Sharon Ingham: BA Hons Educational Studies

Sharon Ingham

BA Hons Educational Studies, 1997

“I am now Head Teacher at Hadrian Lower School in Dunstable.”

After graduating, Sharon started working at Hadrian Lower School as a foundation year class teacher. She then progressed to Senior Manager, Foundation Leader, Numeracy Co-ordinator and Student Co-ordinator, before becoming Deputy Head in 2001. In 2004 she was promoted to Head Teacher.

Sharon studied Educational Studies at the University’s Putteridge Bury campus. As a mature student who had been away from full-time education for 16 years she found this very challenging at first.

However, Sharon said: “The tutors were very supportive and to my surprise all the other students were mature and working in education as either nursery nurses or general assistants. This resulted in a wealth of experience being brought to our discussions and our learning”.

“Friendships were soon established as we had so much in common - trying to hold down a job, run a family home and studying at a level none of us had experienced before.”

“My time at the University was happy and exciting. I’d always been ambitious and the Educational Studies course came at just the right time for me.”

Sharon had been looking for an opportunity to study part-time, which allowed her to hold down a job and would lead her along the path to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). She said: “I found studying was much more than a means to an end. It was such a positive learning experience. It gave me confidence and a desire to continue learning.”

Two years into the course Sharon was offered the opportunity to gain QTS through taking the Licensed Teacher route at Hadrian. This meant taking on greater responsibility for running a class, in addition to completing her degree.

For the next two years Sharon was observed regularly by an appointed mentor and had to produce evidence to show she had achieved a level of competence for all the standards required for QTS.

Sharon said: “My work load at school was the same as any other teacher and I had just one day off a week to support my degree work.”

Prior to studying at the University Sharon had trained for the National Nursery Examination Board (NNEB) qualification in the 70’s and then followed a career in childcare for Leicester Social Services, over a ten year period, working in play centres and family centres.

She then moved to Hertfordshire in 1986 and took on a part-time position at a newly created 4+ unit in Flamstead. In 1991 Sharon secured a position at Hadrian Lower School as NNEB which is the school she is now head of!

Sharon said: “I feel very fortunate to have been given so many opportunities by others who have faith in my abilities and have encouraged me along my career path. As a new head I act as a role model for others and try to ensure my staff have the same opportunities and doors opened to them. Two of Hadrian’s teaching assistants will be joining the Educational Studies course this May!”

Interview took place in 2005.