Teacher Interview

I would also like to do more music, that seems like the coolest class

I get full FOMO when I walk past your music class ”

We’re doing handbells, can you hear them?

Who are the most memorable students you’ve had while teaching? What made them so memorable?

Massive thanks to Ms Dignan for this awesome contribution (she’s really cool guys) For those Year 10s who are already thinking about subject selection, and where that selection is going to take them in life, some much-needed wisdom may be in order. Ms Dignan, who you all know and love, is just the right person to go to

Towards the end, we'll also chat about some general life advice and sentiments that Diggy wants to share. Without further ado, let's get into it.

What’s that?

“In England, you have to take this A-level called general studies, where basically it’s everything - so there’s a bit of environmental science, how the world works, and politics.

At the beginning of Year 11, they give you the exam for the end of Year 12, and I got an ‘A’ on it, so for two years for general studies I went rock-climbing for four hours a week, for two whole years It was wonderful!”

What’s your personal favourite/least favourite subject out of the ones Year 11 and 12s can choose? Why?

“I loved history at school, but we had to choose in Year 9, history or geography, we couldn’t do both. So I had to drop history to take geography, I wanted to do both So that’s the bit that I’m sad about, that I didn’t get what you guys get, where you get to do them both all the way through

“I saw! I thought somebody had the xylophones out, I went past the window to look actually. You probably saw me outside, and then I saw Ms Wood and thought, I better run away before I get in trouble for disrupting your lesson!”

What’s your honest opinion of the way the HSE works? Could they do a better job?

“I think it’s weird the way the person that goes in with the top mark gets the top mark of the other people

But that’s also why we do so well at HSE, because the person at the bottom scales everybody up Everybody shares all their resources and specifically helps those people at the tail end and that brings everybody’s marks up.

And actually, that’s one of the reasons why kids at Reddam are so incredibly successful, I think that teaches you to be a real team player when you go to work, doesn't it - instead of, like, ‘sod that bugger, they’re not doing their work’, we need to help that person to help ourselves.”

“I probably shouldn’t say this but, my favourite students are the ones who are a bit naughty and funny… the ones who make me laugh That’s what I love about Reddam! You’re really challenging. We teach you to think for yourselves, at other schools the kinds wouldn’t challenge the teachers in the same way

What is the funniest thing a student has said to you?

“You look really nice today Ms Dignan, I didn’t recognise you!” She tried to take it back but I knew what she meant ”

If you could go back in time to talk to yourself and give yourself some advice, what time in your life would you go back to and what would you say?

“I'd go back to your age and just say, have some more fun Kiss some more people. Live a bit more! And just be kind. If people are mean to you it’s their problem, not yours. So yeah, be kind to people Especially mean people ‘ cause they need it more. “

Anything else you would like to say?

“I’ll tell you what my grandad said, ‘Be nice to people on the way up, because they’ll kick you on the way back down’ ”