Professional Development and Career Growth

Investing in Our People

At the heart of our Trust's People Strategy is a commitment to attracting, recruiting and retaining talented people who share our passion for changing the lives of young people. We believe that our staff are our greatest asset, and we are committed to creating an environment where colleagues feel valued, supported, developed and empowered to achieve their full potential.

Through consultation with colleagues across all schools in the Trust, including one-to-one meetings with staff at different career stages and in a variety of roles, we have developed a People Strategy that reflects the priorities and aspirations of our workforce. This feedback continues to shape our approach to professional development, wellbeing and career progression.

A Culture of Learning and Development

We recognise that high-quality professional development, strong staff wellbeing and clear career pathways are essential to both staff satisfaction and student success. When you join our Trust, you will have access to:

• A comprehensive induction programme
• Mentoring and coaching support
• Ongoing professional development opportunities
• Regular performance development discussions
• Opportunities to identify and pursue individual training needs
• Clear pathways for career progression

We actively encourage all colleagues to be ambitious about their professional growth and to take ownership of their development journey. Whether you are at the start of your career or looking to progress into leadership, we are committed to supporting your aspirations.

Collaborative Professional Learning

Our ambition is to continue embedding a Trust-wide culture of collaboration, where colleagues work together, share best practice and learn from one another. Professional learning is enhanced through cross-school networks, partnerships and opportunities to collaborate with colleagues from across the Trust.

By fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collective responsibility, we ensure that expertise is shared and that all staff benefit from the strengths and experiences of their peers.

Apprenticeships and Career Progression

Our apprenticeship programme plays a significant role in developing talent and creating progression opportunities across the Trust.

Apprenticeships support colleagues from a wide range of backgrounds and career pathways, including those seeking to move from teaching assistant and support roles into teaching and other education-related careers. They also provide valuable development opportunities across our professional services teams, including administration, IT and estates.

This approach enables us to grow our own workforce, build capacity from within and develop future talent while reducing reliance on external recruitment.

Why Apprenticeships Matter

Apprenticeships help us to:

• Grow our own workforce
• Support recruitment and retention
• Create clear progression pathways
• Invest in long-term staff development
• Enable colleagues to gain nationally recognised qualifications

We are committed to expanding apprenticeship opportunities across the Trust and continue to seek additional levy gifting partnerships to support this ambition. Recent generous contributions from partner organisations have enabled more colleagues to access high-quality development opportunities, and we are actively pursuing further funding to broaden our offer.

Dedicated Support

Each school within the Trust has a designated Apprenticeship Link who works closely with the central Trust team to promote opportunities, provide guidance and support colleagues throughout their apprenticeship journey.

Join Us

By investing in our people, we invest in the future success of our students. We are looking for colleagues who share our commitment to making a difference and who want to be part of a Trust that values professional growth, collaboration and continuous learning. Together, we can change lives and create even better outcomes for the young people we serve.