Pivot Group

Our collective commitment.

As we look ahead to 2030, we know the challenges facing young people, families and educators are growing. But we also know what works: compassion, consistency and the courage to do things differently.

As we look ahead to 2030, we know the challenges facing young people, families and educators are growing. But we also know what works: compassion, consistency and the courage to do things differently.

Our leadership team, our staff and our partners stand behind this Charter. Together, we are building something that lasts: a network of belonging where young people can learn, grow and thrive.

Our vision for 2030 is built on five commitments. Each one reflects what matters most.

1. People

People, strengthening our workforce, building a clear leadership pipeline, expanding trauma-informed training, maintaining staff retention above 90%.

2. Places

Places, establishing a regional hub network so every learner is within ten miles of provision that feels like home.

3. Partnerships

Partnerships, co-designing provision with local authorities, building reintegration routes, creating work-based learning with local employers.

4. Progress

Progress, improving attendance, supporting 100% of learners into confirmed destinations, expanding vocational pathways.

5. Sustainability

Sustainability, maintaining financial stability, embedding environmental responsibility, ensuring the Pivot model remains scalable and replicable.

Read the full Charter Download PDF

Why Pivot exists.

Michael Smith, CEO & Founder

Pivot did not begin with buildings or timetables. It began with children who had been told they did not fit, families who had run out of options, and staff who still believed something better was possible.

My own experience of school shaped this. I struggled to find where I belonged, to understand why the system worked for some and not others. That feeling has never left me.

“It is why I believe education only works when every child feels they belong.”

Children deserve better. Not as a policy or a slogan, but as a daily practice. One decision, one conversation, one act of belief at a time. When a young person says ‘I felt I was in the right place’, we know we are still doing what we were meant to do.

Read the 2030 Charter

How we got here.

In recent years, Pivot has grown faster than anyone expected. Referrals continue to rise, telling a story not only of pressure, but of trust.

We put relationships before routines and watched young people begin to trust, and then begin to learn. That is still how Pivot works. It grew from that. Slowly at first. A few rooms, a handful of learners, a few people willing to try something different.

When we look at outcomes, we see more than numbers. We see learners who once had low or no attendance now turning up every day. Young people moving on to college, training and work. Behind every measure is a story of confidence rebuilt.

In 2020, Pivot had 49 staff. Today we have more than 180 teachers and support staff working with one shared purpose. Families and local authorities believe in our approach because they see it working. That growth is carried by our people.

Our Outcomes & Impact The 2030 Charter

What we stand for.

Positive. Resilient. Different. Passionate. Collaborative.

Our values are not on a wall. They are in every conversation, every classroom decision, every moment a staff member notices what someone else might miss.

Here, people are not part of the work. They are the work.

Our Approach

Positive

We help change things for the better.
We embrace challenge and change. We say yes when others say no. We make the impossible possible.

Resilient

We never give up.
We keep pushing forward together through hard times.
We get back up however many times we fall.

Different

Different is our normal.
We choose our own path.
We are proud of what we are.
Our differences make us more.

Passionate

We believe in better futures for all children.
We are not afraid to challenge each other.
We inspire those around us.
We give our all.

Collaborative

We are stronger together.
We don’t have to do it alone.
We can rely on each other.
We keep our promises.

Stories that shape us.

The children who come to Pivot carry different stories. They share one truth: they deserve belief.

"It's a place where you can be yourself and still learn."

When Reggie first came to Pivot, he did not go in full time. School had been difficult, and he was not used to being there every day. Staff understood that straight away. They did not push too much, they supported him and helped him build up slowly. Over time, things changed.

 

Reggie, current learner

Our Outcomes & Impact

"For the first time, it feels like everything is going to be okay."

When Pivot was first mentioned to Dawn’s family, they were unsure. When they visited, everything changed. Her daughter now attends full time. She is happy. She wants to be there. The impact on the family has been incredible.

 

Dawn, parent

Our Outcomes & Impact

"It's the place that helped me believe in myself again."

Millie did not like her mainstream school. She did not feel listened to. After a couple of weeks at Pivot, everything changed. The lessons were engaging, the staff listened, and for the first time she felt like she could be herself. Now she is at college studying animal care, something she loves.

 

Millie, former learner

Our Outcomes & Impact

Recognised for what we do.

Recognition is welcome. But what matters most is the moment a young person says: I felt I was in the right place.

Both Pivot Leeds and Pivot Kirklees have been awarded ‘Significant Strength in Leadership and Management’, the highest grading available under ISI inspection. Pivot also holds the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health Gold Award and has been recognised in the Ward Hadaway Fastest 50.

View Inspection Reports

Interested in joining the Pivot team?

A place where you are supported to grow, not just do the job.

We invest in our people through funded qualifications, leadership development, mentoring and dedicated wellbeing support. Since 2020 we have grown from 49 to 180+ staff. That growth is carried by the people who join us.

 

“It’s a place where you’re supported to grow, not just do the job.”

Abby, Learning and Behaviour Mentor → Teaching Apprentice, Pivot Group

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