CASE STUDY

Ruth Horsefield School Direct Secondary English trainee Class of 2019/20

Destination: NQT at Outwood Acklam Placement 1: Outwood Academy Placement 2:

Since I was a teenager, I always wanted to follow in my parents’ footsteps and become a teacher. My parents were so passionate about education and it was evident that they enjoyed going to work. In 2010, I became a Teaching Assistant and I instantly fell in love with working in education. As the years went by, I decided to follow my dream of becoming an English Teacher. Because I was working for an Outwood Academy as a TA, I enquired about their training programme and found that it suited me perfectly. The opportunity to work within Outwood Grange Academies Trust whilst at the same time studying at Durham University was one to not turn down!

My experience so far has been amazing, and I am so glad I took the plunge!

Emma Tate and the Teach North team are so supportive and they are always there if you need help or a general chat. Teach North provides fantastic opportunities for continuing professional development, which I have found to be valuable in my training.

I found my experiences in my two placements fulfilling as I was able to appreciate how different schools are tailored to suit the students’ needs and their community. My mentors have been accommodating and they are always there to help and advise. My subject lecturer at Durham University has taught me a lot about teaching and working in education, as well as always being available if I ever need her.

My advice for any trainees is to not doubt yourself! There will be days when it might be tough, but you are training and doing an amazing job! Never be afraid to ask for help or to say you are struggling with a topic or class. Your mentors and staff in the department are there to help!

Finally, just enjoy it! It will be a very busy year, but the laughs and rewarding feelings you will have outweighs it all.

Good luck future trainees!

Feeling Inspired? Start your journey to a career in teaching with the OIE School Direct programme! For more information please visit www.TeachNorth.com or email [email protected]