Current teaching position

Literacy Co-ordinator (Curriculum Access Lead) and teacher at Wigston Academy for 20 of my 21 years in teaching.

​

Previous teaching experience

Assistant Head of Year, Head of Year, Careers lead, PSCHE lead, part of the school's research team.  Member of the Chartered College and have an NPQ in Leading Literacy.

​

1. Best thing about teaching?
The people I work with, which includes both the students and the teachers.
 

2. Best city you've ever visited/lived in?
The best city I have ever visited is Edinburgh. Lovely city and lots of history.
 

3. A song you listen to when happy/sad?
My happy song, or rather one of them, is It’s a Beautiful Day, by Michael Buble - don’t think that’s how you spell it. And song to listen to when I am feeling down is Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey.
 

4. Biggest education inspiration?
My biggest educational inspiration was a primary school teacher called Phil Fox. He was loved by so many that when he died, over 300 ex students turned up to his funeral. You couldn’t fit them all in to the service.
 

5. Describe your TTR shows in one sentence:
My shows are mainly literacy-focused but with also a hint of a teacher’s point of view and a smidgen of help for all teachers.
 

6. Favourite TTR guest (on one of your shows):
My favourite guest has been all of them. Alice Visser-Furay is someone I admire greatly and gave me so much to think about, Kieran Larwood is one of my favourite authors so I was a bit star struck but what a great conversation. Rachel and Bridget were amazing guests and I gained so much from listening to them. Will Teece had some amazing insights and points that I have taken to my own school SLT. Shelley gave me loads of inspiration for my own school literacy projects and Izzy was just a pleasure to talk to and had lots of great points. So everyone I’ve had have been my favourite. Sorry.
 

7. Favourite TTR episode (of yours) so far and why?
My favourite TTR episode was the episode with Kieran Larwood, because I was a little star struck and he was great to talk to and it was an amazing to talk to someone whose books I love so much. I’d like to do another with Kieran on writing at some point.
 

8. Your teaching philosophy?
Never give up on someone, no matter what happens.
 

9. Best bit of advice you ever got?
Stick to what you say and, therefore, watch what you say.
 

10. Dream guest on your TTR show?
Doug Lemov - just to ask about his wealth of experience looking at different teaching techniques. However, if it was a dream guest, as in anyone from any time, it would be Martin Luther King Jnr. Just to sit and chat to him about his work, experiences, writing, oracy…dreamland!