Thomas's Key to Success

Edge Hill University graduate Thomas Kearns may only have been teaching for less than two years ? but he?s already moved to the head of the class!

At the tender age of just 23, Thomas has enjoyed a rapid rise from studying to be a qualified Key Stage 2/3 Design and Technology teacher in 2004, to recently being made Head of Construction Technology at Ridgeway High School on the Wirral.

Key Stage 2/3 covers the 7-14 age range, meaning those qualified can teach junior classes in a primary school through to the first three years of secondary school.

And Thomas?s ambition doesn?t stop there ? he hopes to progress on to becoming the head of the design and technology faculty in the not too distant future.

"When I first qualified my number one target was obviously to get a job, which I managed to do pretty quickly through the Wirral pool system," said Thomas, who lives in Liverpool and is a former Campion Catholic High School pupil. "Obviously, I was more than happy to carry on teaching at that level in order to build up my experience, so the opportunity to become head came along much sooner than I expected."

Thomas cites both academic and vocational factors behind his dramatic rise:

"My course was just brilliant ? the tutors were fantastic and I gained many 'life skills? along the way. I?ve also been a manager at McDonalds which perhaps provided me with a leadership quality that I?ve been able to use in school.

"All in all, my early career as a teacher has gone really well and I?m looking forward to the challenges ahead."