Alan’s story

Choosing School Direct was a simple option for me. I have been fortunate enough to have worked in and out of education for the past 10 years and as a result, the School Direct programme seemed ideal to meet my needs. Getting this hands on approach straight from the off has been invaluable to my training and I would recommend anyone with any experience in education already to go for it.

The CTA have been very supportive throughout my training and I have been welcomed with open arms. The culture that has been created of encouragement, support and feedback has been a great help with my training. With the knowledge that I have this great support system around me I have been able to take risks and start to define myself as a practitioner.

Having been a teacher for over 10 years outside the mainstream environment, I have never been more certain of the need for passionate and dedicated teachers to truly make a difference in the lives of students everywhere. The kids are a constant inspiration and every day brings with a new challenge. I wouldn’t change it for the world.

My highlight so far would definitely be directing an all-girl adaptation of Julius Caesar for this year’s Shakespeare’s Schools Festival. The amazing journey that the girls all went on was incredible to watch, with many a ‘Shakespeare moment’ on the way. I am so very proud of what they achieved in a very short space of time and I can honestly say it is an experience I shall never forget.

My main piece of advice for anyone thinking of training is to not believe the horror stories. Of course there are days that are tougher than others, but allowing yourself time to reflect and to evaluate exactly why you are doing this in the first place will allow you to always give the best to your students. It is only by being the best, can you give the best.

Alan, St Catherine’s School for Girls