Q) Have you always been a maths teacher?

A) No, I actually studied electrical engineering at Imperial. I worked as a technical marketing executive for a motor drives company, making brochures and designing and installing demos at exhibitions in the UK and throughout Europe. It was a fun environment and a very creative and sociable job, but I always had to prepare for the unexpected. On my first exhibition in Germany I wasn’t aware that the colours of electrical wires were different to the UK and I accidently blew up the computer on the stand!

Q) What prompted you to change to teaching?

A) My previous role didn’t offer many chances to contribute to society, something that was really important to me. I knew I loved working with people and enjoyed maths so decided to become a teacher.

I have been asked why I chose maths over physics, the simple reason is that there is no equipment, so you don’t have to plan so much.

Q) How did you prepare to become a maths teacher when your degree is in electrical engineering?

A) It wasn’t too hard as I love maths and enjoyed learning the syllabuses and practicing questions before I started work.

It helped that I had the confidence that I could do it. I always enjoyed Mr Hawkins’ assemblies and felt that he was talking directly to me. I remember him once saying; “don’t tell yourself you can’t do something, instead say you can’t do it yet” which really struck a chord.

Q) What were your first impressions of Concord?

A) I’d been a teacher for 12 years, including 3 years as a Head of Maths before coming to Concord. When I arrived here, I couldn’t get over the surroundings and students still talking about maths in the corridors after lessons had finished. I was also impressed by the excellent lunches too of course!

Q) Can you share any stand-out memories from Concord?

A) My tutor groups were so important to me. I couldn’t do it by halves, I felt like they were my children!

I clearly remember my first tutor group. I had 11 students and each one was from a different country. We called ourselves Mrs Charles’s Angels and did some charity fundraising for a tutee’s own charity in Nigeria. Another tutor group raised money for Shrewsbury Ark which helps homeless and vulnerable people. I am still in touch with some of those students now. Not that long ago I met one of them in London for dinner and she insisted on paying which meant a lot to me, I was really touched.

I have many more like…

• ‘Fish Tank Friday’, we put a virtual fishtank on the white board during lessons to help students relax while revising for Saturday tests.
• Getting the whole class singing to music from the band ‘Five Star’ when we did Exercise 5* from the textbook.
• Meeting students' pets in Teams lessons during the pandemic!
• I remember asking one student 'what's the score?' because I saw a reflection of a footie match on his laptop screen in the window behind him - it became a regular joke with the class.
• A 6.2 Further Maths class who called vectors the V-word, then bought me a mug to collect their tears from learning vectors.
• 11 years of my students saying 'thank you Miss' at the end of every lesson, it made all the hard work seem so worthwhile.
• Actually losing a student mid-lesson, only to find them sitting under their desk because they'd just received a university offer by email.
• Seeing the societies perform in the show at Theatre Severn with so many talented students - I remember being blown away by one of my maths students walking on his hands, and having my hands to my eyes watching a tutee doing the tinikling Philippine folk dance!
• Outside of the classroom I ran Eco Club. The Earth Hours were particularly special with candle lit musical performances in the theatre.

Q) What was the hardest thing about working at Concord?

A) It’s when my tutor groups and classes graduate. Although it’s a happy occasion it is so hard to say goodbye and I am regularly in tears not knowing if I’ll ever see them again.

Q) What is next for you?

A) I am giving up full time paid work but will be very busy as I have so many interests and hobbies. I might do some online maths tuition to keep my hand in, but plan to learn Spanish for travelling and Welsh because I am from Wales and haven’t spoken the language since I left school.

I also love music so plan to practice my cello, piano and African harp as well as go to concerts and festivals. I am also passionate about the environment so will help campaigning on ‘Green’ issues. I enjoy arts and crafts and plan to make my own clothes, learn psychology, walk the whole Wales Coastal Path and buy a camper van to travel round the UK and Scandinavia.

Q) What will you miss?

A) I will miss the people, the camaraderie, the laughter, the food, the beautiful setting and calculus & trigonometry. I won’t miss getting up early, the school bell ringing, sitting at a computer and the large data set!