Ambassador Magazine Summer 2014

magazine Summer 2014INSIDE THIS ISSUEPutting pupilsin chargeYoung people getbehind social changethrough the YouthPhilanthropy Initiative.Pages 6 & 7The bloggingrevolutionHow the digital worldis shaping the face ofeducation.Page 10It’s a London thingWhat’s your opinionon the London schooldebate?Pages 18 & 19PLUS:• The challenges of runningfor councillor• Education inequality as acivil rights movement• Improving engagementwith parents• Much, much more…teachfirst.org.uk / Teach First is a registered charity, number 1098294

PAGE 2 WELCOMECOHORT NEWSCongratulations to Val Bacon (‘05) and Steve Farndon (‘06)on the birth of their baby daughter Elsa LouiseCongratulations to Alex Kelly (‘05) on his social enterpriseUnifrog winning the ‘Best New Kid’ award at the EducationInvestor Awards 2013Best wishes to 2010 Ambassadors Rob Mobey andClaire Fenlon who got engaged while in ThailandAn amazing effort by Matt Sneller (‘11) who cycled anastonishing 420 miles to raise money for Shammah HealthCenter and Gitega International Academy in Burundi. Findout more at facebook.com/TourduBurundiCongratulations to Rebecca Cramer (‘06) and MaxHaimendorf (‘03) who got married in December 2013Well done to Gary Wootton (‘11) who has recently beenpromoted to Head of English at St Hild’s Church of EnglandVoluntary Aided School in HartlepoolCongratulations to 2004 Ambassador Flora Letanka (néeGrimston) and her husband on the birth of their baby boyLeo in MarchWell done to Josh MacAlister (‘09), founder and CEO ofFrontline, on successfully recruiting 108 people to join thefirst cohort of social workers on their programme inspiredby Teach FirstCongratulations to Ann and Lee Donaghy (‘04) on the birthof their daughter Irene Rose Lynda Ann in November 2013Many congratulations to Matt Sheldon (‘04) and his wife onthe birth of their little girl Rosa who was born in FebruaryCongratulations to all the staff at Reach Academy Feltham forbeing rated Outstanding in a recent Ofsted inspection. Theyare the first all-through free school to achieve this. Ed Vainker,Alison Richard and Jennifer Hall (‘03), Felicity Allchin (‘05),Rebecca Cramer (‘06), Jayne Watkinson and Lydia Gibbs(‘08), Rebecca Owen, Alexandra Wilcox and Anna McAlpine(‘09), Alexander D'Annunzio (‘10), Mark Fowle, HannahWhittenham, Lowri Goldsmith, Victoria Hirst and PhilipFowkes (‘11) and Sophie Boullin (‘13)CONTACT USWhatever you need in order to continue workingtowards the vision, we are on hand to help.Just get in touchEmail: ambassadors@teachfirst.org.ukTelephone: +44 (0)20 3117 2466WELCOME…We’re excited to welcome you to the summer edition of theAmbassador magazine. This issue is packed full of great stufffrom the ambassador community from news and celebrationsto challenges and surprises. We were particularly warmed byJonny Walker’s personal reflections on having his primaryclass filmed and how the kids’ opinions of his teachingaffected him (pages 8-9). Make sure you also take a peek atthe London school debate piece (pages 18-19) where PolicyExchange think tank reps Jonathan Simon and AnnalieseBriggs share their views alongside ‘06 ambassador LauraMcInerney. This magazine is a chance for you to have yoursay and get involved in the conversation. We’d love to hearfrom you if you’d like to write for the next one, or if you’ve gotideas about how we can keep making it better. Just email usat ambassadors@teachfirst.org.uk. Enjoy!The Teach First teamAmbassador Survey.... .... ....... ... ...Make us betterAs the ambassador network continues todrive towards the vision of endingeducational inequality, we need tounderstand how we can improve so thatwe can best support you in your work.The Ambassador Survey goes live on the14 July 2014 and will help shape futuresupport and services that we provide.Don’t miss out on having an opportunityto make us better.Complete the survey here:teachfirst.org.uk/ambsurveyDigital key for online version:Read thisblog/ articleWatcha videoJoin thediscussion... ... ...Get in Touch.... ........AMBASSADOR MAGAZINESUMMER 2014 CONTRIBUTORSRuth Evans (‘11)Ruth taught Englishat Sir John ThursbyCommunity College inBurnley for three yearsand is now AssistantLeader of English atTodmorden High Schoolin Yorkshire. Havingco-ordinated the YouthPhilanthropy Initiative(YPI) at her school, inthis issue she stressesthe importance ofletting students leadtheir own projects tohelp them developpersonal responsibility.(pages 6-7)Alex Beard (‘08)Alex works as theDirector of SystemChange at TeachFor All. He recentlyvisited an educationsummit in Alabamacommemorating thefiftieth anniversary ofthe Children’s March, acrucial moment in thehistory of the Americancivil rights movement.Read about his trip andwhat the UK can learnfrom it.(pages 14-15)Jonny Walker (‘11)Jonny teaches atElmhurst PrimarySchool in Forest Gate,East London. As wellas teaching a Year 4Class, he is the school’sGeography Coordinator,and is currentlywriting and preparinga new Humanitiescentredwhole-schoolcurriculum. In thisissue, Jonny shares hisreflections on takingpart in Spotlight.(pages 8-9)James Whitaker (‘07)James taught Mathsin North Manchesterfor four years beforepursuing an MBA atManchester BusinessSchool. In 2013 hefounded ParentHub, aninnovative communityengagement projectthat aims to transformthe way schools connectwith parents. Jamesshares his story of howhe set it up and hisplans for the future.(pages 16 -17)Jonny Ivey (‘11)Jonny taught MFL inthe West Midlandsfor two years beforebecoming Head of MFLat a different TeachFirst partner school.Having recently bloggedfor the Teach Firstcommunity about theBBC documentary ToughYoung Teachers, Jonnytalks about the powerof the bloggingrevolution and theimpact it can have.(page 10)Laura McInerney (‘06)Laura taught citizenshipand social studies forsix years in East Londonbefore receiving aFulbright Scholarship atthe University of Missouri.She also writes for theGuardian and the TimesEducation Supplement.In this edition, she sharesher thoughts on theLondon School debatealong with JonathanSimon and AnnalieseBriggs from leading thinktank, Policy Exchange.(pages 18-19)Alex Raphael (‘08)Alex taught Maths atLea Valley High Schoolbefore moving to HarrisAcademy Beckenhamwhere she nowcoordinates the MathsDepartment. In thisissue one of her pupilsshares his experience oftaking part in a careersinsight day run by TeachFirst and how it’s helpedhim and the rest of hisclass to plan for theirfuture.(page 11)Chris Kearns (‘11)Chris taught Englishfor two years atShuttleworth College inBurnley before beingpromoted to the role ofAssistant Headteacherafter less than threeyears in the classroom.Chris shares his journeyto leadership, thestumbling blocks heencountered along theway and offers someadvice for those whomight be consideringfollowing suit.(pages 20-21)SUMMER 2014 CONTRIBUTORS PAGE 3Jason Arthur (‘08)Jason taught Englishand Humanities atthe Lammas Schooland Sports College inEast London. He thenserved as Teach FirstParticipant President2010/11 and nowmanages the PartnershipDevelopment teamat Teach First. As acandidate in this year’slocal elections, Jasonshares his experiencesand views aboutambassadors gettinginvolved in politics.(pages 12-13)

PAGE 4 WHAT’S GOING ON AT TEACH FIRSTMUD, SWEAT AND TEARS (OF LAUGHTER) – FUNDRAISING FOR TEACH FIRST! PAGE 5WHAT’S GOING ON AT TEACH FIRSTNew Participant President electedWe are pleased to announce that 2012Participant Danielle Tobin has been electedas the new Participant President startingfrom September 2014 as part of the widerchanges to the role. Danielle will be the firstParticipant President to be in post for twoyears. This will help ensure that the Participant President roleremains an integral part of ensuring that the voice and wellbeingof participants and ambassadors are championed through actionnetworks as well as adding longer-term capacity to mobilise ourcommunity towards the 2022 Fair Education Impact Goals. If youare interested in finding out more about the new changes to therole, email Edison, ehuynh@teachfirst.org.ukRead more here:You can find out more about Danielle’s priorities for the next twoyears here: aq.be/b46378Extending our early years workWe are delighted to announce that the Department for Education has confirmedfurther funding for us to place up to 50 early years participants as part of the 2014cohort, which is 30 more than last year.Extensive research shows that high quality early years education is closely related toa child’s achievement at primary school and beyond. We hope that by extending thisprovision, we will take one step further in our vision to ensure that every child hasaccess to an excellent education, regardless of their background. We will be tailoringthe training to ensure that participants are fully equipped to manage the verydifferent demands of the early years context and to support the children in their care.Expansion of our Early Years Programme will mean we can ensure we are well placedto have the greatest impact possible.Read more here:Read more on our charitywebsite: aq.be/fee155What’s in store for the Future of HEAPS?Following extensive consultation with members of our community to revisit theidentity of our Higher Education Access Programme for Schools, the name of theprogramme will change to Teach First Futures from July onwards, when we will beworking across seven local areas with 900 pupils. Through our dedicated mentorsand the unique opportunities on offer, our Futures programme will continue tosupport and inspire students to make ambitious and informed choices about wherethey want to get to in life during sixth form, when they are on the cusp of makingbig and lasting decisions about progressing to university.Read more here:To find out more about the name change and our otherhigher education access work, visit: aq.be/2d72a8Read an article written by Amanda Timberg,Executive Director of Programme in The Telegraphhere: aq.be/8f5364A coalition for change in educationIn June the Fair Education Alliancewas launched– a coalition of 25organisations, including ourselves,Banardo’s, Save the Children andthe Confederation of Britsh Industry (CBI), committed toclosing the achievement gap between young people fromour poorest communities and their wealthier peers. No singleorganisation has the knowledge, resources or expertise tobring about the changes we need to make our educationsystem fair for everyone.The Alliance will both work collectively to find long-termsolutions to address educational inequality, as well asannually monitoring the progress made to narrow the gap.Read more here:Check out Brett’s blog on the Community Website:aq.be/0fc625Visit community.teachfirst.org.uk to find out more about these exciting developments – and much more!MUD, SWEAT AND TEARS (OFLAUGHTER) – FUNDRAISINGFOR TEACH FIRST!At the end of last year we launched a brand new range of Challenge events to help raise money for our Futures Programme(previously known as HEAPS), a mentoring scheme which helps young people from low-income backgrounds get into thebest universities and careers.And you’ve responded by helping us to raise over £45,000 so far this year!From skydiving at 10,000ft to cross-channel cycling and racing through muddy fields and lakes, ambassadors, participantsand incoming participants have taken on some epic challenges so far this year.Laura Donovan (‘03) got a ballot place in this year’s LondonMarathon in April, but chose to fundraise for Teach First.“What an experience! For anyone considering amarathon, it’s hard work, but definitely worth it. To besurrounded by so many people raising money for suchgood causes is really inspiring and I felt really luckyto be raising money for Teach First and the youngpeople across the UK who will get a better educationalexperience as a result.”Laura Packer (‘12) and LeonieRatty (‘09) ran with a ten-strongNorth West team in the BUPAManchester 10k in May, on thehottest day of the year so far!Rhiannon Baldwin (‘12),Joe Collins (‘10) andVeer Shah (‘12) gotdirty in the Wolf Runin April. Later this yearthey’ll summit some ofEngland’s tallest peaksall in one day as theytake on the Yorkshire ThreePeaks Challenge in July.Phil Chambers (‘12) cycled 230 miles from London to Paris, raising over £1000 for Teach First.“So basically, the whole experience was amazing. I was part of a fantastic group of peoplewhich made the experience really enjoyable. There were some long days of cycling, and atpoints it was tiring but the motivation of reaching Paris was great! Cycling into Paris alongthe Champs-Élysées and around the Arc de Triomphe and then up to the Eiffel Tower wasincredible and made the whole experience worthwhile. Raising money for Teach First was agreat motivation to take part in and complete this challenge as I have seen first-hand theimpact that the programme can have in schools which face challenging circumstances.”Dan Howells (‘07) had torearrange his stag do to take partin the Wolf Run in April and wasrewarded with a mouthful of mud,but loved it nonetheless.Edison Huynh (‘11), our outgoing Participant President, took on not one, but three skydives this year!“My first jump was like nothing I’d experiencedbefore. Falling at 120 mph, hurtling throughclouds... I couldn't even think of shoutingprofanities, such was the rush on body and mind,which dispelled any notions of what was up andwhat was down. I couldn't help but shout "oh mygod" again and again!“As an ambassador who became aware of ourfunding gap, I began to realise the necessity ofindividual fundraising and putting my moneywhere my mouth was. I believe in what Teach Firstis trying to achieve and I believe that our impactgoals and vision can only be achieved with thewholehearted support of our of our communityand that includes support for fundraising.”If you’re up for a challenge, check out our range of events and adventures at teachfirst.org.uk/challenge

PAGE 6 How the Youth Philanthropy Initiative motivated my students to be their own bossHow the Youth Philanthropy Initiative motivated my students to be their own boss PAGE 7HOW THE YOUTH PHILANTHROPYINITIATIVE MOTIVATED MY STUDENTSTO BE THEIR OWN BOSS‘Pen.’‘Pardon?’‘I need a pen.’‘What are you going to do in yourexam if you don’t even have apen?’‘They’ll give me a pen, miss.’and spent hours making videos and writingraps to incorporate into their presentations.Students took responsibility for their ownproject and improved their skills in teamwork,communication and research, as well aslearning about their own community anddeveloping their sense of social responsibility.To put it simply, students knew that if theydidn’t do it, it wouldn’t get done, and thatseemed to motivate them.AUTHOR:Ruth Evans, 2011 AmbassadorSUBJECT TAUGHT:EnglishSCHOOL:Sir John Thursby CommunityCollege, BurnleyCURRENT ROLE:Assistant Leader of English,Todmorden High School,YorkshireTell us your story about how youhave engaged pupils with the localcommunity. Email ambassadors@teachfirst.org.uk or write on a blogon the Community Website.Read more here:You can find out more aboutthe YPI initiative by visitingwww.goypi.orgHe had a point. Frustrating as it is to facea class of 15 and 16-year-olds who despitebeing, in some cases, just three commas anda rhetorical question away from achievingthat much-coveted C in English, can’t musterup the enthusiasm to remember a pen, Ihad to (internally) commend him for hisperceptive observation and subsequentprioritising. I’ve yet to meet a teacher whowouldn’t agree that teaching students aboutpersonal responsibility can be a challenge,but for me it has to be the single mostfrustrating part of my job. So, when I readabout the Youth Philanthropy Initiative (YPI),my eyes lit up like I had seen an expertlyplaced semi-colon in a year 7 book. YPIengages young people in social change byasking them to find charities that addresssocial issues locally and then representtheir chosen charity to compete for a grantof £3,000.Truly independent learningThe programme was totally different tothe way learning usually occurs in schools;it placed students in control of their ownproject. Now I know independent learningisn’t a new concept, but honestly, I amnot sure if I had truly seen it in actionuntil I ran YPI at my school. I providedsupport and enthusiasm, but it was thestudents who came back at lunch times topractise telephoning their charity over andover again, met up after school to finaliseinterview questions, organised their ownouting to visit their charities in actionThe winners of the programme at my schoolwere Charlotte and Ashley, who won the grantof £3,000 for their chosen charity: Girl Guides.Ashley enjoyed ‘working in groups, thinkingthings through properly and solvingproblems as a team’. Charlotte, who reada poem as part of the presentation, said:‘Even though it was really nerve-rackingwe still got up there, and apparently I hadlots of courage!’Reaching everyoneHaving taught Charlotte English, I knew thatshe, along with lots of other hard-workingand motivated students, would embrace anopportunity like YPI, but I was sceptical aboutits potential to impact every student in year9. Lots of you will have run trips or foundednew extra-curricular clubs at your schools andwill know that often, the very students whowould benefit most from trying somethingnew are the ones who will never voluntarilyspend one minute of their lunch time doingsomething considered interesting by a teacher.This is where YPI is really quite nifty. It has thecharacteristics of an extra-curricular activity:there is no formal assessment, very littlewriting, students choose their own groups andlearning takes place outside of the classroom.But unlike the debating society or cookingclub, it is part of the curriculum, so all studentstake part. Group accountability was a powerfulmotivator. When ‘I can’t be bothered’ and‘forget it’ reared their heads, they were notaccountable to their teacher, but to their peerswho, faced with picking up their share of thework, often persuaded them to get on with it.What a lot of grown-upsOn the day of the final, I was thrilled to see that students had invitedrepresentatives from their charities to come and watch their presentations.Having let the students manage themselves, this was the first time Iwas able to see the positive relationships they had built with membersof the community, who were treating them like colleagues rather thanstudents. As I watched the students greet their guests and introduce them totheir friends and teachers, I realised how much the students had grown as aresult of this opportunity, and oddly enough, I was reminded of my favouritebook, Animal Farm: I looked from student to adult, and from adult to student;but already it was impossible to say which was which. Luckily, the story of YPIat Sir John Thursby had a much happier ending.Whatever your role in fighting educationalinequality, I would urge you to fight forstudents’ right to be responsible for themselves.I believe that if we can empower them in thisway while they are at school, when they leave,we can wave goodbye and truly know we haveequipped them for life, even if they can’t use asemi-colon.

PAGE 8 UNDER THE SPOTLIGHTUNDER THE SPOTLIGHT PAGE 9UNDER THE SPOTLIGHTAUTHOR:Jonny Walker, 2011AmbassadorSUBJECT TAUGHT:PrimarySCHOOL:Elmhurst Primary SchoolCURRENT ROLE:Curriculum LeaderRead more here:Watch Jonny’s classroom footagehere: community.teachfirst.org.uk/spotlightonjonnyCheck out the many resources youmight want to adapt for your classroom:community.teachfirst.org.uk/spotlightresourcesBeing invited to participate in Spotlightwas a chance for me to be a fly onmy own wall. We can call it reflectiveteaching or a being part of a communityof practice, but to peer into the life ofanother classroom is essentially anact of voyeurism. When I saw my ownclassroom, despite the familiar charactersand clutter, it was like watching anotherone altogether. In the films, I see somuch that I miss in the lessons – I seethe angsty concentration on Sahel’s face,I hear the catty asides in which the kidslampoon my grammatical errors, and Iget to see the beaming smiles on theirfaces after I praise them and walk away.There is something intrinsically cringeworthyabout watching yourself teach though, and wetend to share a cultural queasiness about beingseen to self-publicise, but filmed lessons reallyare invaluable. The social life of classroomsis fascinating, and until we can step out ofourselves and take a long-lens perspectiveon our own roles as teachers, we are limitedin our reflective potential. Seeing otherclassrooms and seeing our own classroomsas an outsider are both great starting pointsfor us to think critically about what is actuallygoing on in our little pedagogical bubbles, andto begin plotting out how we are going to movetowards our ‘ideal classrooms’. I think Spotlightis a great vehicle for this.In the spirit of treating the AmbassadorMagazine in the way that my 8 year olds treattheir private diaries (not that I’ve read them, ofcourse…) I will now emasculate myself publiclyby describing my emotional response toSpotlight. The Knowledge Development teamat Teach First sent me the footage filmed inthe class and after one grim busy day I settledon the living room floor, behind my barricadeof marking, and stuck the disk in. Watchingthe interviews that were conducted withthe kids was weirdly moving – it gives awelcome and surprising reminder thatwhat we do matters. Not in the ‘I do a jobthat counts’ cliché way, but in the fact that thechildren listen to, remember and care aboutwhat we say. So yes, perhaps a tear fell out…The children enjoyed being interviewed andnot only because they got to miss singingassembly for the filming. They engaged wellwith the questions they were asked, and thatwas interesting enough in itself; having seenquite how well they can think critically abouttheir own learning, I have tried to harness itmore often. They are, it turns out, dangerouslyperceptive – as frustrating as this is whenthey habitually berate me for missing off thequestion mark on the learning outcomes, it isgood to know that I can ask them whether theway I have taught them something is effective,and for them to be able to answer in a way thatis genuinely helpful.Hearing feedback from the Spotlight eventin the South West encouraged me to thinkabout my teaching persona, and to questionhow much it is enabled by my specific schoolenvironment. Being a man in a primaryschool affords certain perks, and one that hasbenefited me has been the expectation that Iwill ‘do things differently’ as a male teacher.This has meant that my school leadershave supported me in whichever quirkypedagogical projects I have wanted to pursue,and from the kids – in the words of Rudra –there was an automatic “Oh my days, I’vegot a Sir” effect, whereby the kids presumeI’d be a disciplinarian-slash-comedian, andtoe the line. I am gradually becoming theteacher I want to be – partly this is downto having a clearer idea of what mattersto me and my kids, which is not alwaysaligned exactly to the expectations andpriorities of the school, and partly, it isabout having ‘proved myself’ enough tobe allowed my autonomy.Shortly after the Spotlight was shone onmy class, I took the kids to see A Muppet’sChristmas Carol and I view the two eventsin similar terms; the Teach First community(myself included) are the unseen ghostlyvisitations invading my past and presentclassroom, thinking critically about how well Itreat my 30 little Kermit Cratchits, in the hopethat we’ll end up saving the life of the pallidTiny Tim of educational inequality.That is the most enjoyable paragraphI have ever written.EXPLORE.DEBATE. LEARN.SPOTLIGHT.Learn:leadership, classroomstrategiesSpotlight is a process of learning and debateabout life-changing classroom leadership; away of shining a light on the hidden world ofclassrooms to examine and learn from someof the most vital and effective practice goingon up and down the country.Spotlight events ran May – June 2014 andwill take place during Summer Institute,giving the wider community a chance toExplore:case studies, student perspectives,classroom resourcessharing and accelerating our impactanalyse and debate the defining, mostpowerful approaches in each classroomand how we can learn from them.You can also get involved in the debateand use the Spotlight case studiesas learning resources online nowat: community.teachfirst.org.uk/spotlightresourcesDebate:online, at eventsJess Heal – 2009 ambassador and member of TeachFirst’s Knowledge Development team, reflects on reactionsto Jonny’s classroom at a Spotlight event in May:“Jonny’s students really stole the show… describing their teacher as someone who was 'notlike other teachers, he does stuff like ‘alien counting’’ and ‘teaches fractions by eating bread’.His use of high-level language with Y4 students to explain the importance of percentages ‘thenumbers are changing incessantly’, got us thinking about devising topic-specific vocabularythat could be introduced across different subjects and themes.“We felt that Jonny really lived his vision to create curious, creative and confident students.The enthusiasm he had for his subject and students was palpable and his unique approachmade us question our own teaching personas. Obviously one cannot imitate anotherteacher’s style or manner but some felt reassured that they had time to develop a personathat suited them and genuinely reflected their personality and passion for their subject.”

PAGE 10 ARCTIC MONKEYS AND EDUCATION REFORMFROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE WORLD OF WORK PAGE 11ARCTIC MONKEYSAND EDUCATION REFORMFROM THE CLASSROOMTO THE WORLD OF WORKAUTHOR:Jonny Ivey, 2011 AmbassadorSUBJECT TAUGHT:MFLSCHOOL:The King’s Church of EnglandSchool, WolverhamptonCURRENT ROLE:Head of MFL, John HenryNewman Catholic College,BirminghamRead more here:Read this TES blog to find outwhat discussions took place whenrepresentatives from Ofsted metinfluential bloggers from theeducation sector:aq.be/3d0e34For help and guidance on using theCommunity Website check out thesetwo video tutorials:Getting to grips with the website:aq.be/4e72c8Creating and interacting with content:aq.be/7dbf7fI remember clearly that day in autumn2005 when I first heard Arctic Monkeys’debut single, I bet you look good onthe dance floor. For me it was thegreatest musical concept I had everheard. However, what made this bandmore curious was the absence of themarketing influence of a powerful recordlabel behind the idea. What had led tothe success of this new music was notthe power of the powerful, but that of thepeople and their new means of wieldingpower – the Internet.Since then the blogosphere has empoweredeverything from fiction to fashion. Anyonewho has something to say or show is now ableto do so. What once remained private has nowgone public.Amid the online presence of the literary,the political and the artistic standsarguably the most important of all socialgame-changers: education. As a naturalsceptic I have always questioned whatinfluence the posts of so-called ‘edu-bloggers’can have on aligned politicians andagenda-driven policy-makers. But in Februaryof this year much of my scepticism wasallayed as Mike Cladingbowl, Ofsted’s directorof schools, invited five key edu-bloggers toOfsted headquarters to thrash through issuesdiscussed on their online platforms. Thesebloggers were ordinary teachers. Yet those ‘onthe other side’ were not only aware of them,but willing to continue in person a discussionwhich began online.High up on the agenda was the controversialpractice of inspectors’, and indeed schools’,lesson grading. Surrounding this issuewas a great deal of confusion as to whatOfsted required of its inspectors. As a result,Cladingbowl was forced to admit certainsources of confusion and to clarify Ofsted’sposition that inspectors should not begrading individual lessons – a clarificationwhose implications resound throughoutSenior Leadership Team (SLT) meetings anddepartments up and down the nation. This isjust one example of the effect of social mediato reform education.Like many teachers, I have wrongly come toview myself as a voiceless pawn in the system.But what the edu-blogosphere has afforded usis a direct line to Westminster; a line to whichpolicy-makers respond and give credence.The influence of blogs and social media isone which has been channelled well by manywithin our ambassador community. Whetherwe believe he evidences this or not, in variousspeeches Michael Gove has demonstratedthat his ear is close to the ground by quotingour own Joe Kirby and Rob Peal (‘11). Otherambassadors have also been mentioned in theGuardian newspaper’s list of teacher blogs.We are being heard.What every teacher knows is that if weare to eradicate educational inequalitywe must first eradicate the barrierbetween Westminster and those schools inchallenging circumstances. Social mediabreaks down this barrier. I doubt that 10years ago the Arctic Monkeys thought theywould be one of the dominant influencers onthe UK’s music industry. As ambassadors weserve the mission in a plethora of differentways but I ponder the effect of five or 10more ambassadors contributing to theedu-blogosphere. Why not join the discussion?For my part, I have been convinced.Why not start your own blog on theCommunity Website? You can connect withover 8,000 members of the community andyour blog could also be shared more widelyon the charity website. For help and tips onblogging/using the Community Website,email Kal Sajad at ksajad@teachfirst.org.ukLast year, we launched our Careers InsightDay Programme thanks to the generoussupport of KPMG, giving students a fantasticopportunity to see what it’s like in the worldof business. We offer pre-16 and post-16Career Insight Days to all of our schools andCorporate Partners, and work with themboth to organise a fantastic day whereup to 20 students can go into a business,network with employees and engage in oneor more skills-based activity, such as mockinterviews, CV workshops or a ‘Dragon’s Den’AUTHOR:Sam Maurice, Year 12 StudentSCHOOL:Harris Academy BeckenhamOn Friday 7 February, fifteen year 12students went to Pricewaterhouse Coopers,more commonly known as PwC. The tripincluded activities such as debates andbroadsheet scanning for information welater used in group presentations toimprove our employability skills both onpaper and in interviews.They were kind enough to allow aroundfive to seven of their employees toadvise us on the different opportunitiesthat PwC have for people of ourage group as well as future careerprospects. This was an invaluableopportunity for us as they talked usthrough all of the benefits of joining theirfirm, including the salary prospects! Oneof the opportunities that interests us mosthas been their Fast Track Degree optionwhere, rather than going to university forthree years, you sign up for a four yearcommitment to complete your degreealongside several work placements withinthe firm’s four specialist areas whilstgetting paid and still come out with anaccountancy qualification. You are alsopart of a large cohort of people who areall part of the same programme giving ita sense of collegiality, similar to that youmay experience if you completed afull-time degree at university.group activity. So far, we’ve worked with agreat range of companies, like KPMG, HSBC,Bloomberg and many more who host andfacilitate the entire events and we’re lookingfor more members of the communitywho are interested in opening up thisopportunity to their students.Here’s what year 12 student Sam Mauricehad to say when his teacher Alex Raphael(‘08) arranged for his class to visit PwC forthe day.In general I found the trip to beenriched with information that washugely beneficial to what I want to doin future. Furthermore, they also madeus aware of all of the pros and consof taking several other career pathssuch as apprenticeships or the moretraditional route of going straight touniversity, which is usually the onlyoption sixth form students know.We believe that the opportunities thatPwC offered for a work experience wouldallow us to gain more of a competitiveinsight about what we want to do infuture. Our visit also helped open doors tomore career options, not necessarily justin professional services. I will be spendingmy holidays conscientiously preparingour applications so watch this space!If you’re interested in findingout more about the CareersInsight Day Programmeand how your school ororganisation can get involved,email Heena Shah hshah@teachfirst.org.ukCheck out this blog written by JoeSpark (‘11) on a similar school triphe organised for his pupils and theimpact it had: aq.be/0464ecAUTHOR:Alex Raphael ‘08 AmbassadorSUBJECT TAUGHT:MathsSCHOOL:Harris Academy BeckenhamCURRENT ROLE:Maths Coordinator“This was an eye-openingexperience for the students, asPwC created an agenda aimed toencourage students to considerall of their career options,as well as a good balance ofinformation on the recruitmentprocess, techniques on how toimprove their employability anda focus on how to demonstratecommercial awareness. Thestudents were grateful for all thecareer opportunities that werepresented to them. In fact, theday has helped some of themmake their minds up about whatthey potentially want to pursueafter they finish their courses!”

PAGE 12 HIKING THE CAMPAIGN TRAILHIKING THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL PAGE 13HIKING THE CAMPAIGN TRAILAUTHOR:Jason Arthur,2008 AmbassadorSUBJECT TAUGHT:EnglishSCHOOL:Lammas School and SportsCollege, LondonCURRENT ROLE:Partnership DevelopmentManager at Teach FirstIf you’d like to be put in touch withambassadors setting up politicalnetworks, or if you’re keen onsetting one up yourself, emailRichard Kuti, Networks Officer:RKuti@teachfirst.org.ukRead more here:To find out if Jason was successful,read his blog here: aq.be/dd8cdcIn the last seven days, I have beenharangued by a pensioner, attackedby two dogs and have hand-deliveredover 1,000 letters, each containinga truly terrible picture of me with acheesy grin and a shiny forehead. As Iwrite this, there are exactly four weeksto go before the local elections and Iam hard at work speaking to the goodfolk of Crouch End in North Londonin order to win their vote and havethe privilege of representing them onHaringey Council.Haringey is a wonderfully vibrant anddiverse borough, but it also has theunfortunate status of being the mostunequal borough in London. Whereasthe west of the borough is very affluent(including The Bishops Avenue, also knownas ‘Billionaire’s Row’), parts of the east ofthe borough are very poor, including themost deprived ward in the whole of London.Sometimes I wonder what dark magichas possessed me to pursue a career inpolitics. By all accounts the hours are long,the scrutiny is intense and levels of publicengagement and trust in the politicalprocess at a national and local level arelow. In its most recent annual audit ofpolitical engagement, the Hansard Societyfound that only 42% of Britons wereinterested in the political process – a nadir.This has certainly been evident when I’vebeen out on the doorstep, where one ofthe most common refrains I have heardfrom Crouch End residents is that‘politicians are all the same’ and that‘voting is pointless’.In spite of that, I can honestly say that Ihave never felt more passionate aboutthe importance of the political processor more optimistic about the positiveimpact that politics can have on thelives of ordinary people.My time teaching English in east Londonundoubtedly strengthened my belief in theprofound impact that teachers and schoolscan have on the life chances of their pupils.However, it also increased my awarenessof the myriad of factors that are outside ofthe control of schools and yet can act asfundamental barriers to pupils achievingpositive educational outcomes.There’s no doubt that the decisions ourpoliticians make matter immensely towhether every child can succeed at school,regardless of their family background.At a national level, education policyhas never been more important or morecontested. Over the last four years,significant reforms have taken place ininitial teacher training, the amount ofautonomy granted to schools, examsand qualifications, higher educationfunding and early years provision.Beyond education, government policyon the economy, welfare reform, health,housing, immigration and crime allhave a significant impact on the extentto which wider social and economicinequalities exacerbate or limit educationalinequalities. In spite of a difficult fiscalcontext, at a local level councils areresponsible for a huge range of servicesincluding health and social services,housing and regeneration, arts, sports andculture, maintaining the local environment,and community safety.That’s why it’s so exciting that ambassadorsare increasingly engaging with the politicalprocess as a means to achieve our vision.Last year, Matt Hood (‘07), Sarah Waite (‘09)and I set up a network bringing togetherambassadors who are interested in gettingmore involved in the Labour Party. To date,we’ve been joined by Lord Andrew Adonis,Kevin Brennan MP and Shadow EducationSecretary Tristram Hunt MP, all of whom havebeen keen to discuss education policy andoffer advice on the best routes into electedpolitics. Now Amy Gray (‘05) is also lookingto set up a similar network for ambassadors who support theConservative Party. We already have a number of ambassadorsdoing great work as local councillors, (for example, Dan Howells,a 2007 Ambassador, who sits on Coventry City Council), holdingimportant posts within local parties (like Kieran Cooke, a 2009Ambassador who until recently was Chairman of Reading WestConservative Future) and it is surely only a matter of time beforewe see an ambassador enter into the Commons.Although at times the campaign trail can be tough (I reallydon’t like dogs or angry pensioners), being an electioncandidate has been a thoroughly rewarding experience. Overthe last nine months I have had the pleasure of speaking toresidents about their hopes for themselves, their families, forCrouch End and for Haringey.With one month left to go, I genuinely don’t know whether I willbe elected as a local councillor or not. However, what I do knowis that as I continue on my political journey, I intend to continueto learn from, and work with, participants and ambassadorswhose experiences and insights should be shaping local andnational approaches to narrowing the achievement gap andultimately building a stronger, fairer society.©Rafal Olkis/123RF.COM

PAGE 14 EDUCATIONAL INEQUALITY – THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OF OUR TIMEEDUCATIONAL INEQUALITY – THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OF OUR TIME PAGE 15EDUCATIONAL INEQUALITYTHE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTOF OUR TIMEShare your thoughts online by visiting:Join our discussionon staying closeto the reality ofinjustice in the UK:aq.be/2bbda0Check out this blogby Steven Farr,Senior Director,TransformationalTeaching at Teach ForAll about his reflectionson the same trip:aq.be/e190dcWatch this inspiringTed Talk by BryanStevenson, the lawyerwho runs the EqualJustice Initiativein Montgomery,Alabama:aq.be/492850AUTHOR:Alex Beard, 2008 AmbassadorSUBJECT TAUGHT:EnglishSCHOOL:Walworth Academy, LondonCURRENT ROLE:Director, System Changeat Teach For AllShare you thoughts viathe ideas Exchange on theCommunity Websiteaq.be/2bbda0The arc of the moral universetends towards justice.Dr. Martin Luther KingSoutherners will tell you it never snows inAlabama. Not that they don’t get a share ofBiblical weather. Hurricanes, tropical storms,flood and drought visit regularly below theMason-Dixon line. But snow? In Birming-ham,Alabama? They’ll fix you with a look that says,well, it’s about as likely to snow in Hell. Whichaccounts for the look of panic on the faces ofall Alabamans during our recent Teach For Allvisit, as the flakes start to fall and – worse –accumulate. ‘They told us,’ drawls our guide,with the weariness of a man long-sufferingof the promises of weathermen, ‘that itwouldn’t accumulate’.We were there to attend this year’s Teach ForAmerica Teacher Leadership DevelopmentSummit. And when the snow came we were ona cold street corner – 16th and 6th – outsidethe National Civil Rights Institute. It’s asignificant street corner. Opposite us was the16th Street Baptist Church, sometime hubof the civil rights movement; to our right thestatues of four smiling girls stood in a park.Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, CaroleRobertson and Denise McNair were the blackvictims of a white supremacist bomb, theexplosion of which in 1963 catalysed themovement that culminated on the steps ofthe Lincoln Memorial, with ‘I have a dream’.And that’s what everyone in Birmingham wastalking about. The 800 members of Teach ForAmerica staff and supporters, the 50 visitorsfrom across the globe, the inspirationalkeynotes, the old friends of Rosa Parks andFred Shuttlesworth. They were talking aboutthat dream and those girls. They were talkingabout the legacy of the civil rights movement– what distance has been covered, how farthere is to go. They were talking about thecrucial role of education in the emancipationof oppressed minorities. They were talkingabout quality education as a civil right. Theywere talking about all of this. This, and ofcourse the snow.The National Civil Rights Institute charts thehistory of the city of Birmingham, which tracesthat of the post-abolition South. Founded in1870, it became a centre for the steel industry,and for black exploitation and oppression.Informal segregation was inscribed into JimCrow laws throughout the first half of thetwentieth century, restricting the rights ofblack citizens to vote, politically organise,or use public spaces and utilities, includingschools. After the events of 1963 and themarch on Washington, these restrictions wereslowly repealed in a process familiar from ourschool textbooks, which culminated in BarackObama’s election in 2008.By Tuesday evening the snow had a name –Winter Storm Leon – and the conference had atone. We were there to celebrate the fiftiethanniversary of those pioneering civil rightsvictories, to hear from members of the1963 children’s crusade about their joy anddisbelief at seeing a black president in theWhite House, to champion the progress ofblack men and women throughout society,and to reflect on the part that Teach ForAmerica has played in improving thelife chances of hundreds of thousands ofdisadvantaged – often black – kids acrossthe US. But we were also there to get angry.Because for every success achieved in thebattle for civil rights, there remains aninjustice still to be resolved.In the US today, there are more black menincarcerated in the prison system thanthere were slaves in the year 1850, prior toabolition. Young black kids are still muchmore likely to end up in prison than to goto university. The drip, drip of these sloganswas affecting. We heard the familiar refrainthat although the education system is notformally segregated,how well kids do depends moreon their background, often meaning their race, thanit does on any other factor. It’s a familiar injustice.On the Thursday evening, as an emergency deliveryof Domino’s pizza relieves a hotel that has by nowrun out of food, a civil rights lawyer came to reflecton this.Bryan Stevenson runs the Equal Justice Initiativein Montgomery, Alabama. He represents blackprisoners on death row and consequently is aman with stories to tell. He told us about his firstever assignment. Nervously visiting a condemnedman, he fell into conversation with him for hours,infuriating the guards who then began to mistreatthe prisoner. Guilt-stricken at bringing brutality upona man he was supposed to help, the young lawyerheard down the corridor the prisoner breaking intoa song of freedom. He resolved immediately thatthis would be his life’s work. From the experiencehe concluded that in achieving justice, nothing ismore important than proximity. Proximity leadsto empathy, understanding of injustice, a senseof personal responsibility and a commitment toaction. Proximity, he said, is what Teach For Americabrings, and why it’s such a powerful approach tofighting injustice.The thin layer of snow receded on Friday afternoonand our thoughts turned to home. In the UK wedon’t have the tradition of a civil rights movementon which to draw and segregation has never beeninscribed in the laws of our education system. It’salso true that legal reform has usually trumpedsocial movements for change. But are the injusticesof our schools and society so different to those ofthe US? Teach First enables us to learn a lesson ofproximity. If the arc of the moral universe does tendtowards justice, what are we each doing to now to tiltits path?How can we maintain our proximity to injusticehere in the UK? Without it, we won’t make anychange. Join the discussion.©Anthony Baggett/123RF.COM

PAGE 16 PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT 2.0PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT 2.0 PAGE 17PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT 2.025AUTHOR:James Whitaker,2007 AmbassadorSUBJECT TAUGHT:MathsSCHOOL:North Manchester HighSchool for GirlsCURRENT ROLE:Founder and CEO, ParentHub.The Teach First Innovation Unithas been set up to nurture gamechanginginnovation in education.Find out more about how wesupport new innovations atteachfirst.org.uk/innovationThe Teach First Innovation Unitis supported by the Credit SuisseEMEA Foundation and the EsméeFairbairn Foundation.‘If you want to know whata school is like, just lookat the community.’I first heard this from someone during myfourth year at university, around the time Iwas applying to Teach First. That was sevenyears ago, and since then many people havetold me exactly the same thing.To some extent I think it makes sense: aschool’s student demographic is typicallyrepresentative of the community it serves,and the challenges faced by a school areoften closely linked to the challenges facedby its community.The thing that really caught my attention,though, is what it says about how weview the relationship between school andthe community. Namely, that the widercommunity has a decisive influence overthe success of a school, and that schools arepowerless to do anything about it.I have often thought how limiting this is asa way of viewing the impact of schools, andhow exciting it would be to see what couldbe achieved if it was approached with adifferent mindset.This is where ParentHub comes in – it'san app designed to bridge the disconnectbetween schools and parents, keepingthem more informed about their children’seducation and what is happening in thelife of the school. It aims to engage thewider community and take advantageof this to increase the support networkaround each young person.I started developing the idea in March2013, during the final year of my MBA atManchester Business School. Two yearsearlier I had pitched to their admissions panelmy idea of supporting schools to impactand transform their communities, and wasawarded the Frank Martin Scholarship forSocial Innovation.In a meeting with my supervisor I explainedthe idea of helping schools to improve theway they communicate with parents, andthe effect this could have on the widercommunity. He could immediately see thepotential and has been involved ever since.The first step was to get input from differentschools. I needed to know if they thought theidea had any potential, and I was interestedin finding out what they would do differentlyif they had better engagement from parents.Five ambassadors arranged for me to pitchthe idea to their schools. The responsefrom each was the same: ‘we want this!’ Inone meeting I remember claiming that theidea was definitely going ahead, and thenpanicking as I left the room realising I had notechnical ability to make it happen. And worsestill, no money to pay people who could!My supervisor put me in touch with an appdevelopment agency and in collaborationwith the five pilot schools I started to writeout a draft specification. The first phase ofParentHub focuses on parental involvement,and aims to help parents stay informed abouttheir children’s education – a convenientone-stop shop that includes everything fromtwo-way messaging with teachers, toreal-time updates about homework,attendance, progress and behaviour.As the scale of the idea increased, so too didthe cost of developing it. Raising investmentbecame a priority, so in September 2013I set up a company and began looking forinvestors. I started at the business school andwent from there, pitching and promoting theidea as much as I could.It was a great experience, and I learnt a lotfrom it. It’s quite humbling to defend youridea whilst someone attacks it from everyangle. I hadn’t felt so out of my depthsince my first term in teaching, when agirl in year 9 had burst into my lessonand started dancing on the table. I wasdefenseless, totally defenseless!At Christmas the business went through itsfirst round of investment. I started working onit full time and took some office space in anold factory in North Manchester that has beenrenovated specifically for tech startups.Around this time I spoke to some ambassadorsto see if they were interested in gettinginvolved. Steven Isherwood (‘07) and SteveHinz (‘08) came onboard in March to help withoverseeing development, preparing for thepilot scheme and selling the idea into schools.The app has been in development nowfor six months. In May a beta versionwent live in the first school, and by thetime you read this all five pilots will beusing it. Support for what we are doing isgrowing, and we have been chosen as oneof this year’s winners of the Big VentureChallenge, a 12-month programme ofsupport and funding opportunities forsocial enterprises.At the start of any project the challenge isto build momentum and support for theidea. Our most significant challenge rightnow – beyond the obvious of buildingsomething that works and is fit for purpose,is raising our profile and making schoolsaware of what we are doing. We are allholding onto the hope that one day a schoolwill call us and enquire about ParentHub, butfor now we are busy doing all the calling!“Engaging parents can be difficult,but this should not be confusedwith a lack of interest in theirchild’s progress, or a lack ofambition. It just means breakingthrough some entrenched valuesand communications problemsbefore we can move forward.The ParentHub concept providesan excellent way of us informingparents of what they want to knowin a way that matches their workpatterns and is more accessiblethan a formal, sit down meeting.”James Eldon, Principal – ManchesterEnterprise AcademyGET INVOLVEDWe think ParentHub has the potential to transform parentalengagement in schools across the country. By October 2014we are aiming for 30 schools to get involved and helpchampion the app.To learn more about ParentHub visit parenthub.co.uk.Or to share your ideas on how it can be used, emailhello@parenthub.co.uk or follow @ParentHub_UK on twitter.Have you got an idea that could help end educationalinequality in the UK? Apply for the Innovation Award before1 August and you could win £20,000 in funding, office spaceand up to two salaried positions. Visit: teachfirst.org.uk/innovation to find out more and apply.

PAGE 18 HOT TOPIC: WHAT CAN LONDON SCHOOLS TEACH US ABOUT EDUCATION?HOT TOPIC: WHAT CAN LONDON SCHOOLS TEACH US ABOUT EDUCATION? PAGE 19HOT TOPIC:WHAT CAN LONDON SCHOOLSTEACH US ABOUT EDUCATION?Join the debate. Tell us what you think here aq.be/b93566via the ideas exchange on the Community Website. ShouldTeach First stop placing in London completely or just reducethe number of participants that are placed there? Or perhapsyou’ve got another idea.We’d like to hear what you think.AUTHORS:Jonathan SimonHead of Education, PolicyExchangeAnnaliese BriggsResearch Fellow in Education,Policy Exchange1Various groups have speculated what these wider factorsmight be – from the steady gentrification of manyLondon boroughs, to the cultural capital imbued in pupilsthrough proximity to so many world class institutions,to the role played by London universities, to the abilityto travel cheaply and easily between schools on atransport network, to the role played by waves of recentimmigration, to the impact of successive years of TeachFirst teachers.Jonathan Simon and Annaliese Briggs,from leading think tank Policy Exchange,share their views along with 2006Ambassador Laura McInerney aboutthe London school debate.London schools are certainly in the spotlight.The top spot in GCSE performance is occupiedby London’s secondaries, which haveoutperformed the rest of the country for fivesuccessive years. This is in spite of higher thanaverage numbers of pupils eligible for freeschool meals – who in fact are even furtherahead of their equally deprived contemporariesstudying outside the capital.This success has been well debated in thepolicy community. It is barely possible to havea discussion about school improvement withoutthe phrase ‘London Challenge’ being raised, andthis programme is being touted, particularly byTristram Hunt, as a lesson in how to turn aroundfailing schools, wherever they may be located.Many ambassadors will have taught in schoolsthat participated in this programme, whichstarted in 2003 and used expert advisors tobroker relationships between successful schoolsand their weaker counterparts, with additionalfunding to facilitate a focus on teacher qualityand retention. The evaluation reported hugesatisfaction with the programme amongschools that participated – including the ethosof city-wide collaboration which it generated.But the very nature of the programme, witha mish-mash of interventions for schools,meant that evaluating the actual impact, andunpicking it from wider London factors, isalmost impossible. The fact is, we don’t knowwhy London schools are quite so good 1 .And therein lies the risk of seeking to replicateLondon Challenge. When Tristram Hunt saysthat the lesson is about ‘a commitment tobreaking the link between deprivation andattainment. That meant zero tolerance of lowexpectations, smart use of data to track pupilprogress, and the strategic use of sponsoredacademies’, we agree. We would guess thatevery ambassador would as well (with thepossible exception of the last element). Whenhe says failure exists in leafy areas such asWest Berkshire and Hertfordshire, we alsoagree. But when he says that what madeLondon Challenge successful was collaboration,and contrasts that explicitly with ‘the dogmathat an ever more competitive market betweenisolated schools will deliver rising standards’,then it is worth exploring further.The education sector harbours a justifiedscepticism about cherry-picking parts ofeducation systems from around the world andapplying them directly to our own schools.This scepticism should also apply withinEngland. Collaboration between schools isnot a sure-fire way of improving outcomes.Indeed, we already have a vision for whathappens when London Challenge is replicated.Greater Manchester and the Black Countrydid not reap as many benefits through theCity Challenge programme that evolvedout of the original. Our contention is thatalongside collaboration there needs to bea dose of competition between schools: forpupils, for teachers, and for the best examresults. Such competition prevents the riskof schools moving from collaboration to cosyco-operation, where no one wants to rock theboat, and mediocrity or coasting is tolerated.Children only get one shot at an education.And one final thought on London. Since theabolition of London Challenge in 2011, thecapital’s schools have continued to streamahead. And it’s no coincidence that the majorityof Ambassadors that are still teaching are inLondon, often moving from their initial region.Like an unyielding magnet, the capital attractsa disproportionate number of applications forvacancies. This competition ensures Londonschools often get the cream of the teachingcrop. Imagine that we roll the clock forwarda few years, and London’s schools continueto demonstrate excellence for all pupils,particularly the most deprived. In that scenario,why shouldn’t Teach First conclude that thereare other areas more in need, and stop placingparticipants in London schools altogether?Gosh, education feels cosy these days.‘Collaboration’ gets a resoundingthumbs-up from every person youmeet – even though no one can tellyou what it means. And in their pieceJonathan Simon and Annaliese Briggs’only complaint about school leadersholding hands and working together isthat it must be mediated by a ‘dose ofcompetition’.But there are two things wrong with this.First, while London schools are performingbrilliantly I’d be interested to know howmany teachers see genuine collaborationbetween schools in their daily workplace. I'mnot talking about the sorts of collaborationsTeach Firsters create for themselves (forexample, second school visits) but broaderthings, like sharing of resources or crossschoolINSETs? As schools have increasinglyfragmented into chains and academies, thathas meant schools in the same group dotend to work together more. This is great,but an increasing number of chains are alsoclaiming copyright on materials meaningteachers can no longer share lesson plans orresources with teachers from other schools.Collaboration is therefore on the lips ofleaders but not always in their action plans.The second issue is this odd notion thatschools need competition, implying thatunless teachers are worried about theschool down the road then they’ll be havinga brew-and-snooze come 3pm. But is thatreally true? Think about your last week atschool. When you spent your break rushingfor photocopying, or comforting a cryingchild, or frantically finding a form so youcould reorganise their assembly on ‘what didthe Romans ever do for us?’, did you put inall that effort because you wanted to out-doNext-Door High or because it was the rightthing for your students?Aha! I thought so.Of course, schools must not be left purelyto their own devices – and they aren’t. Oneof the differences between London in 2014and London in 2000 is how much moreinformation we now have. Schools are awashwith data, and meticulously track pupils.This is shared with parents in ‘real time’ andwill one day end up on the internet and inperformance tables. Perhaps this is whereJonathan and Annaliese see ‘competition’,but I wanted my students’ results to bebrilliant because I knew the difference itmade to their future, and I tracked data sothat I could make better choices and helpany relevant person see where a student wasso they could help them.Do my intentions behind data use matter?I think they might. If the focus is oncompeting, on ‘winning at all costs’, then Imight be tempted to cheat. If my aim is tobe honest with students and push them toachieve the best – then it makes most senseto put my efforts into their learning. Thatcan only be a good thing.As for taking Teach Firsters out of London,while I appreciate Jonathan and Annaliese’sgumption, they also admit that London is animportant marketing tool. It’s where mostgraduates want to move for their first job. It’salso true that London schools are not entirelyfixed yet. Over 14% of London’s schools arecategorised as ‘requiring improvement’.That’s 300 schools still in need of support,so it would be silly to turn our back on themsimply because the performance of manyother schools has increased.This does however raise a question aboutwhere the London participants might mostusefully go during their placement. Severalschools that take Teach First participantsare outstanding and have been for severalyears. Would it be better to reduce thenumber of participants going to thoseschools and instead fan them out into theschools that are still struggling? It’s anuncomfortable question; it would meanreconsidering decades-old relationships.But, as Jonathan and Annaliese say, all ofus must work to avoid coasting. Perhaps it’stime to get un-cosy.AUTHOR:Laura McInerney,2006 AmbassadorSUBJECT TAUGHT:CitizenshipSCHOOL:Stratford SchoolCURRENT ROLE:Columnist for the Guardian,Fulbright Scholar and PolicyDevelopment Partner at LKMCo

PAGE 20 EFFECTING CHANGE: LARGE SCALE, EARLY DOORSEFFECTING CHANGE: LARGE SCALE, EARLY DOORS PAGE 21EFFECTING CHANGE:LARGE SCALE, EARLY DOORSAUTHOR:Chris Kearns,2011 AmbassadorSUBJECT TAUGHT:EnglishSCHOOL:Shuttleworth College,BurnleyCURRENT ROLE:Assistant HeadteacherIf you would like support withyour career or a helping handinto a position of leadership, bothinside or outside of the classroom,contact the Pathways team onambassadors@teachfirst.org.ukNever in a million years did I think thatless than three years after signing up forTeach First, I would be sat on the seniorteam as an Assistant Headteacher. Isimply didn’t consider it a possibility,nor did I think that if the occasionwere to arise would I be ready for thechallenges that such a role would bring.As a new teacher operating in an entirelynew environment (for most), there is anunavoidable and natural tendency tolook around and think ‘surely this shouldhappen’; ‘why don’t they do this?’ and ‘whatis the sense in that?’ The absolute key, inmy opinion, is knowing when to shift thesequestions from thought processes to actualquestions to actual people. For me that timecame once I had built solid professionalrelationships with my colleagues, andmore importantly, I had thought up some‘suggestions’ (note, not solutions).Humility for me was essential. Shoutingfrom the rooftops about how to makeimprovements and declaring yourself as thecatalyst for them will not win you any fans,nor will it do your leadership credentialsany good. What will, from my experience,is showing yourself to be a keen andenthusiastic teacher who is prepared to goabove and beyond for the betterment of theschool. Get stuck in, offer ideas, be preparedto take on extra work with little credit andbe a doer rather than a talker. Slowly, thosewho do have whole school influence willstart to listen and begin to see that whatyou say and what you do go hand in hand.It would be fallacious to suggest thatleadership opportunities in schools are easyto come by if you’re prepared to put thework in, because my guess is, they’re not.Schools are often a myriad of conflictingand changing priorities, operating undermassive amounts of pressure from variousstakeholders. However, to stand the bestopportunity of enacting systemic changeand challenging educational inequality,what we all signed up to do, I strongly feelthat the more ambassadors and participantsthat are put into leadership positions, thegreater the chance we have of succeeding.Another massive hurdle I had toovercome on my journey to seniorleadership was one of perception:‘Surely he’s not ready for this?He doesn’t have the experience’. This is avalid and natural response from those withfar more experience in their field than you.But I think it’s wrong. Not only do I think it’swrong, but I think it may be the single mostdifficult hurdle to jump; perceptions aretricky to change. This is where self-beliefcomes into place, as well as a healthyintolerance of the current state of play. Bythat what I mean is the notion held by somein the profession that years of experiencenecessarily equates to readiness to takeon responsibility. Obviously there is a lotto be said for experience, but surely it isn’tthe whole story. Whenever this questioncame up in my mind I always thoughtof other professions like sales, wherebythe more revenue you bring in, the bettervalued as an employee you’re sure to be.Granted, education isn’t sales but surely theprinciples of being effective and recognisedfor being so are comparable, irrespectiveas to whether you’ve been in the job for 10months or 10 years.I think it’s important, however, toremember that by virtue of being part ofthe Teach First community we are no morecapable or incapable than anybody elsein our profession. You may face similarchallenges to me, but don’t let that stopyou from making the leap. We’re lucky tohave such fantastic opportunities throughthe Leadership Development Programme(LDP) and should continue to embracethem long after our two years on theprogramme is over.CAREERSUPPORTAVAILABLEBespoke Careers Advice andGuidanceWe provide bespoke careers advice andguidance, including CV and job searchsupport and information about becominga trustee or governor. If you are thinkingabout your next career step or would liketo discuss voluntary positions, get in touchambassadors@teachfirst.org.ukCareer CoachingCareer coaching is available through ourin-house certified Career Coach. This is anopportunity to explore career options,re-evaluate what your career drivers are andthink about what skills you want to use andwhat skills you want to develop in your nextrole. Email ambassadors@teachfirst.org.ukto register interestThe MarketplaceThe Marketplace section of the communitywebsite is an online classified listing forvolunteers, events, job opportunities, CPDand more. The best thing about this is youcan upload your own advertisement andshare this with the community. Visitcommunity.teachfirst.org.uk

PAGE 22 INTRODUCING THE TEACH FIRST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM…INTRODUCING THE TEACH FIRST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM… PAGE 23INTRODUCING THE TEACH FIRSTCOMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM…London – NorthLenolie Campbell has recently joinedfrom the Future Leaders Trust. Sheis fascinated with the leadershipjourney and would love to support youon yours. Having trained in theatreeducation, Lenolie is keen to hearabout North London ambassadors’artistic ideas and projects.lcampbell@teachfirst.org.ukNorth EastHannah Clark trained in inner cityNottingham primary schools, then taughtin Middlesbrough before becoming anLeadership Development Officer (LDO)in the North East (NE) in 2011 (whenthere were no NE ambassadors). She andthe team look forward to working withambassadors from the NE and beyond.hclark@teachfirst.org.ukWalesEmily Cook is brand new to theteam and is heading up communityengagement in Wales. Prior to this shewas a youth empowerment officer in aTeach First school and has also workedas a youth worker. Emily is excitedto hear from the Wales community!ecook@teachfirst.org.ukLondon – SouthSandra Fernandez Conde is originallyfrom Mexico City and has worked inchildren’s centres in London whereshe led outreach projects for familieswith babies/toddlers. If you are anambassador in South London pleasesay hola and tell her more about you!sfernandezConde@teachfirst.org.ukDon’t know who to getin touch with? Meet yourlocal area contact.These lovely people are hereto ensure you have someoneto answer your queries, listento what you are up to andgenerally help you out.About the Community Engagement team:We exist to support you to undertake more activity inending educational inequality. Whether this is directlywith Teach First, through the ambassador networkor finding other opportunities in your local area, theteam can help you to take action in a way that is rightfor you. This could be by joining a network, settingup a mentor for one of your pupils or offering workexperience for young people – literally anything!Primarily focused on working with ambassadors, theteam also look to partner with others doing great workwith young people. Do get in touch, we’d love to hearfrom you.London – EastCharlie Payne looks after the East Londoncommunity. Whether you are still inteaching or not, if you want to makestuff happen then get in touch withCharlie. When not engaging with thecommunity, she will be trying to crack acryptic crossword, at the theatre, gym, orhanging out on Twitter (@charliepayne).cpayne@teachfirst.org.ukLondon – WestRhiannon Horsley is the go-to personfor all things ambassador-related inWest London. She is always keen tohelp in any way she can – for exampleshe recently helped one ambassadorshare the amazing work they’re doingwithin the local community and helpedanother hand out drinks at a schooldisco! rhorsley@teachfirst.org.ukEast MidlandsNick Hall is the contact for all thingsambassador-related in the EastMidlands. He was an English teacher inDerby for 11 years before becoming theEast Midlands Director. He is currentlyworking on his second book aboutteaching grammar from years 5-8.nhall@teachfirst.org.ukNorth WestLucy Townsend worked for anenvironmental campaign and afoster care charity in London beforemoving to the North West to work withambassadors. She’d love to hear yourideas for the community!ltownsend@teachfirst.org.ukSouth CoastKate Allam (‘11) taught English inBirmingham before joining the SouthCoast team as an LDO. Kate recentlyattended a conference in Chicago oncommunity change and is keen to learnyour views about education on theSouth Coast. kallam@teachfirst.org.ukSouth EastOlivia Roe was a primary teacher for 10years before coming to work at TeachFirst in 2012 as an LDO in London andthen the South East. She is working toinvolve ambassadors more in the SouthEast’s ever-growing community. Pleaseget in touch! oroe@teachfirst.org.ukSouth WestGini Bostock is a member of theSouth West team, based in Bristol.She looks forward to working withlocal ambassadors to ensure thatBristol (and the rest of the South West)remains a great place to live for bothadults and young people.vbostock@teachfirst.org.ukWest MidlandsAnna Barradell is the first port of callfor ambassadors in the West Midlands.Get in touch if you are not sure how tobe involved in Teach First, want to sharesomething you are doing or lookingfor support but not sure where to start.abarradell@teachfirst.org.ukYorkshire and the HumberAmy Howarth (‘10) taught citizenshipin Yorkshire before moving on to jointhe Yorkshire and Humber team as anLDO. Being absolutely passionate aboutthe local area, she would love to hearyour ideas on how we can collaborateand innovate to increase our impact.ahowarth@teachfirst.org.ukNational/abroadLucy Hinson works in the CommunityImpact Department at Teach First andis keen to hear from ambassadorsliving abroad or in a non-Teach Firstlocal area to make sure you feel part ofthe community and know how to getinvolved! lhinson@teachfirst.org.ukEngagement teamJo Stradling was Teach First’s originalCommunity Engagement officer. Shenow heads up our ever-expandingCommunity Engagement team. Jois passionate about making surecommunities are supported to bringabout change in a way that is right forthem – and that starts with listening!jstradling@teachfirst.org.uk

GET INVOLVEDIN A TEACH FIRSTDon’t miss out – whether you’re an adrenaline junkie, a fitness freak ora nature lover – we’ve got something for you! All the money raised goestowards our Futures Programme, helping young people from low-incomebackgrounds access the best careers and universities.The Wolf RunWarwickshire 05 Sept 2014Leicestershire 07 Nov 2014A hardcore 10k run across raw naturalterrain, including open ground,woodland, lakes and thick mud. Runas a lone wolf or in a pack.SkydivingVarious dates and locationsTake a leap of faith by skydiving from10,000 feet. With all your training andthe jump completed in one day, this isan exciting fundraising opportunity ofa lifetime.Fright Hike25 Oct or 01 Nov 2014Walk 30km in six hours throughthe depths of the night aroundHalloween in the UK’s scariestforest locations.Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge20 Sept 2014 or 04 July 2015Summit Yorkshire’s tallest peaks inthis stunning weekend challenge inthe Yorkshire Dales.London to Paris Bike Ride17 Sept 2014Jump on your bike and complete aonce-in-a-lifetime challenge.Every mile you cover will help ensurea child gets the brilliant educationthey deserve.We’ll support you every step of the way withyour fundraising, with resources to inspireyou and tips to smash your target.RR23 Sept 7pmRun, jog or walk 5k or 10kpast iconic landmarks alongthe River Thames.Brighton Half Marathon22 February 2015Join 10,000 runners in thisfantastic seaside challenge –the UK’s fastest growing halfmarathon.teachfirst.org.uk/challengeevents@teachfirst.org.uk020 3117 2465Registered charity no. 1098294