About Brunel Academies Trust

Brunel Academies Trust (Brunel) together with its subsidiary organisation Brunel Education (BE) is a truly inclusive and aspirational 0 – 25 Multi Academy Trust (MAT) putting its children and young people (CYP) at the heart of all they do. Brunel has the experience, knowledge and skills to develop and maintain high quality education that will improve the life chances and outcomes of all the children and young people it serves.

Since formalising as a Multi Academy Trust in August 2018 by CEO Jackie Smith MBE, the Trust has developed and diversified at a considered pace to host a portfolio of both Secondary and Primary special schools, special nursery, specialist college and a mainstream school. Westlea Primary School joined Brunel Academies Trust September 2022, a vibrant mainstream primary with a Special Resource Provision (SRP) for children who are physically disabled. This is in addition to a fantastic, existing collection of Education Provisions (EP): All Aboard Specialist Nursery, BASIS (Brunel Autism Support & Inclusion Services), The Chalet Special Primary School, Brimble Hill Special Primary School, Uplands Special Secondary School, Churchward Special Secondary Free School and Horizons Specialist College – part of Brunel’s subsidiary organisation, Brunel Education (BE), now based in Royal Wootton Bassett following the opening in September 2022 of its brand new site.

These exceptional EPs work tirelessly together to deliver outstanding learning experiences that lead to significantly improved life chances and outcomes for all its children and young people. With rapid growth plans to expand over the next two to three years, with focus on mainstream and diocese education, Brunel aims to utilise their extensive educational experience to ensure every EP within the Trust provides an education to every child they can be incredibly proud of.

The Trust benefits from collaborative, forward-thinking and dedicated educational leaders and a unified team of experienced support and teaching practitioners with the combined skills and expertise to positively harmonise mainstream and special education; enabling the development of quality and diverse EPs whilst maintaining high standards and performance. Brunel’s vision is to deliver this aspirational approach through a community-based MAT, which values and recognises the need for each of its EPs to be creative and unique in ensuring they meet the individual needs of the CYP within its cohorts.

Each of Brunel’s EPs are committed to the Brunel vision and have firmly embedded the core values in all they do: To be an exceptional creative education family opening doors, opening minds and changing lives. And family really is at the heart of all Brunel does – both their children and young people’s families and the Brunel family itself. They always put the CYP and families first, recognising the incredible job they do day in and out to support their CYP in achieving happiness and a place in the local community.

The commitment to the Brunel family and its people has been vital in seeing the Trust through challenges that its community has faced in recent years. Brunel remains firmly committed to focussing on the development and wellbeing of its colleagues, building on its brand as an employer of choice with a benefits package any of its employees can boast proudly of. Not only this, but once a year, the MAT comes together as one organisation to benefit from a ‘wellbeing day’ where internal networking can create lifelong friendships and successful working partnerships. Its community can enjoy a host of exciting activities and gratification for all the work they put into what they do.

To be able to offer these life changing opportunities for our children and young people, we need to have exceptional colleagues. We invest heavily in the people who work in our MAT and value their hard work and determination to see our mission succeed. Brunel believes in developing its colleagues across every level of the organisation. This investment has been vital in supporting and enabling employees to continue to deliver their important role safely, while embracing a new and complex way of working.