What the teachers say

I have been at WDCPS for one and a half years now. During my time here I have had several roles, my main one being the Foundation Stage Co-ordinator. I have also assisted the head and acted as a SENCO for Key stage one and The Foundation Stage. Since October 2003 I have been in year three, where I am still co-ordinating the Foundation Stage. I am also a teacher governor.

I applied for my job here because of the close location to central London and also because I had worked in a similar kind of school before and found it very rewarding. I was looking forward t a new challenge.

Teaching at the school has been very rewarding even though it can be challenging at times. We try not to lose the fun! At the heart of what we do though, we always remember the child and strive towards providing them with the best education possible.

I have learnt so much from working at WDCPS. One of the key things it has taught me though is about management skills and the role of a SENCO. I have also learnt much about teaching the National Curriculum, especially in Key Stage 2, as this has been my first time teaching it in nearly five years of teaching! That has certainly been interesting, but I have enjoyed the new challenge.

The school has given me many opportunities during my short time here. I have been very well supported in the development of my own management skills both by staff within the school and external bodies. Particularly, I feel I have been very well supported by the Headteacher in my roles. I have also been given opportunities to lead new developments in the Foundation Stage, such as the development of new planning, outdoor areas and daily routines. I have also been given the opportunity to develop completely new skills such as becoming acting SENCO for a year for KS 1 and the Foundation Stage. Last October I made a jump from the Nursery to Year three and I have been on a steep learning curve there as I had only ever taught the Curriculum Guidelines for the Foundation Stage! It has proved to be rewarding and a new challenge which has helped to keep me motivated and focussed. All the staff have supported me in this transition.

The school has great facilities. It has more computers than any other school I have been in- two ICT suites with interactive white boards and every class has at least one computer. Two large halls with good PE equipment. One hall has fantastic stage equipment so very professional plays are put on by the children. Also we have several teaching areas for smaller groups of children to go to, and recently the library has just been well equipped. Also, nearly all the classrooms have been painted in the past year!

The school has high aspirations and each member of staff works towards these. It aims for all children to receive a broad and balanced curriculum and ensures that every lesson delivered is good or better. It aims to provide a stable environment for our children, who quite often have an unstable life outside of school, and wants what is best for them, so they can be successful in the future.

I see the school continually improving in the future with all members of the staff being committed to this. The staff will continue to set themselves new challenges and will work to achieve these for the benefit of the children who are at the heart of everything the school does.

I joined the school as a Year 1 teacher in September 2002. As I was newly qualified, I naturally had some worries but these were short lived as the school has a very supportive NQT induction programme. Whilst I was an NQT I attended many courses that helped my classroom practice develop, which included training in the RML programme.

At the end of my first year I took the leap to Year 6, which is where I still teach now. I also took the role as music coordinator at this time allowing me, for the first time, to manage a budget and arrange staff training, something that is essential for teachers who wish to develop their management skills.

In March 2003 my hard work was recognised and I was nominated for ‘Outstanding New Teacher of the Year’ at the biannual Learning Trust awards and was thrilled when I learned that I had won the award. Later that year myself and the Head Teacher wrote a school production for the year 6 leavers, which was another valuable and rewarding experience.

I was offered to take the position of Senior Teacher in July 2004. This was a big challenge, but again, I was inducted into my new post and quickly felt very confident, I now have excellent knowledge of the OFSTED teaching criteria and regularly observe lessons and give demo lessons for less experienced teachers.

The school is dedicated to the continuous professional development of its staff, which has recently included training in basic and intermediate use of Microsoft Office. Every class in Key Stages 1 and 2 have interactive whiteboards, a tool that I would now find difficult to do without.

I am now in my fourth year at Woodberry Down and I have, so far, been Music Coordinator, Senior Teacher, Gifted and Talented Coordinator, ICT Coordinator and a Teacher Governor; at the age of 24, this proves that Woodberry Down really does provide many exciting opportunities for its staff!