Gemma Young completed the Supporting Teaching & Learning qualification through Aspire 2Be after hearing about the course from a work colleague.
Having recently started a new role in Sofrydd Primary School Nursery, Gemma felt the qualification would help her progress within her new career. Throughout the course, she found that she was constantly learning new things and was able to put that learning directly into practice within her role.
The qualification helped Gemma not only in her work with children and staff, but also gave her a greater understanding of the wider running of the school. She found the unit Promote Children and Young People’s Positive Behaviour particularly beneficial, especially when working with children with Additional Learning Needs (ALN) and a variety of behavioural challenges.
Gemma also highlighted the support she received throughout the qualification. Her workplace encouraged her throughout the course, with colleagues acting as mentors, providing witness testimonies and supporting progress reviews. She felt that senior leaders could clearly see the value of the qualification and the impact it had on her knowledge and confidence.
She was equally positive about the support she received from her Trainer Coach, Andy, who was always available to help and explain things in a way that worked for her. Gemma enjoyed the monthly sessions and found them both informative and productive.
One aspect of the qualification that Gemma particularly valued was its flexibility. The work could be completed around existing commitments, and she was able to submit evidence from her day-to-day role, including photographs of classroom set-ups. This made the learning feel directly relevant to her job and helped her demonstrate her skills in a practical way.
The qualification also supported Gemma in achieving her career goals. While completing the course, she was successful in securing a role as a Level 2 Teaching Assistant in a new Learning Resource Base (LRB) unit working with children with Additional Learning Needs.
Overall, Gemma described the qualification as life-changing and believes it played a significant role in helping her achieve the career path she wanted. She would recommend the qualification to others looking to develop their skills and progress in education.
