What do you like about working here?

The staff at Burnage, both teaching staff and support staff, are extremely supportive. There is a wonderfully collaborative atmosphere and everyone seems to be working towards the same goals.

How have you been supported since joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

I have always felt incredibly supported in every aspect of my career. I had a wonderful subject mentor during my NQT and RQT years to offer reassurance at the start of my teaching career. Since this, I have always felt listened to and supported by my line-manager as my career has progressed. The support offered to me on a day-to-day basis by other teachers in my faculty and the wider school has always been invaluable.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Burnage Academy for Boys?

I am incredible proud of the progress that our exam results show. I am proud of the many educational visits and enrichment activities that I have organised. I am proud of the positive influence that I have had on many pupils over the last 10 years

What are the students like to work with?

The students at Burnage have a good work ethic and realise the importance of education. Despite the social difficulties many of them face, they are sweet respectful and admirably ambitious. We try to instil in them extremely high aspirations and many of them respond extremely positively to this.

Tell me about your department

I have worked with the English Faculty for many years and they are a dynamic, creative and innovation group of teachers. They are always striving towards building an engaging and relevant curriculum and are consistently reflective on their teaching practise. There is a wide range of skill sets within the department and everyone is encouraged to work to their strengths.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

A weekly reading club called ‘Chatterbooks’

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

All the staff at Burnage work extremely hard to raise the aspirations, academic success and social skills of all of our pupils. To work at Burnage, you must be able to work as part of a big collaborative team and have the ability to remain calm and positive.

How have you been developed professionally?

My career progression at Burnage has been fantastic and I have been afforded many different experiences. I have been in the role of KS3 Coordinator, Second in English, Head of English and recently have been given the opportunity to create my very own literacy initiative. This has been a very creative and exciting challenge in which I’ve thrived.

What support do you get?

There are regular whole school CDP sessions here at Burnage. In addition to this, I have attended many external courses appropriate to my current position. Sometimes this has led to organising and running internal staff training which has been a real confidence boosting opportunity. Staff at Burnage always seem to respond well to further training and you can see active changes being implemented.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

My career path at Burnage has been very progressive, but has also worked wonderfully well alongside other aspects of my life, for this I feel extremely lucky. I am currently very happy in my role but feel that if I felt need for development I would always be listened to and fully supported there.

What do you like about working here?

The ethos of the school is positive for staff and students alike. Burnage is a school where the students care about their development. The staff care about education and we put the interests of our students first. I’ve had so much support from the staff at Burnage; I can’t imagine working anywhere else!

How have you been supported since joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

I joined as a TA and was encouraged to gain classroom experience shortly afterwards. I applied to the Graduate Teacher Programme with Manchester Metropolitan University. I was rejected twice. Burnage recognised my potential as a teacher and funded my placement. I’ve been given the opportunity to take many roles since then. I’ve been appointed: assistant House Leader, KS4 Coordinator, and Second in English.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Burnage Academy for Boys?

I’ve helped to shape the curriculum within the English department to ensure that is engaging and meets the needs of the new curriculum. Additionally, I’ve supported many students with their pastoral needs to ensure that they can lead a rewarding and happy school life.

What are the students like to work with?

They’re amazing! Like every school, we have some challenging students! However, having worked in other schools, I can honestly say that Burnage has the best group of students that I’ve ever had the pleasure of teaching. They like talking to us about their lives, ideas and ambitions. Many of the students here are underprivileged: it highlights the importance that education has for their future.

Tell me about your department

We have a highly skilled set of teachers in English. Many of us are examiners for AQA across all of the English exams. Additionally, we have Senior Examiners and AQA Team Leaders who have helped to steer the team in the right direction. The faculty is supportive and we enjoy working cohesively to ensure that we maximise our time and share a wealth of resources to support our students.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

My form class are very sporty. They love inter-house football, cricket and tennis and I enjoy showing them my support. I enjoy getting involved with competitions such as Spelling Bees, Spoken Word Performance and Debate Mate.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

I’d definitely encourage enthusiastic teachers to join the team. If you have potential, it is recognised and nurtured.

How have you been developed professionally?

I have gone from being a TA to a lead teacher within the English faculty. I have received mentoring and guidance at every step. This year I have shadowed the Deputy Headteacher in mentoring NQTs and I will take on this mentoring role myself next academic year.

What support do you get?

The support provided in school is exceptionally strong. New staff are mentored and encouraged to develop.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

The sky is the limit!

What do you like about working here?

Every day is a new challenge. The energy and the enthusiasm that the pupils have for learning always keeps it exciting and interesting. They are naturally inquisitive which makes every day different.

How have you been supported since joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

Absolutely yes! I trained here so all of my development has been provided by the school. At the start of my career, I received plenty of support in terms of behaviour, classroom management and teaching and learning. As I have progressed and developed, the support has been much more geared towards developing my skill set as a leader and a manger.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Burnage Academy for Boys?

I feel I am proud at the end of most days for success big or small! My proudest moment though was probably in my first GCSE class. There was a pupil who often struggled to engage with school and didn’t do so well in most of his exams. However, he managed to get a C in English which was fantastic!

What are the students like to work with?

The pupils are fantastic; they have huge amounts of energy and enthusiasm for learning and are always looking to better themselves. I feel that our pupils are never afraid to show you their true personality, which is fantastic at developing relationships to support their learning.

Tell me about your department

The English department is an energetic place to be. There is a good mix of experienced teachers and some newer members of staff, which means that there is also plenty of support available and a good range of creative ideas!

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

I was involved with football and cricket teams in the past. More recently, I have been involved with more English based extra-curricular activities like arranging theatre productions etc. Pupils have found these highly rewarding and it has really opened their minds to new experiences that they might not have had before.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

To make the most of the support on offer. The school offers fantastic weekly support sessions for new members of staff to help them develop their skills in relation to working at the school. I would also encourage someone joining to work hard at developing the positive relationships with pupils, as they really respond well to this.

How have you been developed professionally?

I have received lots of support both within school and also outside of school. I have been on exam board training courses which helped me to work as an exam marker. I was also put through a Middle Leadership Development Programme which I found very interesting and useful.

What support do you get?

There is plenty of support within school from the behaviour systems to appraisal systems; everything is geared towards supporting staff and in turn supporting pupils. There is also a real culture of sharing best practice within school. No member of staff is ‘precious’ about their classroom and there is an open door policy where everyone supports each other irrelevant of experience.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

In terms of career opportunities, I have gone from being an NQT to a class teacher. I then had additional responsibility in terms of data in the English department which was a great first step into additional responsibility. From there, I was Second in English before being Head of English. I would like to continue consolidating and developing in this role at present before thinking of further career opportunities.

What do you like about working here?

The other staff at the school are very supportive and have provided me with a lot of help and advice during my NQT year. I also like the opportunities that the school provides for many pupils from under-privileged backgrounds. It feels good to be part of something that is providing these opportunities to the pupils.

How have you been supported since joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

I have been supported a lot during my NQT year. Senior leadership have been very helpful in contacting parents and arranging meetings with pupils and their parents. Within my department I have been supported too with advice on how deliver lessons and strategies for individual pupils. I have also been supported by my other NQTs during our weekly CPD sessions. There is an awful lot of support available here and do not be afraid to ask for it!

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Burnage Academy for Boys?

A really challenging pupil who has caused me a lot of problems this year recently told his house leader that I was one of the teachers that he likes working with This came after he has improved a lot in my lessons and I made a positive phonecall home for him. This was a bit of a surprise to me but a pleasant one!

What are the students like to work with?

The students can be very challenging but also very rewarding. Things with the pupils have definitely become better since I have learnt all their names after Christmas and they now seem a bit more used to me.

Tell me about your department

My department is very supportive with some members having been here for a very long and have good relationships with many pupils within the school. This has helped me to establish relationships with my own pupils. However there have been several trainee and newer members of staff within the department and they have also provided support as we have all been going through the same experiences and it has been useful to help each other.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

There is loads to get involved with at Burnage. This year I have helped run the after school climbing club which was a great opportunity to meet pupils I did not teach and see ones that I do teach in a different light. I have also refereed during a charity football tournament organised by the pupils! Next year I would like to start up a geography club at lunchtime.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

Come and have a look around the school for yourself. When I came I was really impressed by the facilities within the school and how friendly all the staff were.

How have you been developed professionally?

NQTs and trainee teachers have a weekly CPD session which focusses on something different each week. These have been really useful in improving my questioning and behaviour management within lessons. There is also excellent advice available for providing for EAL and SEN pupils within the school.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

I am not sure what the future holds at Burnage but I am certainly enjoying my time here now and can see myself here for the foreseeable future. I would like to go on to become subject mentor for PGCE trainees.

What do you like about working here?

Working at Burnage Academy feels as if you are part of a community. The staff who work here are kind and helpful and the students are compassionate and thoughtful. The people inside of the school are the reason why I enjoy coming in to work every day. It is a privilege to work in such a close-knit school.

How have you been supported since joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

I have been constantly supported at Burnage throughout my NQT and RQT year in different ways. I have had a mentor who has been able to oversee and help with my teaching, marking and with my behaviour management. I was given training one day a week all of my NQT year and these sessions were vital in my progression.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Burnage Academy for Boys?

I am most proud to have seen my SEN Year 11 class come out with certificates at the end of the year, and all have moved on to college.

What are the students like to work with?

The students at Burnage are the best thing about the school. If you show that you care about them, and you try to help them, they really try to please you. They respond really well to positive praise and will constantly give you reasons to praise them.

Tell me about your department.

The English department is supportive and caring. We are very close as a faculty and have great communication as we see each other every day and spend our breaks together. We all help each other out as much as possible (with planning, marking and sorting out any behavioural issues) so someone is always there to support you.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

I am able to run a Spanish conversation class and have previously had a creative writing club.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

Make sure that you always ask for help if you are stuck – there are a lot of people who are willing to help you.

How have you been developed professionally?

I have been given the opportunity to be a form teacher and shadow a House Leader as I have mentioned my interest in the pastoral route.

What support do you get?

I have a mentor throughout the year who supports me – from classroom teaching to marking. I also have support from other members of staff in the school who I work with every day.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

A colleague and I were sent on a behaviour management course for CPD and I am also now shadowing a House Leader for Pastoral experience.

What do you like about working here?

The boys are really keen to learn. The context of our school provides a challenge at times, with regard to both the pastoral and academic needs of our pupils, which makes teaching at Burnage really rewarding. The staff are friendly and very supportive of each other.

How have you been supported since joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

I joined as an NQT and attended weekly NQT meetings to discuss professional issues. It was great to feel supported by other people in your position and other members of staff.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Burnage Academy for Boys?

I passed my PGCE and NQT year working at Burnage, and am proud to keep developing and learning in my profession.

What are the students like to work with?

The students are engaged and really want to learn. Being all boys, behaviour can at times be interesting, but students generally respond very well to clear boundaries and a calm demeanour.

Tell me about your department

In MFL, we teach French, Urdu and Italian. We are a very supportive faculty and work together to plan and assess students. We also support each others classes at KS4.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

MFL run an after school homework catch up club every fortnight. Students who have not completed their homework are required to attend but pupils who need every help or want to revise are also welcome.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

It can be a challenging environment to work in, but members of staff here seem to have the same passion and determination to give the boys the opportunities to progress, both academically and personally, which creates a really positive working environment.

How have you been developed professionally?

I have been able to attend external CPD sessions and am presenting at a Languages Networking conference in a few weeks. I attended weekly NQT meetings and went to the Manchester Collaborative NQT conference. I also attend the Manchester Collaborative MFL sessions and this year, have been responsible for differentiation in French.

What support do you get?

Our Head of Faculty is very approachable and supportive and we work really closely in MFL to ensure pupils are engaged and progressing in MFL. CPD opportunities are readily available and members of staff are really willing to support each other.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

While at Burnage, I have been offered lots of professional development opportunities, and was able to chose differentiation to focus on as my responsibility in French. I hope to continue to progress down this route and feel confident that I will be offered opportunities to do so where they are available.

What do you like about working here?

The best thing about working at Burnage is the freedom to teach to the style that suits you. The school has created an atmosphere where you are valued to the point that you know your class best, and so are given freedom to use your own methods. The school has a very friendly and open atmosphere where everyone will say hello to you on the corridor. I enjoy coming into work. I also feel valued as a member of staff in a school that appreciates the importance of a work life balance culture.

How have you been supported since joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

Since joining Burnage Academy in 2016, I feel I have been supported significantly throughout my PGCE and NQT year. This support has ranged from meetings with my Professional Mentor and Subject Mentor through to ongoing CPD training on a Wednesday after school, which is delivered by experienced members of staff. I also feel the Pastoral Team has supported me well in dealing with behaviour and I have never felt alone when faced with challenges in and around the school.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Burnage Academy for Boys?

My proudest moments have come when I have formulated positive relationships with the students I teach. A couple of students in particular were very challenging to work with in the early stages of the year. But managing to turn these pupils around and see them both work hard and enjoy the subject has been amazing.

What are the students like to work with?

Part of the challenge of working at Burnage, is that you will be faced with some pupils who will test you in the early stages, however I have found that once students see your commitment to them as people, they really turn it around and work for you. This has been the most rewarding aspect for me personally. The students appreciate and respond to fairness. They also really respond to good humour and I have found this to be one of the best methods of gaining a positive rapport with the boys.

Tell me about your department

My department has a supportive and open atmosphere. If I am faced with a problem or challenge, I can go into any classroom and gain advice and help, which I feel is one of the best aspects of working at Burnage. The Heads of Department have created a positive team atmosphere and everyone is very approachable and helpful.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

I currently run a revision club after school on a Thursday. I have enjoyed this as I get to work with not just my own pupils but many others. There is also staff football and staff netball on a Friday after school. This has been great in terms of getting to know staff from other departments and feeling a part of the school.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

The best thing to do would be to come and see the school for itself. Being an all-boys Academy, it is a very unique school with a very unique demographic of pupils. But with this, it has a very unique an enjoyable atmosphere. Come along and speak to the boys!

How have you been developed professionally?

Having started my teaching career at Burnage, I feel I have developed significantly. I attribute this to not only the continued support from my Professional and Subject Mentors, but the support of colleagues. Just having lunch in the staff room, I have picked up tips and resources which have helped me greatly. When I look back at the start of last year, I can’t believe how far I have come.

What support do you get?

As a teacher at Burnage, I have been very well supported throughout my time so far. In English, we have a “buddy” system in which we are paired with another member of the department. This is excellent when you need advice. We also have access to a range of planned lessons and resources on the shared system which has made the workload of planning more about adapting what is already there to your classes needs.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

As I have enjoyed my time at Burnage. My personal aim is to stay and develop here. The school has a big pastoral team and this is where my interests lie. I am hoping to gain experience in this side of education.

What do you like about working here?

The boys I teach are enthusiastic, ambitious and lively. This makes each day different, interesting and never dull.

How have you been supported since joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

The support from middle and senior leadership is fantastic. Whenever behaviour incidents have arisen departmental and senior leadership support, where necessary, have been of great use. The support in this school is very positive as it does not take away the ownership of classroom teachers but supports them in the decisions they make.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Burnage Academy for Boys?

I am proud that classes who at times I have found challenging to work with now work well in most lessons and often enjoy learning maths. I am also proud that I have encouraged a group of boys to take ownership for running puzzle club and they have developed the skills to design and run their own escape room

What are the students like to work with?

Some pupils can be a challenge but it is rewarding to work with these pupils and see them become more respectful. The majority of pupils are ambitious and want to achieve!

Tell me about your department

My department has a great mix of experienced teachers and teachers still developing as classroom teachers. As a department we work in ways that optimise pupil progress without maximising teacher workload where possible.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

Puzzle Club

Revision sessions and residentials.

How have you been developed professionally?

I did my Teach First training at this school and developed a great deal on a daily basis. Initially this development was learning how to be an effective classroom teacher but at the right times I was given the opportunities to develop as a leader and run things outside of the classroom. I have helped to set up clubs, a numeracy programme for form time and have developed and appointed maths ambassadors. I have developed professionally through all of these things.

What support do you get?

I have been supported a great deal by my subject mentor in my department, head of department and deputy head. When taking on new tasks or projects this has always been discussed with my subject mentor and then I have received invaluable advice from many members of school leadership.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

I am pleased that the school have recommended me to go on a future leaders programme beginning next month; I hope that this will help me to identify areas I can develop in the coming months and years. I am not exactly sure how my career will develop but I am hopeful that continuing to work in this school is giving me a wide range of opportunities.

What do you like about working here?

Staff at Burnage help and support each other, and that there is a team culture which ensures all go above and beyond for the good of the students.

How have you been supported since joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

I have worked up from beginning as support staff, to becoming Head of Faculty – working across a range of positions/fields in order to develop professionally. I gained QTS through the school and was then encouraged to complete Aspire Leadership Development course to prepare me for a (then) future role as a middle leader. I have been encouraged to get involved in many facets of school life, including pastoral roles, collaboration with other schools, social media and website management. I have also been given the chance to complete an MA (Education) with support from school, which shows that the school has been willing to invest in my development significantly.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Burnage Academy for Boys?

Progressing through to middle leadership from an entry-level post is a source of pride. I was supported in my aim of establishing a French exchange and managed to facilitate that for the first time in nearly 10 years. I was also encouraged when I made suggestions about how to improve a range of outcomes – such as Healthy Schools Awards and establishing a Twitter page.

What are the students like to work with?

The students come from a range of different backgrounds, which offers a unique and complex set of challenges but also great rewards. Students are enthusiastic, and motivation is rarely an issue. The challenge comes from channelling the enthusiasm into productive, engaging and well-structured lessons.

Tell me about your department.

We are a department of 4 full-time and 2 part-time teachers, who also work with several teaching assistants. We have a range of experience and work together to ensure we are all supported, happy and productive. As Head of Faculty, my role is to allow all teachers to flourish and enable them to focus on delivering quality lessons to their students.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

I have previously been involved with sports teams, taking football training and matches which falls outside my remit. I have taken numerous trips to various locations, particularly the universities, but also to other schools for networking events. I was previously Healthy Schools Coordinator and this gave me the chance to work with Health Care Professionals to improve the lifestyle of our students. The most significant activity that I have completed are the exchanges with our French partner school – using the eTwinning portal to try and promote international perspectives to other departments across the school.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

The school is not without challenges – although there are no schools without them! The students are ambitious, keen to learn, and eager to have their eyes opened. At Burnage, no two days are different and there are a team of people here keen to welcome new staff and bring them into the school community.

How have you been developed professionally?

In addition to the specific examples above, all of the support I have received throughout my career at Burnage has enabled me to make the journey from support staff to Head of Faculty. The school has encouraged me to use my strengths and channel them professionally to grow into each new role I have been given.

What support do you get?

I have regular meetings with my line manager, an Assistant Headteacher who challenges me professionally whilst allowing me to develop my own ideas. We have a strong pastoral team who will support teachers with issues relating to safeguarding, behaviour and the emotional health and well-being of the students.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

Part of my appraisal looks for CPD opportunities and my line manager takes an interest in my own career path. I am spoken to about my own opinions and encouraged to develop as a middle leader for my own benefit and not only the benefit of the faculty. I am unsure as to where the next step will be for me, but whichever route I take I know I will be supported.

What do you like about working here?

The staff and the students are the best thing about working at Burnage Academy for Boys. Staff are always positive and willing to help, everyone spends a lot of time making sure the students achieve their potential. The students themselves all want to do well in school. Even the boys that can sometimes be challenging to manage have high expectations of their attainment and appreciate the effort staff put into helping them.

How have you been supported since joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

I have been supported to develop both my teaching and my career in the teaching profession. I receive regular feedback about my teaching from lesson observations and have regular meetings with leadership personnel to help develop my leadership skills. The house leaders and pastoral staff are always supportive in dealing with pastoral issues as well.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Burnage Academy for Boys?

I was really proud of the GCSE grades my year 11 class achieved last year. They were a reflection of how hard the boys, the Science faculty and myself had worked throughout the year. Since being at Burnage Academy for Boys I have had three internal promotions and this has made me feel valued for the work I have done in the Science faculty.

What are the students like to work with?

The students all want to do as well as they can in school. They are competitive and love to be challenged in different ways each lesson. The boys are keen to build positive relationships with staff and enjoy being able to speak to staff at break times and during extra curricular activities.

Tell me about your department

The Science department is made up of hard working, supportive members of staff. As a team we help each other with lesson planning, behaviour management and extra curricular activities. We also help each other to develop professionally and are always looking at ways to strengthen our teaching. The leadership within the department are friendly and open to suggestions on initiatives that could develop the faculty further. I have made some really good friends whilst working in the Science department.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

We run a Science club each year where students get to carry out experiments and learn about Science that is not on the National Curriculum. This year I have also taken students on a Science enterprise trip where we won the chance to have a pharmaceutical company come into school and teach students about how drugs are manufactured. I have taken year 7 students to a Science fair in Manchester and overseen year 10 students in a medical workshop designed to develop their interest in the medical profession.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Burnage Academy for Boys?

Be enthusiastic and try out new things. If you are finding a particular student hard to manage ask other staff in school about the best way to build a positive relationship, everyone around school helps each other. Chat to students on the corridors and at break times; the boys are really friendly and will be keen to get to know you.

How have you been developed professionally?

In my NQT year I attended weekly sessions that were designed to develop me into a successful classroom practitioner. The sessions were well organised and focused on areas such as behaviour management, differentiation and questioning. Following this I have attended CPD sessions aimed to develop my teaching and leadership ability, for example, how to effectively analyse data and use this to increase attainment in Science.

I have also received professional development on a one to one basis from members of SLT who line manage the Science faculty. The leadership team want to help you develop in areas you choose to specialise in. I feel as though I have been challenged to progress in my career but also supported enough so that I am able to succeed in roles I have been given.

What support do you get?

I have received support whenever I have asked for it; everyone in school is willing to help you develop. We are supportive of each other within the Science faculty but I also regularly contact members of SLT or house leaders to ask for advice on how to deal with situations or specific students.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

The school have always been positive about helping me develop in areas that I have enjoyed working in and I feel comfortable asking for opportunities to develop further.