Things I’m grateful for in 2015:
January – Schools week very kindly published a profile of me. A very strange but touching process.
February – I appeared on BBC Newsnight to debate LGBT teachers being out in school. [Video no longer online, alas]
February – I made friends for life with Debra Kidd and Lisa Jane Ashes in a wonderful week teaching physics at (what was then called) Park View school. I also remembered how much IÂ love teaching.
March – I was announced as Chair of the DfE CPD Expert Group. A huge responsibility – very humbling and exciting.
April – My inspirational Dad’s 80th birthday.
May – I was flown to the US where I visited NYC for the first time and then went on to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to speak at their TEDx event. Hard to express how excited and honoured I was.
June -Â my charity, the Teacher Development Trust, launched our joint massive new review (with TES) of what works in effective teacher development, by Cordingley et al
June – I had a piece published in The Guardian about homophobia in schools
August – my amazing husband was nominated as best brand for Muscat Bridal in one of the world’s top bridal wear trade shows.
September – Over 6 and a half years after my life-saving liver transplant, I was honoured to be featured by the national NHS organ donation campaign.
October – a culmination of huge amounts of blood, sweat and tears as the amazing new board of trustees for the College of Teaching took their places for the first time. I so strongly believe this is going to be beneficial for the profession, I’m so proud of having helped this.
November – felt hugely proud of my sister-in-law who graduated from her MBA in Edinburgh after studying for 6 years from Malta. A really touching visit.
That’s just a few of my highlights, but there’s so much more I could say about family, friends, work and life. Can’t wait to see where 2016 takes me, my colleagues, friends and family.