What’s the best thing about teaching?
The children. They make me smile and laugh every day. It's a real privilege to be able to influence young people at the most crucial stage of their life.
Why did you decide to enter teaching?
I knew I wanted to be a teacher from the age of seven.
I just thrived in the school environment. I thought of it as an incredibly safe place. I remember the time I learned that compulsory education finished at 16 and I panicked. I realised I had always assumed that I would be forever in school – so I chose a career that meant I could be! I was also incredibly sporty so a PE teacher was my dream job.
The unexpected change in my career happened after my NQT year when I realised that being a PE teacher would not be enough of a challenge for me, and for me to remain in education I would need more of a challenge; hence why I progressed into a career in leadership.
What’s been your proudest moment in teaching?
I think I have one of these moments every year when we say goodbye to our Year 11s. There's always one student that you know you've made a massive difference in their life. I think it's such an honour to be able to influence children and prepare them for their futures.
I find that even more rewarding now being in special ed. We have a song that we sing at the end of the summer term 'One more step along the world I go'. It's always such a poignant moment and there's never a dry eye in the house (including mine).
What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your teaching career?
My previous school decided to introduce a new behaviour system called Ready to Learn. As the behaviour lead I didn't agree with this system.
Although it was very good for those children for whom behaviour was a choice, I believe the system excluded those children with more difficult home lives and those whose SEND conditions meant they had a more chaotic learning approach. I had to man the isolation room and all I saw were pupil premium children and SEND children in isolation day after day. Sometimes the two strikes were for forgetting their pen!
I decided that I couldn't be the lead of a system I didn't believe in, and I decided to look for schools that put the children’s education first; that didn't exclude but included children and who believed that all behaviour is communication. I found that ethos in the special ed sector.
What celebrity best represents you as a teacher in the classroom and why?
Sue Perkins. I think she is very honest, funny and can talk quickly!
What do you use Tes for?
In the past I flicked through Tes looking for jobs. Even if I wasn’t interested in the jobs, viewing them gave a perspective of what roles were out there. It's also useful to let your boss catch you looking at Tes – just to keep them on their toes!
Over the years I've enjoyed a close working relationship with Tes, often writing articles and offering an SEND perspective to editors.
What has using Tes helped/enabled/encouraged you to do?
I always think Tes gives a very uplifting view on education. Articles are interesting and solution focused and give you names and ideas of people who are doing things well or differently in education.
If you were telling a friend about Tes, what would you say?
Read it. I think it's very valuable for keeping a handle on what's going on in the world of education. It's very easy to become inward facing as a school and being well-read regarding Tes is great for new ideas and for background research.
What’s the biggest thing you’d like Tes to help teachers with more?
I think more support on being in education as a career choice. More articles on pensions, being part of a union, life choices within teaching, and interviews tips.
You/your school gets a million pounds. What do you spend it on?
I would build more SEND school places.
I think we as a school offer an excellent provision – I just wish that we could offer that quality of education to more children. I know how parents with children with SEND have to struggle and fight their whole lives to get a high quality provision that meets their needs.
One piece of advice or top tip you’d give someone just entering teaching today?
Make sure it's the right job for you. Teaching is the best job in the world, if you're suited to it! If it isn’t for you, get out. You're not doing yourself or the children any favours by staying in a job that you aren’t 100% invested in it.
