Welcome to the trainee teachers who are just starting their placements at Brooke Weston as part of the School Direct programme. The year-long course combines university study and school experience and successful candidates will be awarded a PGCE qualification next summer.
The trainees, specialising in English, maths, science, French and history, are a mix of recent undergraduates and those who have had jobs in other sectors but who want a career change to teaching.
Rachel Johnson, Frankie Macleod and Rebecca Liquorish are joining the English department. Victoria Leonard will be working in Modern Foreign Languages and Lewis Holdcroft is in Humanities. Hari Mistry is in the Maths department while Hannah Sneddon will be teaching chemistry.
Both Frankie and Hannah are already familiar with Brooke Weston as they are former students while the others chose to apply for the School Direct programme here because of the Academy’s reputation.
Rachel said: ‘I think this is a brilliant school. I love the ethos, I love the pace. The staff members that I have met are exceptional who believe passionately in what they do. The induction has been good and I have been looked after at Brooke every step of the way.’
Hannah said: ‘I chose Brooke because it feels like coming home. I thought it would be really interesting to see things from the other side because obviously I saw it as a student and now things have come full circle. I was lucky enough to have some amazing science teachers. I think it is really sad because so many students say they don’t like science and I want to make them excited about the subject.’
The trainees will teach for two placements at Brooke Weston and have a further placement at another school in the Trust. Mr Glesinger has led the two-week induction programme for the trainees. He said: ‘Up to now the trainees have had university studies and this is their first opportunity to get in front of real students in a classroom situation and teach. It is an exciting but nerve-wracking time for them and we are offering as much support and advice as possible. Our newest colleagues have received a warm welcome from their respective departments and I am sure we will see them progress rapidly in their professional practice.’