Josephine Lewis - Bromley High School

Assistant Headteacher, Coloma Convent Girls' School, Croydon
 
My decision to enter the teaching profession was made whilst I was in the sixth form. My Geography teacher suggested that we each take a book from a selection which she had brought to our lesson and choose a chapter which interested us. We were then asked to teach the information in that chapter to our peers. When the roles were reversed, I made my mind up that I wanted to become a geography teacher! I could still teach that lesson to this day (33 years later) and I have done so many times (it happened to be cutting edge research in physical geography and the chapter was written by the most famous female American Hydrologist of the 20th Century).
 
I turned down the first job I was offered as I felt that the school was not right for me and that was a very difficult thing to do when I was at college in Oxford with no alternative job, it also went against my Tutor's advice. When I took a break from full-time teaching to start a family, I had reached the level of second geographer in a sixth form college, having been resident in a boarding school and also having taught in a direct grant school. I continued as an examiner whilst I brought up my family and became the youngest female chief examiner in the country.
 
Although I did some supply teaching and some part-time teaching (including at Croydon High School), when I wanted to return to teaching, I was told by the Headteacher of a large girls' boarding school that I was ambitious in wanting to return as head of department. Three months later and two interviews down the line I went to my current school as head of geography, having placed the 'advice' firmly behind me.
 
Since the time I was appointed (nine years ago), I have never looked back. I have taken every opportunity for training and attended many conferences for senior teachers, having been asked to do so by my Headteacher. I took great care to feed back the information and this is one of the things which singled me out from my colleagues. I completed an MA (Education Management) three years ago (it is very important to study management and not just education) and last year I started an NPQH (headteacher's qualification) and took an AS in critical thinking with my students by video-conferencing.
 
As assistant headteacher, I oversee the smooth running of the school each day, I work very closely with the Headteacher, helping her with any aspect of management, I write the timetable and I run the Public Examinations. I also look after the school by myself if the rest of the leadership team is out of school. An assistant head has the same roles as deputy head, but has to be asked to take responsibility for the school. I find the job very satisfying as it is closest to being a headteacher without the overall responsibility. There is never a dull moment in my job and plenty of variety. I teach 11 lessons each week and keep the staff of 68 teachers happy. One day I may be showing the BBC tv news team around the school (it happens to be a very successful school) and the next day I may be in consultation with the architects about a new building development.
 
If you are thinking of becoming a teacher, do think beyond the classroom as the amount of job satisfaction from running an organisation of over 1000 individuals with a budget greater than 90% of the business organisations in this country is immense.