Kettering Science Academy
Developing inclusive practice through professional learning
Kettering Science Academy is strengthening inclusive practice through professional learning, with pastoral staff applying Thrive principles directly in their day-to-day work with students.
For Holly Norris, Assistant Head of Year 8, the Thrive Wellbeing Leadership Apprenticeship has supported both her professional development and her ability to contribute to a calm, consistent and relational approach across the academy.
The Context
Holly Norris is Assistant Head of Year 8 at Kettering Science Academy, a mainstream secondary school within the Brooke Weston Trust.
Working within the pastoral team, she plays a key role in supporting students’ wellbeing, behaviour and safeguarding. Her role involves working closely with colleagues and external agencies to make sure students receive joined-up, consistent support.
- Location: Kettering
- Trust: Brooke Weston Trust
- Pupils: 1,454 (ages 11–19)
- FSM: 29.2%
- Thrive introduced: 2025
Why Thrive?
Holly chose the Thrive Wellbeing Leadership Apprenticeship to deepen her knowledge and strengthen her impact within the academy.
The programme combines Thrive Licensed Practitioner training with a Level 5 Operations Manager apprenticeship, giving Holly the opportunity to develop both her understanding of relational, developmentally informed approaches and her leadership skills.
For Holly, this combination was important as it gave her practical tools to support students, while also helping her contribute to the wider development of inclusive practice across the school.
“I want to continue to develop inclusive practice and contribute to how we embed this consistently across the school. The leadership qualification alongside Thrive gives me the tools to support colleagues and contribute to that work over time.”
Building confidence and support
While Holly was excited to begin the apprenticeship, she had understandable concerns about managing the demands alongside her role.
Holly is autistic and has dyslexia and ADHD, and was mindful of how this might affect workload and deadlines.
With structured support from her tutor and a well-organised programme, she has found the apprenticeship accessible and manageable.
My tutor is amazing. We check in regularly and everything is explained clearly. I’ve felt well supported throughout.
Holly Norris
Assistant Head of Year 8, Kettering Science Academy
Applying learning in practice
One of the strengths of the apprenticeship is that Holly has been able to apply her learning directly within school.
She has built on Kettering Science Academy’s existing relational approach, refining how she listens, responds and supports students day to day.
“I’m using what I’ve learned every day, in how I listen, how I respond and how I support young people. It fits really naturally with the work we are already doing.”
The academy’s approach to inclusion is supported by complementary frameworks, including work around Non-Violent Resistance. This focuses on strengthening adult responses, maintaining presence and reducing escalation while holding clear boundaries.
Kettering Science Academy’s partnership work with The Difference also continues to shape thinking around inclusive practice and supporting students to remain successfully in mainstream education.
The learning from Holly’s apprenticeship fits closely with this wider work, reinforcing an approach where relationships, clarity and calm, predictable responses sit alongside high expectations.
Strengthening understanding across
the school
Holly has begun contributing to wider staff understanding around neurodiversity, attachment and trauma-informed practice.
This is helping colleagues consider the reasons behind behaviour and respond in ways that are both consistent and supportive.
Her learning is also informing discussions around reflective spaces for students, particularly following incidents or periods of dysregulation. The focus is on helping students reset, reflect and return to learning successfully.
Alongside this, Holly is working with colleagues to explore how early identification of need can be strengthened, particularly during key transition points such as entry into Year 7.
Impact so far
Holly is already seeing the impact of the apprenticeship in her role.
Students increasingly seek her out and respond positively to a calm, relational approach that helps them feel heard and supported.
Her focus remains on maintaining clear expectations while creating space for understanding and reflection.
“Even when a student is dysregulated, I will always bring it back to a conversation. It’s about helping them understand what’s happened, what needs to change, and how we move forward.”
This approach supports students to regulate, reflect and re-engage successfully in school.
A message to others
For Holly, the apprenticeship has been an important step in both her professional and personal development.
I would absolutely recommend it. It’s helped me develop how I support young people and work with colleagues, but also how I think about my own practice. It’s something you carry with you.
Holly Norris
Assistant Head of Year 8, Kettering Science Academy
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