Brooke Weston Academy

Pros

- Great building, looks good, well-resourced departments, superb IT resources, good to have that you have worked here on your CV, forward-thinking in terms of using technology and IT, cutting edge in many ways, rapidly evolving and changing schools that regularly provides opportunities for promotion. Best school in the area in terms of attainment and behaviour. The bottom line for kids is behave and work hard or leave, it is over-subscribed. Catchment area is fairly poor, the area has for some time had a reputation of low unemployment but with a rock bottom average salary due to light industry providing a vast number of minimum wage employment. The students know they have a great chance of a good start in life here and the parents know it too, which is a real positive.

Cons

- When I was there (around 2000) the SLT were unkind, brutal, unforgiving and the place was run like a dictatorship where only SLT knew what was going on and ground-level teachers were on a need-to-know basis only about virtually everything. Very demanding in terms of planning and workload. I personally found it to be a harsh, emotionally cold and cruel place to work. I saw lots of staff treated badly here and 'moved on' or sacked. I have never been back and never will! Maybe it has improved since then - but do your research folks!!! Corby and Kettering are fairy poor, rough towns, but there are some stunning villages around if you fancy living nearby.