So Helen’s talking seriously about going back into academia. After about 10 years in teaching, and value-added this year through the roof, adding an average of a whole grade-and-a-half (when hardly any teacher hits even half a grade), and an adoring 6th form and strange cult-like following amongst her past pupils, she’s considering going back to work in a university.
Many years ago, after Oxford, she worked as a researcher at London University, finally giving it up to do something more useful (her words). I’m wondering what she’d do now that would be more useful than the staggeringly good work she does for her 6th Formers in her role as Top Teacher. I sympathise, though; being surrounded by other teachers – and especially the ‘SMT’ as the ‘Senior Management Team’ self-importantly dub themselves – can’t be a great motivator.