Daniel Strachan - Year Lead & Assistant Headteacher
I began my career in education as a teaching assistant in a year 5 class. I believed it would offer a good opportunity to absorb the ethos and expectations of the school in which I wanted to work. I know wholeheartedly that following in the shadow of an experienced teacher for a year only bolstered my understanding of how to deliver a broad, balanced and creative curriculum. Not to mention the fact that I was able to experience and learn many of the teaching standards personally and incorporate them into the next year.
I transferred onto the SCITT course feeling confident with the experience I’d already gathered. My confidence maintained throughout the course of this year as, with any concern or query, the staff of the SSF SCITT programme were swift and strong in their support and reassurance.
Since qualifying, I have spent four years in class as class teacher, three years as a year leader and I'm now Assistant Headteacher at South Farnham School. I'm also part of the School Effectiveness Team, Extended Learning Team and a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Daniel Strachan
Asssistant Head (South Farnham School)
Considering my previous experience and education in classics, I gained the responsibility of History Co-ordinator in my second year of teaching, secured a Gold Award from the Historical Association for our fantastic history curriculum design in 2022 and I'm now Faculty Lead for Humanities and English Co-ordinator - we are currently pursuing a Platinum Award from the UKLA in English.
Additional responsibilities include facilitating training on behalf of the ECF and Teach First for mentors and ECTs, mentoring an ECT myself, Induction Tutor for an ECT, Induction Lead for all our ECTs at SFS, delivering our SCITT history training for all trainees and I'm a Support Tutor for a SCITT trainee at another school.
As I’m sure anyone in this sector will tell you, the children come first and foremost in anything you do. It begins from the point of welcoming them into the school – their constant environment – with a smile on your face, inciting the same in return and a spring in their step. Providing the sort of nurturing environment, one in which they yearn to be, is integral to the privilege of the job and moulding the minds of these children is a pleasure. I love the fact that a new day brings new challenges, new hurdles, as well as new expectations and sharing these days with the children really does make this job one of the best in the world.