A FORMER ballet dancer is being kept on her toes as she trains at college for a new career.
Claire Park is one of a number of students at Darlington College successfully taking a new direction on a Level 3 teaching assistant apprenticeship.
The 51-year-old, of Darlington, took up dancing as a child and at 16 secured a place at the Northern Ballet School, Manchester.
She later became a dancer on a cruise ship for eight years sailing around South America, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, before becoming cabin crew for the next decade.
After having her three sons she worked as an aerobics and Zumba instructor before taking up a post as a receptionist at Carmel College, where she also successfully applied for the TA apprenticeship.
“Because I really enjoy spending a lot of time with the students I decided to go down the TA pastoral route rather than teaching,” she said. “I knew the staff, students and the school’s ethos so it was an easy transition from reception into the classroom.
“I love Carmel and hope to stay there as an emotional literacy support assistant. I enjoy the mix of being in the classroom and one-to-one or group interventions. There’s a lot more emphasis on mental health issues and trying to support pupils will be so rewarding.”
For student Ethan Ramsey the TA apprenticeship is an opportunity to give something back to the school that helped him with his learning and autism.
“I was diagnosed with autism in Year 4,” said the 16-year-old, of Darlington. “Being an army child, I have also been to seven different schools and I struggled massively. Then we settled in Darlington and I went to Beaumont Hill. I started to get school, I started to like it, so much so that I wanted to give something back. If it wasn’t from Beaumont Hill I wouldn’t have got my GCSEs.
“They offered me a TA placement which is great because I already know everyone there and I can be myself. Teachers treat me like a colleague and I was shocked how easy the transition was.”
For fellow apprentice Owen Saunders Darlington College is proving to be the more rewarding alternative to university.
“I was studying sports management at university but became distracted so I left,” the 21-year-old said. “Now I’m a TA apprentice at Longfield School and it is amazing. It is so nice to see the children progress through school, it feels like you have done something worthwhile.
“I used to game until the early hours which really messed up my sleep patterns. Now I go to bed early and I feel so much better for it. I don’t feel like I am missing out on the day. I’d recommend an apprenticeship to anyone as it is better to earn as you learn.”
TA apprentice Grace Wardell also opted for an apprenticeship over a conventional degree. She is now working at Hurworth School developing her interests in pastoral care and SEND.
“It is going really well, I really like it,” said the 19-year-old, of Middlesbrough.
“We are seeing signs of delayed development in children coming through from primary and as we are able to identify more children with learning difficulties this is going to be a growth area.”
Anyone interested in opportunities at Darlington College should visit www.darlington.ac.uk.
