Springwell Alternative Academy

Welcome to Springwell Alternative Academy

Please Note: Springwell Alternative Academy is based in Kendray. Our full address is: Springwell Alternative Academy, Springwell Centre, Kendray, Barnsley, S70 3LB.

At Springwell Alternative Academy, we are proud to welcome you to our school! Operating as a proud member of the Wellspring Academy Trust (recently named Multi Academy Trust of the Year), our aim is simple: to provide the best possible care and education for children and young people who need an alternative to the mainstream school experience.

By offering short term, intervention focused placements, we work hard to change trajectories and help young people successfully re-engage with their education. From the moment you step through our doors, you will find a warm, welcoming, and deeply supportive environment designed to offer everyone a fresh start.

At Springwell Alternative Academy, we believe that education should prepare students for a bright future. We live and breathe our core values every single day. Kindness, Courage, Curiosity, and Pride, challenging and supporting our young people to discover their unique strengths.

Our Core Mission

We believe that all our pupils can, with the right support, be empowered to succeed, anchoring everything we do in our core pillars:

• Unconditional Positive Regard: This is at the absolute centre of how we work. We accept and care for our students unconditionally, ensuring every young person feels safe, trusted, valued, and respected within our school community.

• Targeted Interventions & Relational Practice: Our intention is to look past the barrier and identify the unique emotional and academic needs of each young person. Through personalised learning packages, classroom activities, outdoor learning, and sport, we help students build self-esteem and develop positive, lasting habits.

• Inclusion & Well being Support: We provide a vital bridge between home, school, and the community. By focusing on sensitive, active listening, we build strong relationships with families and carers to maintain vital routines, manage difficult emotions, and ensure our students navigate the path to a better future.

Join Our Team

Great schools are built by great people. As a member of the Springwell Alternative Academy team, you will work within close knit classroom dynamics where your growth is heavily supported. We invest deeply in our staff, offering a rich professional landscape that includes:

• Full, Expert Training: New to this kind of school? We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, including college or university graduates, and offer a comprehensive package of high quality, personalised training in relational practice and behaviour support.

• Clear Career Pathways: We love to see our people grow. Many of our current school leaders, specialists, and teachers started out here in support and coaching roles. When you join the Wellspring family, your professional development is fully backed.

• Workplace Well being: Work alongside supportive, passionate colleagues in a welcoming team environment that actively prioritises your workload, health, and mental well being.

• A Great Balance: A supportive staff culture where you can make a massive, life changing impact during the school day, and leave work completely at the door when you clock out. We know how important work-life balance is.

Working at Springwell Alternative Academy isn't just a job; it's an opportunity to collaborate with passionate peers, work hand in hand with families, and make a tangible difference in children's lives every day.

Two Schools – One Community

Springwell Learning Community is the umbrella name for Springwell Special Academy and Springwell Alternative Academy. While Springwell Special Academy provides cross-phase education for Barnsley children with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) difficulties, Springwell Alternative Academy works in partnership with local primary and secondary schools to provide essential Day 6 provision.

Both of these schools are part of the Barnsley and Kirklees Special Provision Partnership (SPP), formed through collaboration with Greenacre School and Joseph Norton Academy. More information about our partnership can be accessed here.

At Springwell, our dedicated staff of around 100 people is entirely committed to ensuring that every single pupil can settle quickly and is fully supported to make good progress in line with our vision and mission.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

The safety, moral development, and well being of our pupils are at the absolute heart of everything we do. Springwell Alternative Academy strictly follows the principles of Safer Recruitment. We maintain a secure, deeply supportive environment where every child is protected, valued, and encouraged to learn with confidence.

Find out more by clicking here!

Why Join Our Talent Pool?

If we don't have any suitable vacancies available, we encourage you to register for our Talent Pool. When applying, you aren't just joining a waiting list, you are positioning yourself at the front of the line for a rewarding career. When a suitable vacancy opens, our talent pool is our first port of call and our recruitment team will be in touch. We will keep you up to date with the latest news and activities within our school on a regular basis. We are regularly looking for support staff and we offer a range of flexible contracts.

Complete our Talent Pool application form by clicking here!