Brittney trained with United Teaching, and is now Assistant Subject Leader for Humanities and Subject Leader for Geography at Paddington Academy. She tells us her story:

What did you do before you joined United Teaching?

I had just graduated from university and was keen to become a teacher. I got experience working in a number of schools and had a job as a cover teaching assistant before coming to United Teaching.

Why did you join United Teaching?

A friend had been on the teaching scheme with United Teaching the year before and recommended it to me.

What was the highlight of your training?

Passing my final observation – all of my hard work paid off!

Tell us about your current role.

I am still working at my original placement school, at Paddington Academy, and am now Assistant Subject Leader of Humanities and Subject Leader of Geography. I’ve been leading the Geography department through a very transitional period over the last year and a half, with the new A Level, GCSE and significant changes to KS3. This year, through starting Assistant Subject Leader for Humanities, I’ve been line-managing Sociology and Law. I really enjoy the long-term planning aspect of my job and supporting new trainees in their development as teachers.

Why would you recommend your school and United Teaching to someone else?

The level of support. During my training my mentor was amazing, and still is a great source of support for me to this day. I also had a number of other people to lean on during this time. Furthermore, my department as a whole are an incredibly supportive group, who always work together. I would recommended others to United Teaching.

What advice would you give people considering teaching as a career?

Not to go in half-hearted. You need to throw yourself in, and always be open minded.

Why should someone reading this become a teacher?

It’s never dull! Students are always unpredictable, but being a teacher is a constant cycle of learning new things through CPD and meeting and discussing with others about how to teach a new concept or idea.