Corby school selected to become regional teaching hub

A leading Corby school has been picked to be a regional teaching hub under plans announced by the Department for Education.

Brooke Weston Academy is one of 81 new hubs in England and will be a centre of excellence for teacher training for teachers across Northamptonshire.

The new hub model, which will be operational by September 2021, simplifies the support schools and teachers can access by giving each hub a defined geographical area and access to reformed nationally-recognised qualifications. The Northamptonshire teaching school hub will support more than 300 local schools.

The Coomb Road school became one of the first 100 schools to be awarded National Teaching School status in 2011 when it established Brooke Weston Teaching School Alliance. This alliance has been responsible for delivering teacher training and development through its partnership in Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, and Fenland, alongside other teaching school alliances in the region.

Andrew Campbell, chief executive of the Brooke Weston Trust, said: “We are delighted to have been recognised as a centre of excellence for teaching training and development.

“The Brooke Weston Teaching School Alliance has been very successful for many years, supporting more than 3,000 teachers to improve their practice or gain professional teaching qualifications. As one of the new teaching school bubs we look forward to building on these strong foundations and welcome the opportunity to collaborate extensively across Northamptonshire.

“Our aim is to make sure every teacher in our region has access to the highest quality professional development, that will ultimately improve the standards of teaching and learning, opportunities and outcomes for young people in our communities.”

The hubs will provide high-quality professional development to teachers and leaders at all stages of their career and play a key role in helping to build up trainee teachers as they enter the workforce.

It's hoped this will further level up the quality of teaching, allowing every child to receive a world-class start in life no matter where they are born.