Primary Alumni Spotlight: Afshan

In this case study, we hear about Afshan’s journey into teaching, focusing on her unique experience of training while balancing her responsibilities as a parent. Through her reflections, she details her progress from volunteering at her children’s school to her current role, where she now mentors trainee teachers and leads Year 3 and Science.

After leaving school, I trained to become a Senior Pharmacy Technician. I worked at the pharmacy and after a while, started managing a local GP surgery too. I thoroughly enjoyed my jobs, even though I was working 12 hours a day! Helping people has always fed my soul.

After having my first child, I decided to stay at home and continued to do so until my youngest started preschool. It was then, I volunteered at my children’s school. I was offered a job as a 1:1 for child with complex needs, which I took very seriously. The Early Years team was fantastic and welcomed me with open arms. I loved that world!

I returned to London for a term, worked as a Nursery Nurse, realised how much I missed my school family, and returned to Leicester, this time as a Cover Supervisor. It was then I knew, I wanted to be a teacher. So I began my BSc Psychology with the Open University, whilst I worked full time at my children’s school.

I attended a few teacher training events. However, when I met Jo Venables and Phil Page at the Inspiring Leaders event, I knew they were ‘my people’! From the moment we spoke, they put my worries at rest. I had managed to get this far because I’d worked at my children’s school. I was worried that I would not be able to meet the expectations of a trainee teacher because my children were still at primary school.

Working as a Cover Supervisor for 5 years helped me develop a huge bank of strategies, subject knowledge and confidence. However, the ILTT course taught me so much more! The reflections Phil insisted we completed after each lesson were the bane of our lives! But they have shaped us as teachers! That reflection process is embedded within our live modelling, questioning, marking and feedback. “What is the impact? How will you measure it?” Phil’s words, again, are the basis for pretty much everything in teaching. From lesson planning to assessment. Everything must have a purpose and impact, or there is no point in doing it.

Having trained through COVID, we became experts at blended learning! Our cohort dwindled but nearly all of us are still in touch with each other – we made friends for life! The forest school training was amazing. I got to experience, first-hand, the need to give children time to complete an activity they are engrossed in. There was so much learning and so many opportunities to develop and scaffold oracy, gross motor skills and creativity.

Lastly, something that I use with children every year – You win or you learn! This encourages children (and adults) to become resilient, lifelong learners. As I trained during the COVID outbreak, it was difficult for me to go into school while my own children were at home. I spoke to Phil about my concerns and together we decided that I would teach online 4 days a week and attend school once a week.

My second placement presented different challenges compared to my first, and I felt there were areas where additional support could have been beneficial. I spoke to Phil about how I felt and he visited me weekly at my placement school, ensuring I had the appropriate support.

Since leaving the training I am now part of the Parkland Primary School family. After completing my ECT years, I became an ECT Mentor. I am now Leading Year 3 and Science as well and am due to have a trainee teacher in the Spring Term. The advice that I would give to upcoming trainees would be to remember, you win or you learn! I would also say be kind to yourself, you’re in the business of shaping lives!