Spotlight on: Miss Castleton, Head of Phase Year 1 and 2, and Year 1 Teacher

When did you join Hallfield?

September 2015

Where were you before you joined Hallfield?

Grove School

What made you want to become a teacher?

I have always wanted to be teacher from a young age. I used to play teachers as a little girl, I liked pretending to take the register and write on a whiteboard, which I had pinned up in my bedroom! My step father was a head teacher and was always an inspiration to me, particularly when he was my headmaster in secondary school and college!

What is your favourite topic(s) to teach and why?

I like teaching English, I enjoy the creativity of the subject. I am also passionate about PSHE and have enjoyed leading the subject at Hallfield in the Prep department. The subject highlights the importance of different controversial issues and I have enjoyed helping to raise the profile of PSHE and its importance to the lives of young people.

How does your subject enhance a child’s curriculum / development?

PSHE is an important subject because it equips children to develop skills and experiences which will help them navigate the modern world. PSHE focuses on the emotional wellbeing of young people, it is just as important as their physical health! Good mental health helps to develop resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them and grow into well-rounded, healthy adults!

What careers would your subject be useful for?

PSHE encourages pupils to live healthy, safe, productive, capable, responsible and balanced lives. Therefore, it motivates pupils to be positive leaners and supports them in making good career choices and achieving economic wellbeing.

What does an average day at Hallfield look like for you?

An average day starts with my cup of tea and checking my emails. I then prepare for the day, getting my lessons ready. If there are any notices for the children, I make sure they are written on the board so they can see them as soon as they come in. I always get welcomed warmly in the morning by the children in my class, then we do the register and head off to assembly. Lessons begin after assembly and every day there is something to look forward to! Whether is it lessons or other clubs and activities. At the end of a busy day, I usually have catch up with Mr D and Mrs Murray-Smith and eat a little sweet treat, like chocolate or a biscuit!

What do you love most about Hallfield?

The staff and children. I work with some great people and Hallfield is full of amazing teachers! I also love the children that I teach. I am fortunate enough to have taught in the Pre-prep and Prep so it has been a pleasure watching the children learn and grow over the past few years.

What would we be surprised to know about you?

I learnt to drive when I was 15!

(I lived in America when I was a teenager, and you can get your driving license from a younger age in the states. So I was driving legally!)

If you could pass on any wisdom to your pupils, what would that be?

I love this quote! ‘Life is like a camera, you focus on what’s important, capture the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don’t work out, take another shot!’