What was your path into teaching?

I began my career as a teaching assistant before going on to complete my PGCE. I joined West Thornton in 2017 for my NQT year and have been part of the school ever since.

What teaching jobs did you have before joining West Thornton?

Before joining West Thornton, I worked at a small primary school in Tooting as a teaching assistant and trainee student teacher. This gave me valuable experience in the classroom and helped develop my passion for teaching.

What roles have you had at West Thornton?

During my time at West Thornton, I have gained experience across both KS1 and KS2. I taught in Year 1 for four years, spent two years teaching Year 5, and am now in my fourth year working in Year 6. Alongside my classroom teaching, I have mentored student teachers and ECTs and I am the subject leader for reading. I have also co-led a reading working party and a trust-wide reading network hub, giving me opportunities to collaborate with colleagues across the Partnership and contribute to the development of reading across our schools.

What do you love about your job?

I love that every day brings new challenges and opportunities, and I find working with young people incredibly rewarding. Seeing those lightbulb moments, when a concept finally clicks and a child gains a new understanding or confidence, is one of the best feelings and a constant source of motivation. I also really enjoy working collaboratively with other teachers, particularly when planning, developing our curriculum and creating high-quality resources. I love having a job that is never monotonous and always keeps me learning and developing as a practitioner. I feel incredibly lucky to come to work each day doing something I genuinely love.

What is special about West Thornton Primary School?

West Thornton has a really strong sense of community. From our staff and pupils to the families we work with, there is a genuine sense that we support one another and work together to give our children the best possible opportunities. Our teachers have a real sense of care and responsibility for the children they work with, and this is reflected in the relationships we build across the school. Our staff are friendly, approachable and supportive, and there is a real culture of kindness, mutual respect and looking out for one another. We also know how important it is to have a sense of humour and enjoy working together. Our fantastic social team does a brilliant job of organising events that bring everyone together and strengthen the sense of community among staff.

How does Inspire Partnership support the school and/or you?

Inspire Partnership provides valuable opportunities for collaboration and professional development across its schools. Through trust-wide working parties and network hubs, we can share best practice, exchange ideas and resources and learn from one another's expertise. This helps us to continually develop our teaching practice and curriculum, ensuring we provide the best possible opportunities and outcomes for our pupils.

The trust is also proactive in developing initiatives that enrich children's learning experiences. For example, the development of our Reading Canon has been a fantastic way to inspire a love of reading and ensure that children have access to a rich and varied range of high-quality texts. It has been wonderful to see how these initiatives can engage pupils and support teachers in bringing the curriculum to life.

I also really value the opportunities for continuous professional development through trust-wide training and collaboration. Working alongside colleagues from different schools allows us to share experiences, develop our expertise and bring new ideas back into our own classrooms. This culture of collaboration and ongoing development helps me to continue growing as a teacher and subject leader.

What is the achievement you are proudest of?

I am particularly proud of how I have developed as a practitioner, especially through my experience of teaching Year 6. Over the past three years, our Year 6 team and I have worked hard to raise pupil attainment, which has been reflected in our fantastic end-of-KS2 results. These results are a testament to the dedication and hard work of both our pupils and staff, and it is incredibly rewarding to know that we have helped prepare our children with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to succeed as they move on to secondary school.

I am also incredibly proud of the work we have accomplished through the reading working party over the past two years. One of our key achievements has been developing our comprehension booklets, which provide teachers with high-quality, ready-to-use resources that support pupil learning while also reducing workload. It has been rewarding to contribute to something that has had a positive impact beyond my own classroom and can be used by colleagues across the Partnership.

Another highlight has been the relaunch of our Reading Canon last year. It was wonderful to see how engaged and enthusiastic our children were during the selection process, and the collection has since provided teachers with an excellent range of texts to share during end-of-day story times, helping to nurture children's enjoyment of reading.

Looking ahead, I would love to continue developing my practice and contributing more widely to curriculum development and teaching and learning. I am keen to build on the experience I have gained through classroom teaching, subject leadership and trust-wide collaboration, taking on further opportunities to work alongside colleagues, share expertise and help secure the best possible outcomes for our pupils. I really value the support and opportunities provided by West Thornton and Inspire Partnership in helping me to continue growing professionally.

What else makes a difference to your work-life happiness?

Having colleagues who are approachable, kind and genuinely care about one another makes a huge difference to my experience at work. It is a real pleasure to be part of a team where you feel supported, valued and motivated to work towards a shared goal. Teaching can be challenging at times, so having colleagues you can turn to for advice, encouragement or simply a conversation on a difficult day is incredibly important. There is a genuine sense that you are never on your own and that people are willing to help and support one another. This positive and collaborative culture makes coming to work something I look forward to and has played a huge part in making my time at West Thornton so rewarding.