Inspiring
Ambitious
Futures
Strategic Plan 2025-2029
Overview
It is with great pleasure and excitement that we present to you our Strategic Plan for 2025-2029. This plan represents not just a roadmap for our future, but a collective vision shaped by the voices and aspirations of our College community, employers and key stakeholders.
At the heart of our strategic plan is our new vision statement which communicates the long-term direction of the College.
Inspiring Ambitious Futures
Our vision reflects our commitment to helping every single learner to aspire to reach their highest potential. We are a College where aspirations and ambitions are ignited, barriers are removed, and success is nurtured. Our vision has been influenced by witnessing the positive work undertaken across all areas of the College.
Our mission statement defines our fundamental purpose, what we stand for and what we do.
Transforming Lives through Education, Skills, and Training
Our mission captures our dedication to making a real difference to the lives of our learners, our employers, our partners and the wider community.
We believe that education is the most powerful tool for change, and through high quality education and training, we enable all of our learners to thrive and succeed which has a transformational effect during their time with us.
Our Core Commitment:
Our Learners
At the centre of our plan is our continued commitment to our learners, ensuring an outstanding learner experience along with high quality education, skills and training. This commitment is fundamentally important to us as we know by doing this, we can also be the driver of economic development and social justice.
We believe that by focusing on excellence in education and training, we are not just preparing individuals for successful careers, but we are also:
Promoting opportunity
By providing high-quality education to all, we are opening doors of opportunity that can transform lives and communities.
Driving economic growth
Our well-trained learners become the skilled workforce that attracts investment and fuels innovation in our region.
Promoting social cohesion
Through inclusive education practices, we are building understanding and breaking down barriers in our diverse society.
Supporting sustainable development
By embedding awareness of sustainable development into our programmes, we are preparing learners to adopt sustainable behaviours and contribute to a sustainable future.
The key to our achievement: Our Staff
We recognise that our ability to deliver an outstanding learner experience with outstanding quality is fundamentally dependent on our exceptional staff. Our staff are the driving force behind our vision and are essential to fulfilling our mission by ensuring a continued focus on wellbeing and inclusion. Through success and long-service, and providing professional development opportunities, we aim to continue to attract and to retain the very best staff.
Our Approach
The development of this strategic plan has been a truly collaborative effort. We have engaged in extensive consultations and gathered valuable feedback from our staff, learners, our Corporation Board and key stakeholders, including our employers and partners. This inclusive approach ensures that our plan reflects the diverse perspectives and needs of all those who are integral to our College’s success.
In crafting this plan, we have carefully considered the dynamic external environment in which we operate. We have aligned our strategies with significant regional developments and national initiatives, including:
Medr’s strategic plan
Aligning our objectives with the broader strategic direction of our sector, which is focussed on enabling a tertiary education system centred around the needs of learners, society and the economy with excellence, equality and engagement at its heart.
The Well-being of Future Generations Act
Embedding the principles of sustainability and long-term thinking into all aspects of our operations to ensure the needs of the present are met without compromising the needs of future generations.
Welsh Government
Ensuring strategic alignment with Welsh Government priorities and key policies, supporting the national agenda for education and skills development.
The Swansea Bay City Deal
Leveraging the economic opportunities presented by this transformative investment in our region.
Qualification landscape in Wales
Our plan has been shaped by the current qualification reforms, including: The implementation of the new Curriculum for Wales within the schools sector, the development of new, made-for-Wales GCSEs and the creation of VCSEs (Vocational Certificates of Secondary Education) requiring us to innovate and adapt, maintaining effective transition onto post-16 education.
Celtic Freeport opportunities
Positioning our College to support and benefit from this exciting economic initiative.
Where will we be in five years’ time?
At Gower College Swansea, we stand at a pivotal moment in our journey. While we have already achieved so much, we believe we can do even more and go even further. We can build upon our excellent reputation, expand our growth in existing and new markets and make a positive impact for the learners, staff, employers and communities we serve. Working with key partners such as Welsh Government, Medr and Swansea Council, we will look to achieve the following objectives.
In five years’ time we will be:
The highest performing College in Wales
- Exemplary teaching, learning and assessment
- Course outcomes and grade achievement exceeding national benchmarks
- Improved timely completion rate of apprenticeship frameworks
- Positive internal and external quality reviews
- Strong financial health and performance.
A trusted partner with employers, and our communities
- Meeting the needs of employers, addressing skill gaps and emerging opportunities
- Supporting our schools with vocational delivery of the new VCSEs in a financially sustainable manner
- Established employer boards in all vocational curriculum areas to inform curriculum development.
Delivering an outstanding learner experience
- Improved College estate including Gorseinon redevelopment, city centre location and improved sports facilities
- Implementation of a new higher education strategy with improved course choice at Levels 4 and 5
- Increased student satisfaction rates across all campuses
- Improved student retention and progression levels.
A College committed to sustainability
- Sustainability practices embedded across all College departments
- Baseline carbon footprint established with annual reductions each year
- Reduction in number of static PC desktops across the College, replaced with mobile devices and docking stations
- Financial sustainability with an appropriate level of surplus achieved for continued investment.
A College and an employer of choice
- The College is established as the leading educational provider in Wales through a comprehensive marketing and communications plan
- Successful achievement of planned enrolment targets through effective recruitment and retention strategies
- Achievement of national awards and recognition
- Increased international recruitment and partnerships
- High staff satisfaction rates
- Enhanced application rates for staff vacancies.
An inclusive College
- Increased diversity across the staff population
- Sustained focus on equality, diversity and inclusion through regular staff training and sharing of best practice
- Equality, diversity and inclusion practices embedded within our curriculum.
*Please note these strategic objectives are supported by a detailed annual operating plan ensuring implementation and monitoring.
Strategic Directions
Our strategic directions have been carefully selected, outlining the key areas we need to focus on to turn our where will we be statements into real achievements.
Strategic Directions
Our Learners
We will actively involve learners in decision-making processes where appropriate.
We will create an engaging and inclusive learning environment, inspiring and motivating all learners to reach their full potential.
We will continue to invest in our estate providing learners with a modern and conducive educational environment.
We will provide exemplary student support services, tailored to meet diverse needs of our learners.
We will focus on improvements to ensure a seamless, progressive and enriching journey for our learners.
Our People and Wellbeing
We will provide an inclusive environment and culture that promotes a sense of belonging.
We will continue to prioritise and invest in our wellbeing provision.
We will continue to invest in our workforce and attract and retain the best talent.
We will implement diversity initiatives to ensure we become a more diverse organisation.
We will be recognised as an employer of choice by achieving national recognition and winning awards.
Our High Quality
We will implement quality improvement measures and track progress to ensure the highest standards of learning and success.
We will invest in ongoing professional development for our staff to ensure they remain at the forefront of education practices and industry standards.
We will continually innovate and update our curriculum to meet evolving industry standards and learner needs.
We will deliver innovative, inclusive and high quality teaching and learning to enable learners to be successful, employable and ethical citizens.
Our Sustainable Practices
We will provide education and training for staff and learners, to ensure that sustainability is embedded across all areas of the College.
We will promote the long-term sustainability of our College and its communities by actively collaborating and engaging in socially responsible partnerships with community organisations.
We will reduce our carbon footprint by improving the efficiency of the College estate to reduce energy and resources consumption.
We will maintain strong financial health through effective financial management and by maximising funding opportunities to support both essential operations and ongoing investment and growth.
Our Partners
We will work with employers and external partners to proactively and innovatively achieve equitable and sustained mutual benefits.
We will operate strategically both locally, regionally, and nationally, collaborating with government and local authorities to influence, support and improve shared outcomes.
We will establish and maintain strategic partnerships with key stakeholders to develop and deliver cutting-edge provision that will enhance our learners’ skills and experiences, while also benefitting clients, communities and the broader economy.
College Values
Our values shape everything we do, guiding our community of learners, staff and partners toward success. These values are more than just principles, they reflect our commitment to creating a positive, forward-thinking environment that encourages personal and professional growth.
Resilience
Being resilient means having a positive mindset towards challenge, being open to change and taking personal responsibility for your own wellbeing.
Integrity
Acting with integrity means being honest and having strong moral principles in your decisions and actions.
Respect
Having respect for each other means treating people with dignity by listening and considering what people have to say and responding in a positive and constructive way.
Innovation
Being innovative means being curious and open to new ideas to drive improvement.
Collaboration
Being collaborative means co-operating and working together as a team to achieve a common purpose.
These values inspire us to maintain a high standard of excellence, ensuring success for everyone at Gower College Swansea.
What remains important to us
Running through every aspect of our strategic plan are our four key areas of focus, our golden threads, which permeate all of our operations:
Digital Innovation
Embracing technology to enhance learning, teaching and operational efficiency.
Welsh Language
Nurturing our cultural heritage and empowering learners and staff with the skills to thrive in a bilingual workplace.
Employability
Ensuring our learners are equipped with the skills and knowledge required by the evolving job market.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Ensuring an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and reach their full potential.
Tom Giffard MS meets Gower College Swansea learners who benefit from bilingual provision, October 2024
Looking ahead
As we embark on this exciting journey, our vision of Inspiring Ambitious Futures and our mission of Transforming Lives through Education, Skills and Training remain at the heart of all our endeavours. This strategic plan outlines how we will deliver an outstanding learner experience, maintain the highest quality standards, promote wellbeing and inclusion, develop strategic partnerships and commit to sustainable practices.
We are confident that by working together and staying true to our values of Resilience, Integrity, Respect, Innovation and Collaboration, we will achieve our ambitious goals and continue to make a positive impact on the lives of our learners, employers and the communities we serve.
We thank you for taking the time to read our strategic plan and look forward to working with you to achieve our ambitions.
Kelly Fountain
Principal
Mark Jones MBE
Chief Executive Officer
Meirion Howells
Chair of the Corporation
