Arron Gourlay has been at Corby Technical School for over eight years. As someone who grew up in the town, he feels a strong sense of pride about his place of work, so we caught up with him to find out more about his career at the school.

Arron, what is your current role & how did you get to this point?

I'm currently Assistant Principal, in charge of data and progress. I started here in 2014 as an unqualified teacher of computer science. Prior to that my background was in music technology (in schools), but I came to Corby Technical School to develop my career in a new field.

My career has progressed as the school has grown over the eight years that I’ve been here. After qualifying, I worked my way up to becoming Director of Computer Science and subsequently the Raising Standards Leader for key stage 4. Following that role, I was promoted to Assistant Principal.

That’s an impressive career trajectory. How has the school, and indeed Brooke Weston Trust supported your development?

When I first joined the school, I was unqualified and my experience was mostly limited to sixth form and one-to-one teaching, so the support that I got from colleagues and senior teachers was absolutely critical to my development.

I was given an awful lot of support to improve my teaching and get the best outcomes for our students. I received a lot of mentoring from high-level, experienced members of staff. This really helped me to become the teacher I am today.

Reflecting back, I’m impressed by the opportunities I had to express my own ideas and bring them to life, with support and guidance (of course). I wasn't shoe-horned into a certain way of practice, but have been able to express myself. This creative freedom really helped me develop my leadership skills within the school.

Furthermore, the built-in CPD here is fantastic. We have a lot of in-house training both on a departmental level and a whole school level every single week.

The school nominated me in the early stages of my leadership career to be part of the ‘SSAT Leadership Legacy Programme’, which is an external teaching body that supports schools. I was part of a cohort of 100 people nationally, going to networking events and visiting outstanding schools to work with exceptional school leaders.

From a Trust perspective, I was part of the first cohort of the ‘Brooke Weston Trust Leadership Academy’. This is a year-long program, giving teachers the opportunity to attend seminars with prominent leaders both in and out of education. From this, I gained a valuable network across schools in the Trust and completed a placement in another trust school to shadow a senior leader in the area of leadership I wanted to pursue. Having an insight into the next level of leadership was really useful. I am now supporting the Leadership Academy and will have a member of the current cohort shadowing me in my school to support their leadership journey which is a fantastic opportunity to share the knowledge I’ve gained throughout my career.

Within Brooke Weston Trust, the opportunities for growth and progression are significant for ambitious staff. People who show creativity and drive will be recognised and rewarded and that’s what’s so great about working here.

What it's like to work at Corby Technical School?

We’ve always had a positive community culture amongst colleagues. We're very much ‘in it together’! The staff are driven to get the absolute best outcomes for all students (both academically and pastorally). The connection that our staff have with one another is invaluable and something I think is really powerful.  

I'm from Corby, so I have a personal connection with the town and I’m very proud to work with young people in the community I grew up in. To have the opportunity to make a difference to the students here is an enormous privilege. Students at Corby Technical school progress exceptionally well during their time here and I’m very proud to work in a school that creates that environment for our children.

Any advice for aspiring teachers?

I would tell anyone who’s new to teaching: don’t think that you can't express yourself within the profession. With the right guidance and mentoring, you can break boundaries and be creative to excite and enthuse students in your subject.

What’s the secret to great teaching?

Patience and understanding is so important. A recognition that the people you're teaching are teenagers and children. It’s also about adapting to their needs - recognising any difficulties that a student might be having and tailoring your teaching strategies to make sure that you're meeting their needs.

Staying calm and focused on delivering the curriculum to them in an accessible way is also key.

Finally, teacher well-being is essential and something we take very seriously at Corby Technical School. It’s important that teachers ensure they take time for themselves and their families. As a school, we strive to ensure that our teachers have a good work-life balance and are not overburdened.

Do you have any hobbies?

Not hobbies as such, but I have 2 young children, a 3 year old and a 1 year old, so they keep me incredibly busy!

Thank you Arron!

Sarah Bartlett has been at Corby Technical School for just over a year. We caught up with her to find out what she’s enjoying about the school and her role so far…

Sarah, what is your current role & how long have you been here?

I am Director of Modern Foreign Languages, and I joined Corby Technical School last January (2022).

What did you do before this?

I worked at an Academy in Kettering for seven years, as a French and Spanish teacher.

What drew you here?

Being at Corby Technical School has allowed me to get back into Middle Management, doing the role that I love. Prior to having my children, I was Head of Modern Languages at a school in Portsmouth. It is a role that I have always intended to return to, and this job was the perfect opportunity at the perfect time.

What is it like to work at the School? 

Having had experience of many schools, I can appreciate just how friendly and supportive Corby Technical School is, as a workplace. Colleagues introduced themselves and offered support from the very first day, and everyone was so welcoming. No problem is too small, and we work hard every day to support each other. It is very non-judgemental place to work. I have been totally supported at every step and have already made some great friends. My department is second to none and I am so privileged to work with them as they are an inspiration and make me laugh every day.

Any advice for aspiring teachers?

My advice would be to stay passionate about your subject and keep abreast of changes and new initiatives in teaching. Don’t be afraid to try new things and adapt. If you are enjoying what you teach that passion will hopefully be communicated to the students.

What is the secret to great teaching?

The secret to great teaching is knowing your students; enabling them to feel successful whilst building their confidence to take risks and resilience to challenge. So, relationships are everything. Building trust and using praise are key to this in my opinion.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I am an avid reader and always have a book on the go. I also enjoy cooking, any kind of travel, and being outdoors; either working in my garden or enjoying the countryside with my family and our wire-haired dachshund, Jasper.

Thank you Sarah!

Chloe Patrick is a Year 8 tutor and Music Teacher in her second year at Corby Technical School. We chatted to her before Christmas to find out more about her and what she enjoys about working here...

Chloe, can you tell us a bit about your role?

I'm a Y8 tutor, a Music teacher and the school Music Co-ordinator, meaning that I organise musical events and support all of the Music clubs, including the choir and Peri Music lessons (where external teachers teach students individually or in pairs). As you can imagine, it’s been a very busy time in the run-up to Christmas!

How long have you been at CTS and what did you do before?

This is my second year of teaching full-time here, but I also did my teacher training at CTS. My PGCE was conducted between here and Corby Business Academy, so I've actually been here for three years. Before becoming a teacher, I worked at an Optician, which was completely different!

What inspired you to get into teaching?

I've always really liked working with people, but working at the opticians made me realise that I missed being creative and that I wanted to work with young people. In the last 3 years, I’ve learned that I'm really suited to it! I can't imagine what else I'd be doing now. It’s definitely the right path for me.

What is it like working at CTS?

I really like it here. It’s a supportive environment to work in. Anna Jenkins was my mentor when I first started but she still supports me now in lots of ways. The staff are really friendly and even though I'm on my own (in a department) I'm never short of people to talk to. Importantly, the students are great! Once you make that effort to get to know them, you get a lot back from them.

How is your development being supported this year?

I'm in the 2^nd year of my ECT program (through ‘Teach First’), so after a pretty intensive 1^st year (last year), my development is focussed on the practical side of teaching. I still have some seminars to attend and a mentor that I meet with every fortnight, which is really great for supporting my learning.

What are you looking forward to this coming year?

I'm excited about the musical events we have coming up, but my main focus is growing ‘Music’ as a subject. For the first time, we’re offering Music as a GCSE subject, plus the Key Stage 3 students will have weekly Music lessons (rather than sharing the teaching slots with drama).  I'm also excited to be a form tutor to my Y8’s as I enjoy the pastoral side of things.

How do we get young people enthused about Music?

I think the key is to build their confidence and create an environment where it's OK to try things (even if they don’t work). A lot of the work I do with the students is in the practice rooms, in small groups, to help with this.  It’s also important to have lots of variety because I believe there is something for everybody. So we make the lessons as varied and comfortable as possible.

How has the teaching of Music changed in recent years?

It’s a lot more practical and structured nowadays. We have a set topic each term that students work on, trying out new techniques each week and putting it all together in a performance (or project submission) at the end. I think this helps to motivate the students and give them clarity on what’s expected of them.

Do you work with any other schools across Brooke Weston Trust?

I’m in regular contact with Clive Wears (Director of Music at Corby Business Academy) and we’ve collaborated (informally) on some joint events, including a piano masterclass (where a concert pianist came in to teach students), but I’d like to do more of this across the Trust so that we can integrate our strengths (CBA have an amazing brass department) and share resources.

What are your hobbies?

I’m a flute player, but I can often be found teaching myself the drums or ukulele (for an upcoming Music lesson!). In my free time I really enjoy yoga, reading and long walks.

Thank you Chloe!