range of fundraising and charity initiatives this year. This list represents just a small selection of the amazing work accomplished, highlighting our commitment to supporting vital local and national causes:

• Esports Department: Raised £127 through a dedicated fundraising drive for Children in Need.

• Health and Social Care Department: Raised £103 through a charity Pyjama and Karaoke event, donating the proceeds to support the life-saving research of Yorkshire Cancer Research.

• The Bonding Heart Project: In collaboration with NEXT, we are currently creating and preparing to donate 100 Bonding Hearts to Rotherham Hospital’s Neonatal Unit, supporting newborns and their families.

• CoppaFeel!: Everyone at Dearne Valley College came together and dressed in pink and raising an amazing £255 for CoppaFeel! during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

• Macmillan Cancer Support: Staff and students at Dearne Valley College collectively raised an amazing £222.01 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

New addition to the animal family

Our Animal Care department welcomed a very special new member: Nova the Skunk! Nova has quickly became a favourite, providing unique learning opportunities for our Animal Care students.

VIP visitors and industry leaders

We were honoured to host several important visitors this year, including esteemed guests such as Professor Dame Hilary Chapman DBE, HM Lord-Lieutenant of South Yorkshire and The Right Honourable John Healey, Secretary of State for Defence and MP for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough.

These visits provided students with invaluable insights into their potential future industries.

Experiences beyond the classroom

Our curriculum departments have truly excelled, going above and beyond to embed real-world exposure into student learning. These highlights are just a small selection of the extensive range of field trips and experiences offered across all subjects this year.

The impactful opportunities listed below are designed to connect theory with practice, inspire future progression, and equip students with essential industry insight:

• Protective Services: Students undertook a significant trip to Parliament, gaining first-hand insight into the workings of national government, democratic processes, and policy-making in action.

• Health: Students explored cutting-edge academic and clinical environments during university visits, directly supporting their progression planning and clarifying the path to advanced study options.

• Animal Care: Students recently spent the day at Chester Zoo, immersing themselves in a leading conservation environment to observe professional animal management and welfare practices.

• Esports: Students experienced a two-day residential at the National Esports Performance Campus in Sunderland, offering unparalleled access to professional training facilities and high-level industry networking.

This year has been full of fun, excitement, and success. We are so grateful for the energy, commitment, and hard work shown by everyone connected with Dearne Valley College. We can’t wait to see what amazing new adventures, successes, and opportunities the New Year brings.

Enjoy the holidays, and we look forward to welcoming you back, recharged and ready for another fantastic term!