When studying my University degree I got back in touch with an old teacher from the school that I attended, Morton School. This teacher arranged for me to come back in to my school of five years to gain some experience of being in the classroom as a teacher and paired me up with numerous staff who would help my development and provide me with career advice of how to proceed.

It was through returning to my old school that I gained a place on a GTP teaching programme which enabled me to continue working at Morton Academy for my first year of the job. At the end of the year I was offered a full time contract which I accepted immediately.

Since then I have continued to grow in my role as a teacher, becoming Head of Year 10 then progressed to Year 11. The Head of Year has been a tremendous role to take on early in my teaching career and has provided me with added confidence with the faith people have placed in my ability.

I will shortly be moving in to my fourth year as a Morton Academy teacher and I plan to have many more years in my hometown school.

Michael McClelland, Teacher of ICT and Head of Year

As a trainee, you will always be given the chance to explore strategies, experiment with activities and reflect on your own teaching practice.  When I was informed that I would be carrying out part of my training at Richard Rose Morton Academy, the first thing I did was to search on Google what type of school it is.  For obvious reasons, the first point of reference is Ofsted, whose report assessed the school as ‘inadequate’.

You worry when you know that you will be sent to a school with such an assessment.  You wonder what the behaviour is like, what the expectations will be, what the teachers commitment is.  You even toy with the idea of asking to be sent to a different school.

I got an email from Mark Evans, Assistant Head of the school, arranging for me to come and visit them, meet the staff and the pupils and ultimately to have a general idea of the school. It was a sunny Monday and once I saw the place I first thought what a lovely building they have. But anyway, one thing is the box, another thing what is in it.

And what was in it? Well, lovely pupils and very friendly staff. I saw a community who deserves a better grade. Behaviour is exceptional, learning attitude is really admirable and teaching commitment is exemplary. I was looking forward to two weeks of placement at Richard Rose.

Those two weeks were a really enriching experience for me. I had strong support from Lara, the Spanish teacher who arranged all the details for my placement. Mark always spared a moment if I needed it, despite his busy agenda. And Mr Bird’s commitment as Head of the school is simply humbling - always available for staff and pupils. They work hard, they know what they want. They know they deserve much better than an ‘inadequate’.

‘So why have you been scored a 4?’ I asked. Results – that is it. The predicted grades for this year are really good. I know they will get their targets. I also know they will be inspected and they will be awarded a better score. In the eyes of a trainee and an outsider, I know that Richard Rose is way beyond a good school. Way beyond.

Felix Castrillon, Trainee Teacher