We Welcome Amy to the College Team

Amy had every intention of staying on at Poole High after her GCSEs. Following a difficult period in her life, coupled with having dyslexia, the school provided a hugely supportive and nurturing environment where she felt comfortable and confident. However, as everyone discovers, life doesn’t always follow the path you intended and instead, largely thanks to her Mum, who knew that the course would be “right up my street,” Amy found herself starting Rockley’s Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport (Outdoor Adventure) course that September and graduated two years later with a triple distinction.

"While I really enjoyed being at Poole High, leaving, for me, was exactly what I needed. I needed to be pushed outside my comfort zone. I needed to do things that I wasn't necessarily comfortable with. Taking myself out of my comfort zone and being in a completely new environment helped me grow as a person and prepared me for adulthood. I'm a very social person, but only when I'm comfortable with people but I found my time at Rockley College an incredible experience."

THE BENEFITS OF PURSUING ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL ROUTES ACCORDING TO AMY!

• It's important to do what is right for you and not to follow the crowd
• There are huge benefits of exploring apprenticeships and more vocational courses – to explore paths beyond traditional academic routes
• A vocational course allowed me to discover so many things about myself. I don’t think would have happened if I had continued on at school. I achieved the same UCAS points as some of my friends who stayed on to do A-levels – I just took a different, and for me, a better route.
• Don't underestimate the importance of self-discovery through education
• It was an ideal course for me – I’m a very practical person and don’t like exams

LIFE AFTER ROCKLEY

After graduating with a triple distinction, Amy went on to work as an Activity Instructor in Devon before deciding on a teaching degree at Birmingham City University where she ‘worked her socks off’ for three years. “I learned so much from being in a teaching environment.”

Amy has made sure that her dyslexia is not a barrier to what she wants to achieve in life. She is also passionate about ensuring that if any of her students have dyslexia, they do not see it as a barrier to reaching their true potential. She explains that she can tell when a student finds it difficult to process certain information and she can give them the tools to succeed and adapt her teaching style to enable them to achieve their goals.

After graduating from university, Amy accepted a job back home in Dorset which, as her first post, she both loved and found challenging! The commute to work was an added challenge. So, when a post at Rockley College came up, applying for it was a ‘no brainer!’

Amy is super excited about her new position and is staring the new academic year with immense enthusiasm and passion – something that we know our new students will find infectious!