It is almost unbelievable for me to realise that I am approaching my third decade in education. Due to excellent teaching (my teacher was at my wedding) I was inspired to teach. I have served in various roles in three previous schools, both academically and pastorally. In the 1990s, I loved studying at Leeds for both my first degree and my Masters. Between my two degrees I was blessed to be asked to be part of a church leadership programme in India. This brought together young people from across the globe to explore the meaning, relevance and purpose of faith.
My Masters subject was Religion in the Modern World, a topic that still is of great interest to me. Perhaps there is a PhD in me at some point! After this, I took a year out to serve as a Programme Assistant for The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in their Brussels office. We worked alongside other NGOS to promote just and peaceful solutions to issues affecting Europe and its relationships with the rest of the world. After Brussels, I studied for my PGCE at Birmingham University, training in what was the UK's biggest secondary school at the time. That really opened my eyes to a lot of life issues and the impact they have on young people
Westbrook Hay is my fourth school; I was previously at Tring Park and enjoy saying that I taught Lily James, Daisy Ridley and ... Peppa Pig. Added to that now is Evie Templeton who is the striking character of Agnes in the Netflix's hit Wednesday. Now is time for something new and I was delighted to see the Head of Humanities role on offer. In modern parlance, I am a bit of an "education geek". in terms of loving the process of understanding how pupils learn best and, especially, overcome any challenges. The role seemed like a good fit, my friends praised Westbrook Hay to the gunnels and it felt "right" from the moment I entered the building on interview day.
I am very much looking forward to exploring the History and RS curricula with my pupils. I think my subjects help with three key things. Firstly, it can help them understand more about themselves and help them reflect on their own values, morals and ethics. Secondly, by studying the past, there is the hope that our pupils gain not only knowledge but also insights to help them in the future. Lastly, these subjects also give our Westbrook Hay cohort the opportunity to acquire and improve on many of the essential skills
(thinking critically, presenting cohesive arguments, assessing pros and cons etc) which have been identified as a priority by further and higher education providers as well as employers. Westbrook Hay's expansion into GCSE makes this a really great year to join and help with this process.