Emma Elliott - Assistant Head
After a career in publishing, I volunteered at Sythwood one day a week during my maternity leave to gain valuable primary school experience. It was fantastic to be immersed in the classroom; supporting children who spoke no English, learning grammatical terms alongside the children and observing strategies used by outstanding teachers. This experience cemented my desire to become a teacher and I was accepted onto the Surrey South Farnham SCITT programme in 2013/14.
The perfect mix of professional study days combined with training in school ensured I could observe excellent teaching and learning before implementing the strategies immediately. Having an inspiring mentor and support tutor, I felt challenged and encouraged to achieve my full potential and put into practise all the research and skills I was rapidly being equipped with.
After completing my training, I became Year Group Leader in 2016 and relished the opportunity to develop my management skills. When the opportunity to apply for the role of Assistant Head came up in 2018, I felt prepared and excited to take on the challenge. This is my third year of being Assistant Headteacher and I am also now taking on a secondment opportunity as English Lead for Schools Alliance for Excellence to share good practice and support other Surrey schools.
Emma Elliott
Assistant Head
Sythwood Primary and Nursery School
Since completing my training, I have mentored SCITT trainees and now oversee the SCITT programme at Sythwood. I feel privileged to be part of the development of such high-quality teachers and know the impact the training will have on every trainee. My SCITT year was one of my favourite years of teaching and I would highly recommend this journey for anyone who wants to exceed their own expectations.