From September 2025, Co-op Academy Florence MacWilliams will open its doors to a brand-new, state-of-the-art school building – with room to grow to 1,150 students by 2030.

As a growing school, Florence is a unique and exciting place to train. Our founding students benefit from a strong school culture, where staff know every child and their family. You'll join a close-knit team that's shaping something special – right from the start.

We believe every child can be knowledgeable, articulate and successful. Our dedicated staff work side-by-side with students to build pride, ambition, care and excellence – not just for themselves, but for their school and their city too.

This is more than just a placement. It’s your chance to be part of something new, with support from experienced colleagues and the wider Co-op Academies Trust.

Co-op Academies Trust believes in changing the lives of young people through empowering teachers and young people to work together for a better education and a better community.

The Trust brings together expertise from across Primary, Secondary, Special and Further Education in an aim to promote excellence in all aspects of education.

Our provision is a combination of practical training, both within and outside of the classroom; a proactive and evidence-informed curriculum to build your pedagogical and subject knowledge with a further academic focus provided by university professionals. Our courses offer Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) accredited by Bright Futures SCITT, part of the Bright Futures Teaching School Hub as well as a Masters Level Qualification through the Postgraduate Certificate in Education awarded by The University of Derby (PGCE with 60 Masters Credits).

As a Trainee Teacher with Co-op Academies, you can immerse yourself in school life from day one and join a team of staff committed to delivering the highest quality learning and teaching to children across our Trust. 

If you are keen to learn from a range of professionals currently in a full time role within our placement schools, then our school-led training is the route for you. Your mentors, teachers and Specialist Leaders of Education (SLEs) will support you fully, using innovative training to enable you to become a resilient, successful teacher. 

• A curriculum that grows with you, through three phases: Introductory, Developmental and Consolidation

• Weekly Learn, Explore, Apply reflection tasks – linking theory to practice

• Professional studies to boost your confidence in behaviour, planning, assessment, and SEND

• Intensive training weeks focused on things like questioning, clarity and scaffolding

• Experience across mainstream, alternative and SEND settings – plus out-of-phase experience (e.g. primary trainees spend time in secondary)