Our people

Caroline Cane

Caroline Cane (’04) Chemistry, Nottingham
Taught Science Uxbridge High School
Now Policy Officer, School Governance, Department for Education

I’m Caroline Cane and joined Teach First in 2004. I went to Nottingham University where I studied Chemistry and I now work in the Department for Education in the Academy’s Policy Unit.

Addressing educational disadvantage is what Teach First is all about. I don’t think anyone goes into Teach First just wanting an easy life.

I was so surprised at the low aspirations of a lot of the kids and that was something that was just a bit of a shock to me. I guess that’s something that Teach First brings when they go into the schools that they have such high aspirations that hey don’t give up. They just really, really want the children in their classes to achieve and do well, and they are not going to stop and give up on them.

It’s one of the most exciting things about doing Teach First, going into your lessons and seeing that you are actually having and making that difference. You can see their light bulbs come on.

Just at the end of the day if they can say to you ‘that’s a fantastic lesson there, I really enjoyed that’ it is such an amazing feeling and it’s something in my current job, I still don’t get that sort of satisfaction.

Teach First, it isn’t just about the six week Summer Institute, and then you’re into your classrooms. You’ve got your mentors that come and visit you while you’re in the schools. You’ve got mentors within the school you’re in that are teachers there to support you – that’s part of the Teach First package they are making sure that’s in place for you.

Because Teach First isn’t just about the two year programme, you’ve got the Ambassador Scheme. I was able to still get involved and I became a HEAPS mentor, so I took on two sixth form students and mentored them, tried to raise aspirations and get them into universities. So although I wasn’t actually still teaching I was able to continue to feel like I was making an impact.