“I was attracted to a career in teaching because I wanted to make a difference to the lives of young people and contribute towards their future. During my school career, I observed (as a pupil and a teacher), that Headteachers can make an immense impact on the culture, ethos and success of a school and as a result, changing the lives of the pupils within it.
“The job is not without challenges: the role involves elements I did not expect such as health and safety, facilities and personnel. The most significant learning was how to balance different priorities to support the ‘bigger picture’, and to consider the strategic priorities of the school at every level of the job. As a result, I developed a new school mission and vision.
“My advice to any teacher considering the next steps into senior management would be to take the chance and not to wait until you ‘feel ready’, as the reality is everything is a learning journey and there will always be further improvement to be made.”