Doing what you enjoy...

Do you ever have days when you realise why you've chosen the career you have? I had one on Thursday...

I covered a story about Quarrendon School, a secondary school in a poor area of Aylesbury, which has been taken out of special measures. Here's the article: Head keeps promise to turn around failing school

I wrote that piece and then a couple days later went to do an interview with the headteacher for a feature for next week's paper. He is so enthusiastic about what he does and it is no wonder the school has been turned around. He took me on a tour around and I have never seen such well-behaved and respectful children! A boy who was about 13 opened the door for me! Maybe I'm just cynical, but that seems unusual for a teenager! Jonathan's (the head) aim from the interview was to change people's opinions of Quarrendon School and it definitely worked.

I didn't really have any preconceptions about it apart from that it has been failing and now it's ok again. What I didn't realise was how the fact it used to be a failing school has so much influence over its current perception in the community. The head said the children are just as determined as the teachers and governors are in showing people what they're really like. If you just go and look at the school and see it working as the Ofsted inspectors did and as I did, you see it in a whole different light. I have never seen a teacher who understands what his pupils' need before.

I love success stories and this was one of them. It's just great that I have the job of telling people about it! It was a day when I was reminded why I'm doing the job I am.