How long have you been teaching and what subjects have you taught?

I have been in education in the UK for over 16 years with a further 2 and a half years teaching English as a Foreign Language abroad in Nepal and South Korea.

I spent 7 years in KS1 and KS2 as Literacy Coordinator. I then moved to Secondary and spent 4 years teaching KS3 and KS4, including GCSE English. I was Literacy and Transition Coordinator during that time. Finally, I moved to Secondary SEN and have been a Deputy Headteacher for over 5 years leading Teaching and Learning; making decisions on curriculum, assessment, policy, CPD and overseeing the monitoring and tracking of progress.

This cross phase experience has given me a unique insight into the journey of a learner and, in particular, the kinds of barriers to learning which young people can encounter.

 

What do you enjoy the most about teaching?

To see young people discover their strengths and develop their interests, especially out of the classroom, is always a joy. To forge relationships in a pastoral setting is inspiring and often surprising, as they discover and demonstrate skills they didn’t realise they have.

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What three words would you use to describe yourself as a teacher?

​Patient, flexible, intuitive.