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Alice Thornbery-Walker - Year Lead (international)

I started my teaching career with the Surrey South Farnham SCITT programme in 2015/16.  Being drawn to the opportunities that the course provided; I saw the course as an opportunity to train whilst working in the classroom.  I had the belief that learning directly from experienced teachers who were doing the job every day would give me the most realistic and in-depth training- I was correct! The Surrey South Farnham SCITT programme was incredibly thorough in preparing me for my future career as a teacher. The training sessions were led by inspiring and incredibly knowledgeable practitioners who were experts in their field. Additionally, working closely with my mentor was invaluable to my training and progress to becoming the teacher I am today. I learnt the key skills required to become a capable teacher, whilst also developing a wide range of other key life skills, which are so vital to the teaching profession, such as reflection, patience, and resilience.

Whilst training, I decided to complete the PGCE option which was then offered by Roehampton University, although this was challenging to complete alongside the training programme and working in school, I will forever be grateful for the opportunities that it has given me. As an NQT, I started my teaching career in KS1, after two years, I was eager to broaden my horizons and teaching experience, subsequently moving to South Farnham Junior School as a Year 5 teacher.  In 2019 I made the leap to international teaching, moving to Thailand to teach at Harrow International School in Bangkok.

Alice Thornbery-Walker
Year Lead, Harrow International School, Bangkok

I have been working as part of the middle leadership team at the school and am currently the Year 3 lead. If I was told in 2015, when I first started the SCITT, as a young inexperienced teacher, that I would be in Thailand, working as a Year Lead within 5 years, I would have never believed that it would be possible.

I thoroughly believe that the Surrey South Farnham SCITT provided me with not only the foundation to pursue my career in teaching, but taught me to always strive for excellence, to never settle for something that is only good or satisfactory. I could not be more thankful for the mentors, class teachers I shadowed and the training that the Surrey South Farnham SCITT provided me. I certainly would not be the teacher I am today if I had not trained on the programme.