How two years training became twenty years in teaching

Holly didn’t plan to become a teacher. After graduating from Cambridge University, she had several job offers – but none felt quite right. It was during the recruitment process for Teach First that something clicked.

That first spark led to a lifelong commitment. Today, Holly is Principal at City of London Academy Shoreditch Park. In January 2025, the school was rated outstanding in all areas by Ofsted – a reflection of the leadership and dedication Holly and her team have shown over the years.

Holly’s journey

I had no interest in applying for positions in the private sector. I just didn’t have any interest in anything that wasn’t socially responsible. I’d already had a couple of offers, but I decided to apply for Teach First.

I remember being so excited about this being a job where not only could I use my degree in languages, but it also gave me the opportunity to use my creativity.

I love art and music and over the years I’ve been able to use both in my lessons.

Having visited the offices of some of the other job offers that I had, this just felt so different. They just didn’t inspire me the way the teaching application process had. So I took the place on Teach First.

I was placed in a school in Ilford. It was a tough school. A baptism of fire. It was hard work but I was determined to succeed.

You learn quickly what works and what doesn’t work, and you learn how to engage students in lessons so they want to learn and they want to learn for you.

In my second year I got a deputy head of year position and started moving quickly through the ranks. You become more and more committed to what you are doing and wanting to help as many kids as possible. Not just the kids in my classroom but beyond that, and more broadly than just with their education. And I’ve always kept that ethos right through to being a headteacher.

Ambassador community

I was one of the first few Teach First ambassadors to become a headteacher. There are way more than one hundred now.

It’s such a supportive community; there is always someone to help with any queries you have or to share their own experience and best practice.

It’s so helpful particularly when you first become a headteacher. I know some of them personally but as a group they are dispersed around the country, all trying to do similar things in areas experiencing similar challenges with disadvantage.

Shoreditch Park standing out from the crowd

I was appointed Principal at Shoreditch Park in October 2016 with the task of setting the school up from scratch, and we opened in September 2017 as the newest secondary school in Hackney. It took a lot of grit and determination to convince enough parents to take a leap of faith and sign up for a school which didn’t yet exist. It’s taken time to build trust within the community but I’m proud to say that we’re now one of the most popular schools in Hackney.

In January this year we had an Ofsted inspection, the result of which was that we were rated outstanding in all areas. This is such a great milestone for the school and vindicated everything we have been trying to do, which is to provide all the students with a world class, high quality educational experience, regardless of their background and whatever disadvantage they face. We have about 60% free school meals here and many vulnerable students and we are committed to giving them the chance to fulfil their aspirations and improve their life chances.

Being a role model for pupils and teachers

I come from a low income family. I didn’t go to a particularly good school. It was actually my Spanish teacher who persuaded me to apply for Cambridge University. I had no aspirations to go to university prior to that. So I know the power of a good teacher.

I know that a sentence from a teacher can change a kid’s aspirations and change their life, and that really drives me.

I like to think that I act as a role model not just for students but for staff as well. Female heads are rare, particularly in secondary schools. I feel duty bound to be a strong leader and inspire women and girls to believe that they have as much right to occupy these senior positions as men do.

Partnering with Teach First

I’ve maintained a close connection with Teach First. We have a large number of members of my staff who have come through the Teach First programme.

I always find you get a certain calibre of person from Teach First.

We’ve had excellent trainees from the programme through the years and many of them have advanced into leadership positions here. And I have always got a lot from supporting and mentoring other Teach First colleagues as they have progressed in their journey as a teacher.

We continue to work closely with Teach First. Each year we welcome new trainee teachers from the Training Programme, and we’re now also delivering the School-Centred Initial Teacher Training programme with Teach First.

Holly Arles
Teach First ambassador
Principal, City of London Academy Shoreditch Park

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