Secret Teacher: Issue 85

Education, education, education! In 1997, as I sat worry-free in the careers office at my college, Tony Blair’s words played over and over in my mind. Blair had just promised to make the British state education system the envy of the world, a place where parents would choose to send their children rather than paying for private education. That aspiration and ambition struck a chord with me and, inspired by this call to arms, I decided to become a teacher and change the world.

Three years later, I took up my first post full of hope and enthusiasm. All my dreams were met as funding continued to be poured into education. The young assistant head teacher told us to take risks in our teaching and to embrace change. We were encouraged to break away from the old way of learning, creating activities tailored to students’ abilities and choosing works that captured their imaginations.