Year 3

I am really excited to be back teaching Year 3 at Petteril Bank School this year! I actually began my time at Petteril Bank as the Year 3 teacher, so it feels lovely to be back where it all started. Over the years, I have also had the chance to teach in Year 1, Year 2, Year 4 and Year 5, before returning to Year 3 this year.

I joined Petteril Bank in Autumn 2021, so I have been part of the Petteril Bank family for a few years now. I have loved getting to know so many wonderful children and families during my time here and watching the children grow and achieve amazing things.

You might be surprised to find out that I come from an agricultural family and grew up surrounded by lots of animals, including sheep and horses! I have also been very lucky to travel to lots of different places around the world. One of my favourite things to tell people is that I have actually ridden an elephant and shaken a crocodile’s hand!

There are lots of things that make a good day at Petteril Bank, but my favourite moment is when a child comes running over to tell me about something they have achieved. Seeing how proud and excited they are, and being able to celebrate their success with them always makes my day!

For me, the very best thing about being a teacher is seeing children work hard, overcome challenges and achieve something they are proud of. There is nothing better than seeing the huge smile on a child’s face when they realise they have achieved something they have been working towards.

If I could pass on one piece of wisdom, it would be something my grandfather always used to say — a very Yorkshire saying!

“Those who do nowt, get nowt wrong.”

In other words, you can’t achieve something if you don’t give it a try! Sometimes things might not go perfectly, and that’s okay. Making mistakes is part of learning. It is always better to have a go, learn from it and keep trying than to never try at all.