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 vision for 2030 is built on five commitments. Each one reflects what matters most.
People
People, strengthening our workforce, building a clear leadership pipeline, expanding trauma-informed training, maintaining staff retention above 90%.
Places
Places, establishing a regional hub network so every learner is within ten miles of provision that feels like home.
Partnerships
Partnerships, co-designing provision with local authorities, building reintegration routes, creating work-based learning with local employers.
Progress
Progress, improving attendance, supporting 100% of learners into confirmed destinations, expanding vocational pathways.
Sustainability
Sustainability, maintaining financial stability, embedding environmental responsibility, ensuring the Pivot model remains scalable and replicable.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We help change things for the better. We embrace challenge and change. We say yes when others say no. We make the impossible possible.
We never give up. We keep pushing forward together through hard times. We get back up however many times we fall
Different is our normal. We choose our own path. We are proud of what we are. Our differences make us more.
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.
We are stronger together. We don’t have to do it alone. We can rely on each other. We keep our promises.
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.
Interested in joining the Pivot team?
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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