Lucy Harwood
Director of English
I believe that teachers are no longer simply fonts of knowledge, but facilitators and moral guides; it is our duty to empower young people and equip them with everything that they need to be confident contributors in an increasingly global and fractious world. With all of the developments in the education industry and growth of ed-tech, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that education is simply about bringing out the best in young people, with equal importance being placed on personal and academic development. Within my position as a highly successful Director of English, I strive to acknowledge and share that learning is a process that needs to be understood in order for learners to achieve their full potential. We can’t just focus on grades and outcomes; we must acknowledge the journey that it takes to get there so that we can apply new skills and awareness outside of the classroom as we go out into the wider world. Ambition should be limitless, and it is our responsibility to give confidence to young minds and help them realise this.
Heading into my 18th year of teaching, it seems a lifetime ago that I was studying my PGCE in Secondary English and Drama with SEN at University College Worcester. Having had leadership responsibilities in both Mainstream and SEN schools in the UK, I chose to go back to my roots and focus on the main subject I trained in - English. All of the avenues that I took throughout my early years of being a teacher have enabled me to understand your child as a whole being and how to bring out the best in them, no matter the topic they may be studying.
On the weekends you will often find me out on the ocean with my paddleboard, or camping out in the desert with my family – there are few things that top waking up in the middle of nowhere with the views of the seemingly never-ending desert of the UAE. I also love playing netball and testing my limits in the odd triathlon here and there. As long as I am being active then I am in my happy place (other than the classroom, of course!)
