Tykes Teaching Alliance will endeavour to continue to help support and lead a sector led system of school improvement with a view to ensure that the children of Barnsley and beyond receive an outstanding education.
We will achieve this by:
Ensuring that all young people within our schools are awarded with the best possible opportunities and support to achieve their full potential.
Creating a collaborative approach to a self-sustaining school led system based on honesty and trust.
Hosting a pathway for teachers and our school community from pre-qualification to system leadership that will provide personalised continuous professional development (CPD) and learning opportunities.
Offering all school-based professionals CPD with a collaborative learning focus and joint practice development.
Providing opportunities, both individually and collectively, for leadership development within the alliance in order to create a sustainable approach to succession planning.
Enabling all staff to enjoy their chosen careers and to grow and develop in a nurturing, caring environment.
Together, Barnsley schools become part of something more…
Our promise to all our trainees is to deliver progressive school direct teacher training with support, guidance and professional development opportunities.
From the outset, dedicated, experienced mentors and staff within our family of schools welcome you and support you as a member of our school community.
Our team is committed to providing the very best training at the start and throughout your teaching year. They will drive, guide and develop you to prepare you to enter into the teaching profession.
Apply
Entry requirements for the courses are a 2:2 degree, along with GCSE maths, English and science (for primary) at grade C/4 or equivalent.
All teachers are expected to be competent in Fundamental English and mathematics. Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers are expected to make an assessment of English and maths knowledge of a trainee before QTS is awarded.
The application window for the September 2023/2024 cohort will open via APPLY on 4th October 2022.
Please contact our team to find out more about your training options.
Tykes TA training is fun, innovative and exciting. Training with us will enable you to fulfil your ambition in becoming a future teacher.
From the amazing things you will experience and the day to day things that you will learn, you will certainly have structure and a supportive ‘family’ around you to progress.
School based learning is bespoke to all our individual trainees. You will have an experienced mentor to encourage and guide you throughout your training. You will also have additional support colleagues within your host school as well as tutors from SHU.
Specialist Leaders of Education (SLEs) deliver taught training sessions to ensure trainees are fully equipped to enter the teaching profession. The programme covered is innovative and relevant to the current climate and needs of the local region.
Our family of schools provides many opportunities for sharing excellent practice. Help and support is always at hand whenever you need it.
Nurture
You are safe hands, is our philosophy for all trainees. We foster a nurturing approach to all trainees and provide everything that you need to be the very best that you can be.
Our guiding principle is to support, nurture and grow trainees throughout the alliance.
We champion equality and opportunity for all and we host inclusive working environments for everyone.
At Tykes TA, we pride ourselves on a holistic support for trainees where the wellbeing of individuals is at the heart of working together. We care.
Grow
Graduating the programme means the award of QTS/PGCE qualifications (60 credits at Masters Level).
Upon graduation, Tykes TA offers all graduates support to gain employment.
95% of our trainees succeed to secure employment as ECTs before or after graduation.
We are a registered Appropriate Body for Early Careers Teachers (ECTs), therefore we can continue to support you throughout your first year of teaching and beyond.
We provide an extensive portfolio of career pathways that are available to every teacher starting their journey with Tykes TA.
We promote a breadth of continuous professional development courses, Early Career Teachers, Middle and Senior Leader training and National Qualification programmes.
68
Initial Teacher Training trainees have gained Qualified Teacher Status through Tykes TA over the last 3 years. We have a 100% pass rate!
516
Early Careers Teachers have successfully passed their Induction with the support of Tykes TA over the last 3 years. We have a 100% pass rate!
95
Barnsley Schools have connected with Tykes TA over the last 3 years to access services such as evidenced based CPD and/or bespoke School to School Support.
162
Schools across the wider region have utilised the services of Tykes TA over the last 3 years.
Join our family of schools – together we can be part of something more…
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School to School Support
View our individual system leader pen portraits.
Karen Brown
Local Leader of Education
Karen Brown is the Headteacher at Cherry Dale Primary School and is passionate about all things school improvement. She particularly enjoys whole school curriculum development, with emphasis on children accessing a knowledge rich curriculum. Karen promotes all staff being able to access CPD and more...deliver quality first teaching to every child. Karen has previously worked as a leader within an academy trust and also experienced working with Challenge Partners in collaboration with others schools as part of peer reviews.
Jane Robinson
Specialist Leader of Education
Jane is Assistant Headteacher and SENCO at Hoyland Common Primary School and has over 14 years’ SENCO experience. She has supported a number of schools with their SEND provision including SEND Policy development, identification of SEND, monitoring and analysis of data and more...tracking systems for SEND, managing interventions and tracking their impact. She has experience of advising and supporting teachers with quality first teaching for children with SEND. Jane worked on secondment for the Local Authority with the SCI Team advising schools on a range of strategies to support children with Social Communication and Interaction difficulties. She has led staff meetings on all areas of SEND need and has a good knowledge multi-agency working. She has also carried out whole school SEND Reviews.
Nicola Jahangir
Specialist Leader of Education
Nicola is an outstanding and experienced secondary practitioner who is currently an Associate Director of Science for Northern Education Trust. Currently based at Kirk Balk Academy in Barnsley, Nicola’s role enables her to support and develop the science departments at academies within the more...Trust. As part of the wider science director team, Nicola continues to implement change in order to raise standards. Her previous roles include leader of KS3 and KS4 science, 2nd in Science and Head of Science. 22 years teaching experience in Rotherham and Barnsley has enabled her to help shape future science teachers through supportive guidance and mentoring. Her passion for quality first science teaching and vast knowledge of the curriculum, allows for pupils to be inspired, motivated and ultimately become successful in science. Furthermore, Nicola also facilitates seminars for Teach First and delivers training to specialist and non-specialist science teachers within Northern Education Trust.
Matthew Harris
National Leader of Education
Matthew is currently the Head Teacher at Burton Road Primary School. Having supported other schools as an LLE, Matthew has a strengthened understanding of teaching and learning and use of success criteria, along with maths and effective use of pupil premium. He is now a designated National Leader more...for Education. Matt has led on the design and deliver of CPD for Head teachers and Senior Leaders across Barnsley for the last 2 years.
Helen Otley
Local Leader of Education
Helen is the Head Teacher at Keresforth Primary School. She is experienced in supporting, developing and empowering leadership across the school to ensure internal capacity to improve the quality of teaching and learning. She has a strong belief in developing an all-inclusive school and providing more...high quality, first wave teaching to meet the needs of all children and ensuring commitment from all.
Nicola Simpson
Specialist Leader of Education
Nicola is an experienced and outstanding practitioner and SLE at High View Primary Learning Centre. She is currently Deputy Headteacher/Core Strategy and KS1 Leader with a focus on Foundation Stage and KS1. Her specialisms are in teaching and learning, phonics and teacher training. Nicola has more...supported schools and individuals in a number of areas particularly in raising the standards of teaching and learning within KS1. Nicola quality assures NQT assessments as part of Tykes TSA Appropriate Body statutory functions.
James Haywood
Specialist Leader of Education
James is an experienced practitioner and Assistant Head Teacher at Sandhill Primary Academy. He has experience of teaching throughout the primary phase; however, specialises in UKS2. His SLE is in teaching and learning, most notably helping leaders of mathematics and science in implementing and more...sustaining change within the curriculum. James has worked closely with Advanced Skills teachers from secondary education to close the ‘gap’ between the skills provided at KS2 and the expectations of KS3. He has a strong understanding of the changes to the primary curriculum in assessing and reporting progress & attainment at both KS1 and KS2 levels. Previously, James was the lead practitioner for PE for a cluster of schools within Barnsley, setting up tournaments / festivals within the trust to promote healthy competition.
Aiden Tallant
Specialist Leader of Education
Aiden is an outstanding practitioner at Hoyland Common Primary School with experience working in KS2. His current roles at Hoyland Common Primary School are: KS2 leader, ICT Lead and he has a TLR for Curriculum Innovation and Teaching and Learning, through these roles he has worked with staff across more...both Key Stage 1 and 2 to develop practice and enhance teaching and learning. In addition to this, he has also supported other schools as an outstanding teacher and SLE. His SLE areas are ICT, Curriculum, and Teaching & Learning. Aiden has a clear understanding of how to create a current, knowledge and skills based curriculum which meets the needs of all learners after recently implementing changes to practice and policy within Hoyland Common Primary School. Aiden has recently successfully commenced a new role as a Director of Learning at HCAT.
Filippa England
Specialist Leader of Education
Filippa is an outstanding practitioner who is currently Learning and Achievement Leader across the Every Child Matters Academy Trust.
Her specialities are in teaching and learning, engaging disadvantaged pupils, and using assessment techniques and data to track pupils and plan for progression. more...With a wealth of experience teaching in KS2, Filippa is particularly interested in encouraging children to become active learners and has implemented changes which help children become more reflective and take ownership of their learning. Filippa is part of Tykes TSA's Initial Teacher Training operational group supporting the recruitment and quality assurance of our Schools Direct Trainees. She is also a facilitator on the Education Development Trust's Early Careers Framework.
Jen Hunt
Local Leader of Education
Jen Hunt is the Headteacher at Hoyland Springwood Primary and was previously the Headteacher at High View PLC. She has a breadth of knowledge and experience in leading teaching and learning, analysing data and action planning to improve outcomes at all levels. She firmly believes that it is a team that more...works together that has an impact on the outcomes of pupils both academically and emotionally. Leading in a school with resourced provisions and a high proportion of SEND and disadvantaged pupils, she has a strong belief in developing an all-inclusive school and providing high quality, first wave teaching to meet the needs of all children and ensuring commitment from all.
