Katie Lloyd is 29 and is Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprentice at Rivington and Blackrod High School (RBHS) in Bolton. Katie decided to do an apprenticeship as she always had a desire to teach children and she wanted to increase her confidence and build on her experience of working with animals.
Here is Katie’s apprenticeship journey so far
‘I chose this apprenticeship programme as since I was young I have had the desire to teach and work with children. In the past I have worked as part of my local Forest School group, as well as assisting the education officer at a zoo/farm park. I was also a Student Supervisor at Hartpury College’s animal unit and worked as a dog grooming tutor.
I hold a bachelor’s and master’s degree in animal Behaviour and Welfare. I completed my master’s with a teaching career in mind. This experience with animals has led to RBHS offering me the opportunity to complete Therapy Dog Training to begin interventions with the students.
I wanted to increase my confidence in teaching, increase the diversity of my subject knowledge and learning how to support a variety of students with differing needs. I hope to one day become a teacher or lecturer of animal studies.
The main benefits of an apprenticeship programme are the extra support from the employer and LMP tutor. I have also completed a variety of assignment tasks requiring in-depth research on key subjects for the role. I have received lots of encouragement from my tutor with supportive feedback, wellbeing check-ins during every online tutor meeting and the training/diploma paid for by my employer.
The best thing about my role is witnessing the tangible difference our support can make on students, not just with their academic learning but also with their confidence and wellbeing, seeing students bloom.
Ria, my LMP tutor, has offered lots of support, letting me know that she is available if I have any questions. She has given feedback on all my submitted assignments and explained my learning journey every step of the way. She asks about my wellbeing at every meeting. My line manager and TA team at RBHS Lower School are very supportive and help me whenever they can. I have developed great relationships with them all. They encourage my development and are also very mindful of my wellbeing.
The most important skill I have learnt is adapting learning strategies to each child’s needs and preferences to ensure they get the most out of the learning experience. All behaviour, even challenging, is communication. Every child deserves opportunities to grow and develop
I hope to get a permanent Level 3 TA role at RBHS working in the Lower School where I have completed most of my apprenticeship. I value the team there and am excited to develop further under their guidance. I would like to look into a career in teaching one day.’
If you are interested in finding out more, explore the Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship programme.
If you are interested in finding out more about the apprenticeship opportunities available at LMP Education visit our vacancies page.
