The Howard Academy Trust

Our staff are our greatest asset, and it is with their expertise, passion and teamwork that we can work together to build a community of successful learners. Join us as we shine a spotlight on members of staff across our academies, as they share their experiences and professional journeys within a THAT academy.

"I started off 4 years ago as a Teaching Assistant, helping students across a variety of lessons. After a year, I then went into teacher training as an ECT (Early Career Teacher). I have now completed my ECT years, and am a qualified Teacher of History.

I get in for about 7am. I generally begin the day by setting up, and making sure that everything is ready for the day. For the most part, that is printing materials for KS4/KS5. I then have line-up with Year 7, followed by Morning Meeting, after which my day varies with a variety of lessons, topics and year groups that I am teaching. After school is generally focused on CPD, marking or doing admin work.

Seeing students progress and achieve is incredibly rewarding.

I have received plenty of support while at The Howard. My department has been incredible with the amount of support they have given and provided to me. They have a wealth of knowledge that is extremely useful. Leadership are very approachable, and they are more than happy to help with any problems. Everyone here at The Howard makes time for each other, and supports one another.

In relation to my ECT years, they were supportive in helping me to continue to develop my professional development. They did this through the observation of my lessons, and allowing me to observe other staff. I found this incredibly useful to witness, and it meant that I could see how key skills and techniques are developed and put into practice. The mentoring was supportive, and drove me to be the best teacher I can be for my students. Regular reviews reflected on my progress, and it was always insightful to see an honest reflection of my progress. The support I received was always helpful, and the department and my mentor supported me with any queries or concerns that I had.

For every teacher who journeys from receiving QTS into their ECT years, it gives you enormous confidence, and is a vital stepping stone to ensure that you have the right skills and toolkit to handle the variety of challenges that come with teaching.

Once a year, we have a Trust-wide conference which is handy as it allows us to meet other staff in the same subject or field and contrast our experiences. There has also been plenty of CPD and personal development opportunities. I have currently been focusing on organising and planning residential trips. Last June, I had the opportunity to go to a conference regarding A-Levels, to further enhance my knowledge and understanding of the exam board. This has proved insightful in applying to my own teaching and planning."

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