Like its namesake, The JCB Academy is a product of determination, innovation, and hard work. Nestled in the East Staffordshire countryside, this pioneering academy has transformed technical education since its launch in 2010—and continues to shape the future of engineering and business talent across the UK.
The JCB Academy was born out of a challenge: major engineering firms, including JCB, were struggling to attract capable young people into manufacturing careers. Despite JCB’s global reputation, many applicants viewed engineering as a fallback option rather than a first choice.
“Our apprentice applicants were trying manufacturing as a last resort. Something had to change.”
— Chair of Trustees, The JCB Academy
Determined to take action, Sir Anthony Bamford (now Lord Bamford) and a team of visionary leaders—including David Bell, former Vice-Chair of Trustees, and Paul Pritchard, then Head of Learning and Development at JCB—set out to create a new kind of school. One that would inspire young people, meet real business needs, and deliver world-class technical education.
In the mid-2000s, the UK government was launching a wave of academy schools, championed by Prime Minister Tony Blair and Education Minister Andrew Adonis. These schools aimed to provide high-quality education with strong links to industry, especially in areas of social and economic need.
Although Rocester wasn’t classed as a deprived area, the team’s proposal for a JCB-linked academy was accepted. A feasibility study was granted in 2006, and construction began in 2007 on the historic Grade II listed Tutbury Mill—originally built by industrial pioneer Richard Arkwright.
Planning challenges and policy hurdles followed, but the vision never wavered. The goal was clear: to create a non-selective, business-focused academy with high standards, strong employer engagement, and a curriculum rooted in real-world practice.
The working Tutbury Mill
Life before the Academy
On 2 September, 2010, The JCB Academy welcomed its first cohort of 120 Year 10 learners. It was a landmark moment—the culmination of years of planning, persistence, and belief.
“Everything I had done in my career at JCB had a beginning and an end: a factory, a new machine, a project. This had no end. I asked Sir Anthony, ‘are you really committed to the long-haul?’ He was.”
— David Bell, former Vice-Chair of Trustees
Vision to Success
Following two years of transformation, the historic mill welcomed its first cohort of 120 learners in September 2010. The JCB Academy was officially opened in February 2011 by the then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall (pictured).”
Fifteen years on, The JCB Academy has become a national success story in engineering-centric education:
Founding Principal Mr J Wade
Today, The JCB Academy is recognised across the Midlands and beyond for delivering on its mission:
“Changing lives by developing the engineers and business leaders of the future.”
Parents actively seek places for their children. Employers value the Academy’s graduates. And learners leave with the skills, confidence, and experience to thrive in the modern world.
