Getting Started

Let me start by introducing myself, I am (finally) a Primary school teacher in Kent. This is my third teaching role since graduating university in 2010.

I don’t know about you, but when I first qualified, I did not know how hard it would be to find a job, let alone know how to be any good at it!

My first job was promised to be a pioneering experience in which I would teach academically struggling students their secondary curriculum in a primary manner, i.e. teaching them all day every day in the same classroom. When I arrived, ready to start my induction, there was no such job available. I was then asked if I wanted to be a Maths teacher. As an NQT, who trained in Primary, I’m not sure why I agreed to this. A number of factors probably came into play; 1) it was July and desperation to find a job was beginning to set in, 2) they were offering to help me pass my NQT year, 3) the team I had already met seemed to be very supportive.

My NQT year slowly passed and at the end of it, the original promised teaching role, as mentioned above, was ready for me to take. With a team of 3 other Primary trained teachers, we took on this challenge. Unfortunately, such a scheme was in its infancy and it ended up not suiting me. It was in October 2012 that I started looking for a teaching role in a Primary school.

Once again I was looking for a job, just like many millennials, writing to as many schools as there were looking for a teacher. It was from this process that I got a job at a primary school, as a maternity cover.  This was a great experience and it completely reaffirmed my passion for teaching. Sadly this job came to an end last July so I was back on the job hunt from May 2013.

I do not mind telling you, that this time, it wasn’t so easy. So many schools were looking for such specific talent, from a flutist to a bilingual biology specialist, meant that I wasn’t getting a look in.

I got my current position through the most gruelling interview process yet. I had to prepare two lessons, one maths for Year 3 and anything for Year 6. Talk about vague. I also had to prepare two presentations, one about me and one about my chosen pedagogy. As well as this, I had an interview with a student panel and an interview with the Head and the governors. I left this interview thinking I certainly didn’t get the job because I got sassy when asked why I am unique and they argued with me. However, that night, I got the phone call that told me I was finally a permanent primary school teacher.

I’d like to thank my sass!

Primary School Teacher in East Kent

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