At Helm Academy, we provide a trauma-informed, therapeutic education for children aged 11 to 16 with special educational needs. Our approach is grounded in empathy, stability, and evidence-based practice, creating an environment where every child feels safe, understood, and supported. We recognise the impact of early trauma, attachment difficulties, and neurodiversity — and respond with compassion, consistency, and tailored teaching designed to meet each pupil’s unique developmental needs.
Helm Academy offers a virtual SEN school, non-school alternative provision, forest school and a specialist day school, ensuring every child can access the education they deserve — wherever they are and whatever their needs.
Our dedicated team delivers a carefully adapted curriculum using a nurture model, allowing pupils to remain with one trusted teacher and class throughout the day. This structure reduces anxiety, builds strong relationships, and supports emotional security. With a nurture class available for pupils needing more intensive therapeutic input, we empower every child to grow in confidence, build core skills, and develop a stronger sense of self-worth.
It gives me great pleasure to introduce myself as the Director of Education for Helm Academy. It is a privilege to have been appointed and welcomed into the Helm family, and to be entrusted with the job of creating and leading an amazing cohort of schools.
I have worked in education for over 30 years and have been a senior leader within this sector for the past 20 years, both in specialist and mainstream settings, ranging from primary through to post-16. My Ethos and that of Helm Academy, is that the needs of the children are always paramount in the life and decision making within an education and care setting. I strongly believe in providing the children and young people with exciting, creative, and meaningful learning experiences, which build their enthusiasm for learning and help them to grow and develop positively in a variety of ways.
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I am committed to the continued success of the schools, ensuring that all of the pupils and young people receive the outstanding education they deserve. I am determined that the schools will continue to build on their excellent reputations, to flourish and maintain a position at the heart of our community. I will ensure that our high expectations and standards are maintained, and with the dedication and commitment of the staff, we will provide an outstanding education to help every young person achieve their fullest potential and ambitions.
I am also keen on building a whole school community which thrives on mutual respect and values positive relationships. My aim is to discover the unique voice within each young person. This is the voice that each young person will spend their lifetime honing and developing so that they make their contribution to the world around them. To do this, we need to value our staff and give them the opportunities to be their best so that they can work in partnership with parents and carers to give each one of our Helm young people the very best platform of education to take them forward so that they can live their best lives.
I began my formal teaching career, gaining qualified teacher status (QTS) from Birmingham University in 1996. This has been followed by master’s degree in Educational Leadership – NPQSL - and also one in Educational Coaching and Mentoring – A.C.E. I have been honoured to receive a Fellowship of the Chartered College of Teaching - FCCT. A Fellowship of the Chartered Management Institute – FCMI and a Fellowship of the Society for Education and Training - FSET. I have been privileged to sit on the Advisory Board for UCAS as well as the National Panel for the Testing Standards Agency. I have also worked as a School Improvement Partner, working closely with a variety of Multi Academy Trusts, Local Authorities and Independent Organisations to set up Specialist Alternative provisions to meet the needs of their individual cohorts, as well as support quality assurance and improvement in education. As part of my experience in education I have also acted as an Independent Investigating officer, supporting several Local authorities and Local Safeguarding Boards to ensure the continued safety and wellbeing of staff, pupils and young people.
I believe strongly in the power of diversity and the innate potential of every young person. I value inclusion and actively seek to discover the unique voice of each young person as they develop through education, to offer the gift of inspiring love of learning; creativity and the courage to make positive choices to build the future. We need to shape our teaching and support to bring out the best and most productive learning in the young people. We need clear and consistent systems and measures so that we can report the progress and achieve strong outcomes through feedback and purposeful planning.
As with all human endeavours, schools are places of constant renewal and development and I look forward to being a part of the wonderful and crucial adventure of education with Helm Academy.
Every day is a new day, and together we can make it an amazing one.
Our Mission
Our Ethos
Proprietor: Fitri Brock
Director of Education: Eve Bartlet
Finance Officer: Zahra Hadith
Helm Academy,
Suite 103 Group First House,
12A Meadway,
Padiham
BB12 7NG
info@helmacademy.co.uk
www.helmacademy.co.uk
+44 (0) 3333 584 485
Coming Soon