Hi, I’m Nick, I’ve been working at Piper’s Vale for over ten years now and I’m looking forward to the next ten! Over my time at the school, Piper’s Vale has grown, evolved and changed. I think a big milestone for the school was becoming part of Paradigm Trust. It was a hard time for the school, but watching and helping Piper’s Vale transition into an academy created an exciting and prosperous new era and I have never been more proud of where I work. Becoming an academy brought a new vision to Piper’s Vale, creating a happy and positive atmosphere making it a joy to walk through the school halls every day. 

I have been fortunate enough to watch so many pupils grow and develop here, and I truly believe being a teacher is one of the most rewarding jobs out there. I feel so lucky to have a role in ensuring children reach their full potential and to do this alongside such a strong, caring and ambitious team. 

Throughout my time as a teacher, one thing I have learnt is that it really doesn’t matter how long you have been doing the job for. Whether ten years or ten weeks, it is a constant learning curve, and within Paradigm Trust this is encouraged. We are given lots of opportunity to develop our skills further through training, network groups and CPD courses, all of which have had a significant impact on my progression into – and success as – Assistant Principal; including being able to go out and observe teachers within other Paradigm Trust schools, enabling me to learn new techniques and methods which is a brilliant way to enhance your career. 

At Piper’s Vale there is a real ‘we’re in this together’ attitude, with open dialogue and the encouragement to share opinions. We don’t believe in barriers between departments and everyone has the opportunity to be involved in every curriculum and element of the school. All staff members are encouraged to visit other people’s lessons, provide feedback and ask questions, which not only encompasses the community ethos, but has helped to build a productive and mutually beneficial working environment.  

And it’s not just our colleagues we support of course; as teachers, our main goal is to ensure that each and every one of our pupils is happy. I don’t think this has shone through more than it did during the Covid-19 lockdown where everyone pulled together to support our pupils and their parents, adapting to the ‘new normal’ quickly. Piper’s Vale remained open throughout the lockdown and to see how our staff all managed to quickly create socially-distanced learning and printed work-packs, while consistently calling parents to check they were OK was a really special moment. It really was a team effort and highlights our true school community. 

Overall, I consider myself extremely lucky to have had such a long and rewarding career at Piper’s Vale. I am surrounded by professional, positive and conscientious colleagues who excel at their jobs and I am proud of everything we do for our pupils and their families. 

If you’re considering applying to Piper’s Vale, or any school in the Trust, I couldn’t advocate it more – after all, there’s a reason why I have worked here for so long!