Earlier in my career, I was an environmental manager working on large construction projects. During that time, I witnessed first-hand how some smart, hardworking individuals had their life choices limited due to a lack of support during their time in education. Their school experience bred a reluctance to undertake career-progressive training as an adult, so were unable to progress and thrive in their work. Yet something about these experiences of working with them didn’t sit right with my values: no one deserves to believe that they are “thick”, that low-skilled jobs were “just what people like them do”, and be too afraid of trying to learn as an adult. Surely, they should have had an advocate for them to help them access the tools they needed to give them better options in life than the ones seemingly allocated to them by circumstance, and have a passion for lifelong learning..?
I later joined King’s Warrington as a Teaching Scholar with a view to join a team who strive to make an impact to the life chances of children: to ensure they are equipped with the skills to last them in life and to succeed, irrespective of their challenges. I was drawn to King's Leadership Academy as the ASPIRE values resonates with my own beliefs, as I continue to develop my learning in Leadership theory and now, as a parent, child development. In particular, I am fascinated by the developments and studies that have brought us closer to understanding neurodiversity in education and believe that such differences are to be celebrated.
Over time I took on responsibilities as the Access Arrangement Coordinator. In this role I focus on making academic resources and examinations accessible and equitable for EAL, SEND and other pupils with a diverse range of needs, whilst ensuring that the examination rules set out by the examining bodies are adhered to.
Some may see secondary education as a means to help an individual to interpret an examination question to earn them a qualification, but the leadership emphasis here at King's also enables them to understand the rights, expectations and responsibilities of themselves and others as they make their way in the world. My aim is to help foster a life-long love for learning in all of our pupils, who feel confident to undertake challenges in life.