Hi my name is Vicky Forster, I’m a qualified primary school teacher and I am leading the Early Years Access Course.
I have worked in Year F, Year 1 and Year 2, with plenty of experience over 13 years! I absolutely love what I do and the challenges that my job brings. The children and their families are all what make my job so enjoyable. I studied Business Studies at university however I never really knew where I wanted this to take me and after starting a career in business I realised I wanted something more exciting, interesting and fun! I decided I wanted a complete change and found myself looking for voluntary experience within my local school where I worked one afternoon a week volunteering for 2 months, working with children, and supporting the class teacher and I loved it! The classroom was always a buzz, the children were full of energy and eagerness to learn and the teachers all went above and beyond.
From here, I then got a job as a teaching assistant for a year working in early years to gain experience so I could apply for a PGCE in primary education. I learnt more in this year as a teaching assistant than I ever thought I would, getting involved in planning, leading activities, taking on as much responsibility as I could and learning from the class teacher.
After completing my PGCE I started my first job in Early Years as a class teacher. My first class (which I will always remember!) were a mixture of wonderful personalities and no day was ever the same! From creating space ship role play areas to outdoor construction sites, teaching children their first phonics sounds to help them start reading and helping them to learn to write their name. Every day was rewarding, watching my first class grow and learn.
Turning to teaching was the best decision I ever made and working within early years has by far been my most favourite year group to teach. The first year of a child’s education is the most important, learning new skills, making new friends, becoming more independent and taking their first steps into the big world. As a teacher of Early Years you are not just a teacher. The role covers so much more, supporting children in their first year of school and making it as enjoyable, nurturing and as engaging as possible, being a support for parents who may be new to the school experience, and helping to embed the basic skills that children need to enable them to be successful in their future school years.
A day teaching in Early Years is never without laughter, funny stories, curious questions and lots of firsts and this is why it is such an enjoyable and rewarding career path to take!