A Career at Brigantia Learning Trust
Welcome to the Brigantia Learning Trust: An inclusive multiphase journey at the heart of our community
Across the Trust, we pride ourselves on our close-knit community, where we value every pupil and student as an individual, enabling us to drive their ambition, inspire their passions and teach innovatively and passionately, creating leaders within a rapidly changing world. We also know that the bedrock of any academy is the quality and stability of the staff team. We care about staff wellbeing and are committed to attracting, developing, retaining and promoting them within our Trust.
Our core vision is to change life chances and secure social mobility and justice for young people in our community through a culture of care. We are dedicated to Creating Excellence Together and these words have been carefully chosen to reflect our commitment to continuous improvement and working together in partnership.
Within the Trust, our academies have continued to grow as centres of excellence; drawing upon a collective pool of expertise and resource. Our staff and Trustees work collaboratively to deliver the very best in traditional education with a forward-thinking approach, ensuring that every child and young adult in our care is prepared and well-equipped for the demands of a global and ever-changing society.
As pioneers of 2-19 education within Sheffield, we believe our offer truly sets us apart. Through orchestrated efficiency, development and innovation, every child and young adult benefits from a truly unique and bespoke approach to education. From their passions and personalities to their learning styles and ambitions, everything is taken into account to ensure a smooth and seamless transition throughout all the phases of their academy life and beyond.
Our strong leadership teams are ambitious and dedicated to driving improvement and securing the very best outcomes in each of our academies, through a commitment to excellence and unwavering values.
As we continue to improve, grow and develop we are motivated to find the right talent for our academies and our young people. This is an exciting opportunity within our organisation, and we invite you to be part of creating an engine of community cohesion, aspiration, achievement, success and social mobility for every young person we serve.
Mike Westerdale
Chief Executive Officer
- Why Work With Us?
Choosing a career at the Brigantia Learning Trust and associated academies means choosing a future that is valued and rewarded.
Sustaining a positive working environment and one where staff feel empowered and engaged is our main priority. Our package for staff is attractive and competitive, designed to motivate staff, increase job satisfaction, ensure retention and encourage a healthy work life balance.
Going the extra mile
- Regular staff outing and residential trips: celebration events, theatre visits, shopping trips to name a few
- Membership of a generous pension scheme
- Onsite sports and multi-gym access
- Flexible and part-time opportunities
- Generous holiday allowance
- Childcare vouchers, cycle to work scheme and season ticket loans
- Free onsite parking
- Health care support: free eye tests, mini medical checks and subsidised healthy meals
- Range of IT facilities to enhance teaching and your own work space
- Senior leaders across the Trust and academies have a clear strategy and vision for the future
- A supportive open-door policy and regular staff feedback surveys identify how we can improve things further, and ensure your voice is always heard, and valued
- Relationships between staff are based on mutual respect and developmental feedback. We are united by a shared moral purpose to increase and advance the prospects for the young people of Sheffield.
In partnership
We have teamed up with Sodexo, a new employee benefits platform to provide staff with prestigious access to discounts and offers from top brands and services. These include, but are not limited to:
- Discount at a variety of supermarkets including Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Iceland, Waitrose and M&S
- Discounts at retailers: IKEA, Argos, Currys PC World, Debenhams, B&Q, M&S, Halfords, The White Company, Hobbycraft, Ernest Jones, Virgin Experience Days, Buyagift, Spa Finder, Laithwaites, National Trust, Uber, TicketMaster, Ted Baker, ASOS, New Look, John Lewis, Gap, Zalando, Primary, Clarks, iTunes and Not on the Highstreet
- Discount on restaurants including Caffe Nero, Costa, Harvester, Just Eat, Zizzi, Costa and Uber Eats
- Discount on holiday providers including Kuoni, Eurostar P&O Cruises, Jet2Holidays, Butlins, Carnival, Crustal, Hoseasons, Haven and TUI
- Up to 40% off standard ticket prices at the cinema
- Sky store discounts for movies at home
- Cashback savings on numerous retailers
- Reduced membership on gym memberships including PureGym, Nuffield, David Lloyd, Virgin Active and many more
- What Can We Offer You?
Whether joining us at an academy or at the Trust you will experience our first-class working environment, where colleagues are like-minded, passionate and motivated; there is a shared dedication to our pupils, and positive engagement with professionals and families.
Our dedication to Creating Excellence together permeates both the staff and pupil experience. Staff embody this vision through consistently setting high standards and expectations, demanding the very best of our young children and adults and a collaborative approach to teaching, to stimulate resilient learners and independent thinking.
Career progression is prioritised at every level. We believe that continuous learning and development opportunities can support the upskilling of staff and provide staff with up-to-date knowledge and expertise to improve standards of teaching and learning and thus, outcomes for our pupils and students.
Developing staff, discovering their potential and instilling autonomy is an ongoing and everlasting process, that we will always seek to enhance. You can expect the following benefits to enhance your working life:
Our Commitment to Personal Development
- Full induction programme and personal career and training plan
- A personal mentor for colleagues new to the profession, senior leaders and those following NPQs
- Line management with coaching support
- SENCO qualification support
- Apprenticeship training for staff
- A range of development courses for support staff
- Opportunities to undertake specific leadership programmes, e.g., NPQH, NPQSL and NPQML, and Leadership Matters
- Funded courses including a master’s degree
- Accredited training with recognised qualifications, e.g., Outstanding Teachers Programme
- A wide range of opportunities to work across the 2-19 academies, including Trust hubs
- Well-planned and regular INSET days
- Annual conference with nationally acclaimed keynote speakers
- Positive mental wellbeing is at the forefront of what we do, for pupils, students and staff alike. Trained Mental Health Ambassadors, a staff wellbeing programme, dedicated wellbeing team and our free confidential staff advice and counselling service are on hand whenever you may need
- We have invested significant time in creating and nurturing a strong network of partnerships with nationally acclaimed organisations including HumanUtopia, Thrive and Voice 21 and their contributions enrich our education. In addition, our family of academies span ages 2-19, providing increased CPD, collaboration and support for staff.
- An Enviable Location
Living and working in Sheffield
Sheffield is an emerging powerhouse city of the north. Globally known as ‘Steel City’ it grew as a steel giant in the 19th and 20th centuries playing a major part in the industrial revolution. Much like many industrial cities, Sheffield has had a complete city-wide renovation and now has a modern skyline mixed with historic buildings against the stunning backdrop of the picturesque Pennines.
This emerging vibrant and growing city situated on seven hills and the river Don, has a lot to offer and has frequently been voted as the UK’s friendliest and safest city. A recent Sunday Times article featured answers to the question why Sheffield is the new London’s Shoreditch in the making in terms of culture, crafts and foodies, along with a thriving arts and music scene!
Apart from its coolness, the city is said to be one of the most diverse, independent and alternative places to live. Interestingly, Sheffield is one of the greenest cities in the whole of Europe; it is home to in excess of 250 parks, woodlands and gardens and has the highest radio of trees to people in Europe – 2.5 million trees in the city!
Home to over half a million residents, Sheffield is South Yorkshire’s largest city and has a lot to offer in terms of a booming financial and IT sector, health sector, conservation and science sector, two large universities, a teaching hospital, two famous football clubs, a top flight ice hockey team, a basketball team, a premier league speedway team and so much more. The city is also home to the headquarters of various large organisations including Sheffield Forgemasters, Royal Mail, HSBC and Aviva. More recently, the city has welcomed a number of globally renowned engineering and manufacturing businesses such as McLaren, Boeing and Rolls-Royce.
In 2016, thanks to its location alongside the Peak District, Sheffield rebranded itself as the ‘Outdoor City’ appealing to young and old alike and is a paradise for walkers, runners, cyclists, mountain bikers, climbers – in fact, anyone who loves being outdoors.
Sheffield’s popularity is undeniable and has emerged as a truly fantastic place to live, offering residents an excellent lifestyle, superb employment opportunities, and a burgeoning centre for innovation, technology and creativity.
Cultural capital
Sheffield is famous for its cultural scene, from live music to award-winning musicals, exclusive art exhibits to its heritage. The city is home to one of the biggest UK festivals and has a multi-stage O2 Academy, a number of smaller live music venues plus the Utilita Arena Sheffield which has been host to some of the world’s top artists and performances. An annual music event, Tramlines Festival, inspired by the city of Sheffield’s tram network, takes place in July with national and local artists.
The internationally acclaimed festival, Sheffield DocFest is the UK’s biggest documentary film festival and third largest in the world that attracts filmmakers, industry professionals and fans from all over the world. Sheffield also has the largest theatre group outside of London; the Crucible, Lyceum and Studio have played host to many award-winning West End performances and independently run workshops. Plus, every year the World Snooker Championship is played at The Crucible attracting thousands to the city.
The Millennium Gallery, Graves and Sheffield Institute of Arts are just a few of the flagship art galleries Sheffield has to offer welcoming big touring exhibitions, metalwork displays, and the Ruskin Collection. Beyond the main galleries there are over 20 smaller galleries and an extensive list of hidden theatres.
The yearly Festival of Debate brings a number of prestigious speakers to Sheffield covering topics ranging from politics, economics and society. Similarly, the week-long Festival of the Mind, run by the University of Sheffield, brings together academics and experts from cultural and creative industries covering talks, performances, exhibitions and interactive events for everyone in the city to enjoy and learn from.
The compactness of the city centre provides an abundance of opportunities for a vibrant social life with individual characterful streets and a square with amazing restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs, live outdoor music and dancing venues to suit all tastes.
Sports lovers
Whatever your penchant for sport; football, snooker, athletics, ice hockey, basketball, speedway, cricket, boxing, rugby league, volleyball, golf and fencing to name but a few, there are world-class venues and facilities for you to watch or take part in your favourite pursuit.
Shopping in Sheffield
Lovers of retail therapy will find Meadowhall, the city's huge indoor shopping complex and the largest in Yorkshire, with 270 shops, 37 restaurants and an 11-screen cinema. For a more tranquil shopping experience, there is the high street as well as independent shops, boutique-style shops and vintage gems.
Buses, trams and automobiles
Sheffield’s reasonably priced transport system of buses and trams also includes a good system of cycle lanes all around the city. Manchester is a mere 48 minutes away by train, while even London St Pancras can be reached in two hours. The city is well linked to all parts of the country and is commutable from a wide geographical area; the M1 motorway is around 10 minutes from the city centre, with easy access to routes south to London and to the north and north east.
Location & living costs
Sheffield has around a 10% lower cost of living than most cities in the UK and, compared with other major cities in the world, house and flat prices are reasonable. The city centre has enjoyed a raft of regeneration and development in recent decades, with many of the old industrial buildings of the past repurposed into trendy, loft-style apartments. As you move out of the centre, you will find suburbs with a mix of period properties and new developments. Average prices vary from area to area but monthly one bedroom flat rentals in the city centre start at £500 and the current price of a three-bedroom semi-detached home averages at £150,000 and detached homes start at £350,000.
Attractions & landmarks
Sheffield Botanical Gardens: it’s free to visit these Kew-style gardens and wander among 5,500 species of plants from places as far as the Americas and the Mediterranean, and its collection of Grade II listed structures. The Glass Pavilions, one of the earliest curved roof glasshouses ever built, house a plant collection from around the world.
The Peak District: from Sheffield city centre you are just five miles away from the Peak District, the largest of Britain’s National Parks, with its open moorland, vast caves and pretty stone-built villages. The stunning Chatsworth House is found in this area of outstanding natural beauty and is only a 25-minute scenic drive away.
The Moor Market: around 196 stalls cram into this indoor market with clothing, home furnishings and craft and fabric stalls in abundance. It’s also bargain central for foodies where artisan food producers and world food stalls lay out their goods to tempt you as you go round. Be sure to pick up the free loyalty card to get the great discounts and offers.
The future is exciting for our students and our workforce, the future is Sheffield!