Less than five years after leaving Salford City Academy, former Head Girl and Head Boy, Jade Wellings and Martin Redgrave are back, only this time as trainee teachers.
Jade, 23, from Eccles, successfully completed her GCSEs and A levels at the academy, before going on to study Law with Criminology at Edge Hill University. She then developed a passion for teaching after working with the Engineering Development Trust as a school and College Liaison Officer, followed by a year in China teaching English at the Changjun Meixihu Middle School.
Martin, 24, has also gone far after studying GCSEs and A Levels at the academy. Graduating from the University of Birmingham with a BA in Modern Languages (Arabic, French and German), Martin travelled to Reunion Island to teach English for the British Council.
Now both Jade and Martin are looking towards careers in teaching, with Jade starting a Citizenship PGCE at the Institute of Education, University College London from September, while Martin will attend Newman College, Birmingham to complete his PGCE. To help prepare them the former Salford City Academy students have been spending time at the Peel Green school, shadowing the teachers and providing support in lessons.
Said Martin: “It’s been surreal to be in the same classrooms where I studied for my GCSEs and now actually be helping the teachers!”
Jade added: “I’ve enjoyed coming back to the academy and seeing how much it has changed, though my name’s still up as head girl for 2008! The staff have also been giving me lots of handy hints and some really good ideas in lesson planning.”
Salford City Academy’s Head of Humanities Katie Pursglove said: “We’re so pleased to have been able to welcome Jade and Martin back to Salford City Academy. Having taught Jade while she was a student here, it’s been particularly inspiring to see the journey she has taken and her ambitions for the future. We wish both Jade and Martin all the very best with their future careers and are delighted to have been able to play a part in setting them on their way.”
