Teachers' work celebrated in special graduation ceremony

Teachers from Sunderland and South Tyneside were among those who took centre stage at a celebration.
New teachers inspiring the next generation of students.New teachers inspiring the next generation of students.
New teachers inspiring the next generation of students.

One hundred new teachers, from both primary and secondary schools, took part in the Carmel Teacher Training Partnership graduation ceremony.

Leading national figure in education Nick Conway, who is also executive at Hebburn’s St Aloysius Federation, told graduates: “You bring us hope and new life into our schools so please be ambitious for yourselves, your pupils and your classrooms.

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“Education helps you be better people and citizens and this is your opportunity to expand other people’s horizons.”

Trainee teachers have spent the past year learning their craft in schools across the region, including Sunderland, South Tyneside, Durham and Washington.

This culminated in a graduation ceremony at Carmel College, Darlington, where teachers were joined by family to mark completing the course and joining a career dubbed the best in the world.

CTTP has been training teachers for the past 18 years and is one of the largest and most successful providers in the region.

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Chief executive, Maura Regan, said: “It is important to reflect on the enormity of the fact we have so many graduates becoming teachers today.

“I have had 40 years in education and it has served me very well. Our graduates should feel proud to have chosen such an honourable profession.”

Mr Conway, who is one of 750 National Leaders of Education, has been involved with CTTP for 13 years.

Before handing out certificates he told the newly qualified teachers: “Carmel grows every year as does the quality of training. Carmel is the best there is and deserves your

thanks.

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“High expectations are essential to realise any ambition. Young people need you to be hopeful and ambitious for them. We need to teach them that they can be anything they want to be as long as they give their all.

“Our children need to be inspired to be surgeons and joiners. As a teacher you must be a life-changer. Never forget how lucky you are; to work with children is such a joy.”

CTTP director Mike Shorten added: “A hundred trainees have worked in 64 schools, while 98 professional teachers have shared with them their love of teaching. There have been 500 school visits and for one primary and one secondary the assignments have totalled 27,250 words. You have already started to make your mark on children’s lives.”