What Inspires Staff At West Lakes Academy?

Mrs Brown(Head of Year 9)

“What inspires me to work in a school is my love of children and the children we have here. To see all children thrive and do well, it is a pleasure to watch them blossom, being the young individuals that that they are. I love seeing them go on to bigger greater things and knowing that I have been a part of their lives.”

Mr Rush(History Teacher)

“Seeing the youngest kids develop throughout their school life.”

Miss Fell(Behavioural Support Assistant)

“What inspires me to do my job is that I want to help students do the best they can in school, so they can do what they want in the future. Seeing them improve makes me want to come in everyday for school.”

Mrs Rinaldi(Maths Teacher)

“I had a really good teacher who I'm still friends with. That’s why I wanted to be a teacher”

Mr Walker(RE Teacher)

“I wanted to be in a job that equipped and inspired young people to be what they want to be.”

Miss Beckwith(Science Teacher)

“Every day is different at WLA.”

“What inspires me is seeing students in my intervention groups be successful, whether they are going for a grade C or a B, but especially for those ones that work that little bit harder to achieve their grade. That is what makes me come in everyday to school.”

Mrs Plews(Maths Teaching Assistant)

Mrs Robinson(Learning Support Assistant)

“What inspires me, is when the students achieve their goals with my help and move forward in their future learning. Watching them progress over time motivates me and makes me want to come in everyday.”

Mr Haslop(Geography Teacher)

“Because I wanted to make a difference, develop young people, to make them more fully rounded and better people .”

“I'm motivated because I like to be a part of the academy and I want all students to achieve their goals, whatever their personal goals may be. I want them all to be the best while they are here, and when they move into their future they don’t look back and have any regrets. That they are fulfilled and happy to be here and that they know why they are here and that we will support them, whatever their needs may be.”

Ms. Wightman(Head of Year 8)

“I enjoy helping and supporting students who are facing difficulties in their lives and encouraging them back into lessons at West Lakes Academy. Seeing them improve and grow as a person inspires me to come to work.”

Mrs Williamson(Head of Inclusion)

“What inspires me is seeing children reach their full potential and knowing that I took part in their lives. It’s fantastic to see students excel in their grades and constantly pushing themselves to improve.”

Mrs Johnston(Learning Support Assistant)

Miss Contell(MFL Teacher)

“I love to see students make progress and improve.”

“What inspires me to come to West Lakes Academy is the wonderful students we have here, I love to help students if I can and make them feel better. If they are feeling poorly or injured they come to me so I sometimes feel like the mother of the school!”

Mrs Tuck(First Aid Co-ordinator)

Miss Donaldson(Head of Year 11)

“What inspires me to come to my work everyday is the opportunity to work with students, I thrive on seeing students excel in all different areas, but also the fact that each day is never the same, always different. I love the variety of my job!”

Miss MacLeod(English Teacher)

“My teachers inspired me to become a teacher myself.”

Miss Brown(Head of Year 7)

“I love coming into West Lakes Academy to help students achieve all they can and remove any problems that may be in their way so that they don’t impact on their learning. By the time they leave, they have everything they need to have a successful life.”

“You lot, you all inspire me, that’s why I do my job and enjoy it.”

“All of you children inspire me.”

Teresa and Allison (Kitchen Team)

Mrs Wharton(Librarian)

“You can spend time giving people instructions, advice or guidance but it doesn’t mean they are going to take it. For me working with a child and spending time on them, and then seeing the improvement whether its 1%, or 100%, that’s why I do my job.”

Reception Staff

“Working with the people here at the academy really inspires me.”

Miss Lithgow (PR Manager)

Mrs Wond (HR Co-ordinator)

“Its rewarding to know that I help publicise the achievements that the students have made throughout their time in the academy, and rewarding to know I’ve played a big part in that. Its nice to see the parents’ faces when they see the photos and articles that I have produced to show the success of our academy.”

“I show people around when the school is recruiting, and that for me is like the same relationships that teachers have with students, it’s nice to see their faces when we show them the school, they seem really amazed and it’s satisfying as I work in a place that is so amazing to other people it really makes me proud, that’s what inspires me.”

Ken(Site Management)

“When I was in the police force, I did various jobs such as helping children with their cycling proficiency, and little jobs like that and when I retired I wanted to do something with all the time I had on my hands. I didn’t want to waste it, so when the job for site management came up, I took it and I’ve been here ever since, and I love it. The kids keep me young!”

Miss Kerr(PE Teacher)

“I work here in the hope that I can make a difference in students lives.”

Miss Capstick(English Teacher)

“I wanted to work with children, give young people an education they’ll remember and give them the opportunities that they want.”

Miss McCrory(MFL Teacher)

“I enjoy helping children learn.”

Mrs Durham(Science Teacher)

“David Attenborough inspires me as weird as that sounds.”

Miss Lewthwaite(Food and Nutrition Teacher)

“I wanted to be a teacher because of the impact my teachers had on me.”