This week’s blog is by Dr Kirsty Adamson, Depute Principal at Newbattle Abbey College. Colleges Scotland is marking the diversity and variety of work that Scotland’s 24 colleges do with our blog series, 24 in 2024.

When I joined Newbattle Abbey College as Depute Principal in October 2022, I quickly understood why people often call it a “special place.” Every new student and visitor is struck by the atmosphere here, frequently responding with, “Wow” or “This is incredible.” One student described it perfectly: “It’s like we get to go to college in a mixture of Downton Abbey and Hogwarts!”

Part of that magic comes from our remarkable setting. The College’s 125-acre estate was originally the site of a Cistercian Abbey, founded in 1140. This was replaced after the Reformation with the stately home of the Marquis of Lothian. Left in trust in 1937 to serve as an adult education college, Newbattle operates as a specialist institution outside Scotland’s regional college structure. While 52% of our funding comes from the Scottish Funding Council, the remainder is generated through diverse income streams reinvested into our curriculum and infrastructure to support our mission.

Newbattle’s unique environment fosters strong, supportive relationships between students and staff across all departments, from catering and housekeeping to senior management. Our approach is anchored in two principles: relationship-building and partnerships. In our small, close-knit community, we know our students well, sharing daily (free) lunches that create trust and openness. One student remarked, “The cleaners, the reception, the catering team, the Senior Management Team—everybody makes the whole college a welcoming and supportive place.”

With over 80% of our small student cohort declaring a disability and with 16% from care-experienced backgrounds, it’s really important that we equip all of our staff with the skills to create a positive environment – and that’s where our partnerships are crucial. Collaborating with Who Cares? Scotland and Women’s Aid, we developed bespoke training to ensure all our staff have the knowledge and skills to support students who have experienced care, trauma or domestic abuse. The success of this approach is evidenced in student feedback, with student comments such as, “The support is incredible”  and “It’s been life-changing!”

Our Student Wellbeing and Support team works closely with lecturers, tailoring one-to-one support to meet the often complex needs of our students. For example, when a student displayed disruptive behavior in class, the team quickly identified that it stemmed from medication changes and personal challenges. Within minutes, they collaborated to support the student, reassure him about his progress, and put a plan in place to support his return to learning. Whole-college adjustments like consistent start times and “base” classrooms have also reduced anxiety, especially for neurodivergent students.

The College extends its nurturing approach far beyond its ‘core’ curriculum. Through our Forest College initiative, we deliver Prescribe Nature programmes to some of the most disadvantaged individuals in our wider community. A collaboration with Women’s Aid led to the creation of a therapeutic healing garden within our grounds, providing participants with a safe space to recover from trauma while developing practical and transferable skills. Additionally, we have leveraged our Adult Achievement Awards to design and deliver a successful programme in partnership with Mayfield and Easthouses Youth 2000 (Y2K) Project. This co-designed initiative supports young people over 16 who have faced severely disrupted school experiences, helping them take their next steps into adulthood. Key to this programme is the deep trust between the young people and Y2K staff, which often represents one of the few stable adult relationships these young people have known. The College is carefully woven into this thread of trust, with our skilled staff playing a vital role in supporting these transitions.

The College also supports student parents, co-creating and co-delivering programmes that have opened crucial new pathways into education for parents and carers. One of our students, Lee Ryan, participated in one of our Prescribe Nature programmes a few years ago as a single parent. At that time, in Lee’s own words, “I wasn’t able to get out of the front door other than to take my bairn to school. I’d come home and go straight back to bed. That’s all I could do. I just wasn't in a place where I could let the world in, I needed to shut it all out.” 

Lee went on to enrol on our NC Rural Skills course, during which she founded an organisation to support parents. She then progressed to our  SWAP Arts and Humanities course the next year, and is now on our Associate Degree programme (in partnership with Queen Margaret University) and is our current Student President.  Lee’s story is a powerful testament to her resilience and determination, and also to the pathways and support that the College provides.

The roots of Newbattle Abbey College run deep into the community creating pathways into formal education that are inclusive, supportive, and transformative. Our relationships and partnerships—with our students, our team, and our wider community—enable us to provide holistic, person-centered support in an environment that is truly unique.