A Change in direction

So after fourteen years of teaching in the primary classroom, I have decided to pursue something which has driven me throughout my career. In my previous teaching post I was Assistant Headteacher at a wonderful school in Oldham - a school with a fantastic team and lovely children. I’ve worked in several schools, each providing me with different experiences and the opportunity to learn about children across a range of contexts. But one thing that I have always worked really hard at is doing my best to support others. When I reflect on what I have achieved over the last decade, most of what I count as success comes down to two things: the impact I have had on the children I have taught and the impact I have had on the staff I have worked with. Life is all about connections, whether they are intentional or by accident, and I have met some wonderful children and adults through working in primary schools and this is how I measure my success.

I have decided to take a risk. My wife is a Head of Academy and we have two young children. You can imagine the conversations my wife and I have working within the same profession - its great for bouncing ideas around but frustrating when we disagree on the specifics of how things ‘should’ be done. You can also imagine the games that we have to play with our two daughters when they come home from school - playing ‘teachers’ both at work and at home can feel relentless! The risk I am taking though is one that is right for me now. It is more of an opportunity. It is an opportunity that fits me. It is one that fits my family. And I hope that it is one that others can benefit from by making use of my experiences and knowledge of teaching and the curriculum.

Setting up this website is part of that opportunity. I will be developing publications and training courses through Focus Education, a wonderful company based in the North West, and the links to these you can find on my website. Without Focus, it wouldn’t be possible for me to be doing this. They have been a massive support. It again comes down to the impact we have on people, and meeting Clive Davies around four years ago has had a massive impact on me.

I have a million ideas bouncing around my head. Different ways I can support teachers and staff in schools. Courses that would be useful and publications that can be used to support curriculum developments. Part of my plan for this website is to produce short video clips that can be used to support the teaching of key knowledge and concepts in foundation subjects, starting with History. I look forward to receiving feedback on how useful they are.

These are just my opening thoughts on a journey I am about to embark on. It is a risk. It is an opportunity. It is an adventure that I am hoping many of you will follow me on so that together we can continue to impact the children we teach in a positive and purposeful way. Teaching is a tough job, tougher than people who are not in it often realise, and I hope to make it a little bit easier for those of you still working hard within our education system!