Andrew Roth-Savage

Andrew Roth-Savage
Age: 38
Course: Teacher

I never particularly enjoyed school. I don’t think I was blessed academically, I found the learning hard. I just didn’t enjoy the environment as a whole.

This of course affected my GCSEs and even though I sat all of them, I didn’t do very well. I had no idea what I wanted to do when I grew up, as it was all a bit overwhelming and had come around a lot quicker than I thought. 

I did get out there and try a few different things – a day at Burger King, a day in a steel work’s kitchen and pulling a pint or two.

Fast forward a few years to 2005 and somehow, I managed to get a job at a private nursery here in Rotherham. I worked full-time and studied alongside working to get my NVQ level 2 and then on to level 3. When I achieved the level 3 qualification, I moved to a different nursery and stayed there for over 10 years. 

It was during this time that I discovered I really enjoyed working with children and helping them develop and grow. Seeing how they can learn new skills and be amazed by what we think of as just everyday things, but to children, they’re new, extraordinary and magical.

In early 2016 I started working at a school in Sheffield in the nursery and soon settled in. During this time, I was asked to cover in Reception for the teaching assistant who was off. The teachers thought I was very good with the children and made a comment as to whether I had ever thought of becoming a teacher. I laughed, brushed it off but it was a niggle that I couldn’t get rid of. 

I looked at how to become a teacher and saw it was a very long process because I couldn’t do it full-time. This meant part-time study while working full-time as by this time I had a partner, a household and a stepdaughter which took a lot of time and money to maintain. 

I decided it was my time and started the foundation degree in September 2018 at UCR. This would have been the first time in a very long time I was back in education. The course itself was enjoyable, the tutors were good and the other people on the course were fun to be around. 

That brings us up to date: 5 years of learning, study, blood, sweat and tears later. This whole journey has not been the easiest but has it been worth it. I am now undertaking a teacher training apprenticeship at my school which should hopefully be completed by this July. 

I started this new academic chapter of my life when I was 33 and won’t be a qualified teacher until I am 39. I must be a glutton for punishment though, as I’m currently thinking about doing my master’s after the teacher training and then potentially my doctorate!

The reason for telling you my story is to prove it doesn’t matter what age you are, you never stop learning and now could be your time to shine!

#mytime

Click here to find out more about returning to education