When Robert Jones, a former dance student at Holy Cross College, won a job in High School Musical, his old sixth form delighted in his success. There is a caring, sharing spirit around Holy Cross College, based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The sixth form today welcomes “staff and students of all faiths”. However, the organisation was set up in 1878 by the Daughters of the Cross as a Catholic institution. The Ofsted grade 1-listed college, which has 192 members of staff and 1,700 students, offers conventional subjects as well as qualifications in specialist areas such as textiles, music technology and theatre studies. Unsurprisingly, the college has its best scores for questions around faith and ethics. Employees say Holy Cross is founded on strong values (a positive score of 89%) and that profit isn't the only thing driving it (85%). They also feel the principal, Mike O'Hare, runs the organisation on a sound moral basis and they have great faith in him (both positive scores of 91%, ranking in the top 10 and top 20 respectively). The staff, teachers and support workers have an average age of 43, and 25% have been there for more than 10 years. O'Hare has been principal for the past 13 years and has a 28-year history with the college. There is a strong sense of job security (85%) and a feeling of family (82%). Some employees do report stress-related symptoms because of work (a 77% positive score). Two qualified counsellors are on site to deal with any such problems. Holy Cross employees may not have the best pay packets in the survey, with three-quarters earning less than £35,000, but there are solid benefits and a sense that the work is stimulating (82%). Most staff members have performance-related pay and there is a free gym — as well as fitness classes, badminton and football clubs, subsidised reflexology and Indian head massage. The college accommodates people's needs for flexible working, offering job shares and reduced or compressed hours, and with laptops loaned for home working. This is one of a handful of organisations in the 100 Best Companies to Work For rankings to still offer new staff a final-salary pension scheme. Holiday ranges from 24 days a year to 58 for staff on teaching contracts. There is also paid and unpaid leave available, as well as time off in lieu. Specific events for staff include a “mission and ethos” day each year to help people get away and recharge their batteries and end-of-term buffets and evening social functions. The college also looks outwards to help the community with awareness projects such as a “one world week”, “live simply week” and a climate change group. Its employees say they put a lot back into the community (75%, ranking it 11th) and that this isn't driven by a desire to trumpet their works (68%) on earth or in heaven.