Helping young children to learn highland dancing sparked my interest in working with
children as I found it fulfilling watching them progress and improve. To ensure this was the career I wanted to pursue, I arranged to carry out work experience at my local primary school. This was an extremely rewarding experience and informed me of exactly what it takes to be a successful teacher. Working alongside my old teachers reminded me how much of a positive impact you can have on a child’s life.

Before I left for university, I was volunteering with my local Brownie unit. This allowed me to take charge of activities and instruct the girls how to complete them in order to earn their badges. I have learned that children find it easier to engage through being creative, playing games and singing and assisting at the Brownies helped me to realise this and to gain the skills to implement it.

Coming from a rural and deprived area, children with additional support needs are not always given the help they need to thrive in school. I was involved in a Lego group programme that allowed children to escape the classroom environment and to have the ability to open up about
any issues they are facing. I saw how this helped their confidence but also improved
their work completed in classes. This is something I want to continue with throughout my career to ensure that all children get the same opportunities in education.