Reading is of my biggest passions, not just in teaching children the skills to read but also encouraging them to find the books, poems and stories that inspire and excite them. At St Thomas, we’ve developed a reading ladder that exposes children to a variety of genres and characters, allowing them to learn about others and build empathy but also to see themselves inside stories and feel that sense of being seen and belonging. I am so grateful to work alongside an amazing team who all prioritise a school culture based on a love of books. We enjoy celebrating big things like parent reading events, author visits and World Book Day, but more importantly, we all love talking about books and supporting children to build the will and skills to read for knowledge and pleasure.

In addition to leading English across the school, I also lead our Oracy programme with Voice21. I have enjoyed this challenge immensely, learning so much about the importance of speaking and listening and developing this as a priority at St Thomas. In a short time, we have seen an amazing increase in listening skills and justifying reasons through speaking in our children. I absolutely love leading our oracy assemblies and seeing children grow in confidence to share their ideas.

Most importantly, I love being in my Year 2 classroom. Aside from English, I especially love teaching maths, history and DT. We love class trips, listening to music, celebrating each others’ achievements and making sure everyone in our classroom is included and cared for. Getting to know the children and their interests, seeing the progress they make and helping make learning fun for them is the most rewarding feeling. I feel so grateful to be a part of their school journeys!”

Kathryn’s head teacher said “Going the extra mile, a ray of sunshine, a champion for children are just a few of the qualities which Mrs Morgan possesses. She not only teachers her Year 2 class but leads whole school initiatives: Early Reading, English, Voice 21 and ITT coordinator. Whilst the school’s Deputy has been on maternity leave she has also taken on extra responsibility supporting the Headteacher – one of those teachers who lights up the school with her presence (and her playlists before school are always welcome!) Mrs Morgan is passionate about every pupil in the school developing a love of reading for pleasure and leads parent workshops and regular CPD for the whole school staff. Her boundless energy and enthusiasm are best seen at playtimes as she charges around the playground playing ‘Pacman’ surrounded by beaming children. Every school needs a Mrs Morgan!”

Give a little background about your teaching career so far – how many years teaching, schools, age groups, subject specialisms, leadership roles…
I will be entering my first year of teaching after training but have been involved with education since 2016. I have trained with year 5, year 6 and year 2 during training, but have worked with every age group within primary school across 5 different primary schools.

Why did you want to be a teacher?
As a former Pupil Premium child and a child who did not appreciate or enjoy school myself, I was inspired by teachers who made a real effort to support me and were able to show me what education should be like and I feel as though I can make a real difference in supporting other children in doing the same, but particularly children experiencing the same difficulties I once did. 

Why did you choose Exeter Consortium Schools’ Alliance as your training provider?
As a kinaesthetic learner, I required a more hands-on approach to training and Exeter Consortium offered that. I was able to learn quickly through the school centred approach and being in placement across the whole year was essential in developing me as a teacher. I believe that it is only useful to learn pedagogical principles if you are actively using them consistently which Exeter Consortium’s approach allowed me to do. 

What were your favourite aspects of the course?
The high exposure to realistic, day to day teaching throughout the entire year, the high-quality teaching provided by current and experienced teachers during training days and the support given by the leadership team and other trainees.

Did you find Exeter Consortium to be supportive and welcoming?
Exeter Consortium were fantastic in their warm and welcoming approach. As a potential trainee prior to my interview, they made me feel at ease and comfortable. As a student, I always felt supported, concerns were addressed promptly, and my achievements were always celebrated regardless of how small they were. 

Exeter Consortium strive to be inclusive and committed to equal opportunities. Are you able to comment on any way in which you found this to be the case?
As a male student teacher, it can feel daunting stepping into a career that has a very low percentage of male presence. But with Exeter Consortium, I was never treated differently as a male but equally never received any preferential treatment above any of my female colleagues. As student teachers, we all received equal treatment and opportunity. 

Describe your time training to teach in three words:
Engaging, emotional, valuable 

What advice would you give to prospective trainee teachers?
Approach everything with an open mind, immerse yourself in the year, never be afraid to ask questions, take risks, be reflective and most importantly, celebrate every win. There will be difficult times, but instead of dwelling on them, use them as a method of development. Do not let your work become your life, you need time to be you so make free time non-negotiable.

If there is anything else you want to add, or tell us about your experiences so far or aspirations for the future, please do!
I hope to one day work into a leadership position, possibly even into a headteacher role. I feel like Exeter Consortium have given me the starting skills needed to one day make that a reality.