Placing ambition at the heart of Star’s mission

DOT THOMSON - SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT OFFICER AT STAR ACADEMIES

At the Star Awards in March, Dot Thomson became the first ever recipient of the Spirit of Star Award, for her outstanding contribution to the trust over the past two decades. In this edition of Star People, she discusses the transformation of Star since it was first established and how a teacher changed the course of her life.

How did it feel to win the Spirit of Star award?

I was very surprised and very emotional to receive the award. It was a tearful moment, and I don’t think I took it in at the time, it was so overwhelming. To be the first recipient of the award, which only really sunk in later, is something quite special. It was fantastic to be recognised alongside the pupils, the leaders who make sure everything goes well in school and the teachers on the ground who make exceptional learning happen in classrooms and transform children’s lives.

bodies, to make sure they understood the importance of their role in making a difference to pupils and young people. I have also advised Star’s academic board, been involved in interview panels and supported Star’s teacher training programme.

You have been involved with Star since its inception. How much has it changed in that time?

I’ve seen it grow and develop way beyond what people would have imagined from the little independent school that was located in one terraced house. Their facilities when TIGHS was an independent were very modest, with no proper desks and chairs. Despite this, the results were superb and that has continued to this day. I don’t think people could have predicted just how successful and influential Star would be today.

What would you put the success of Star down to?

the standard of education, the systems, processes, policies and procedures into each of the schools. We’ve had tremendous success with free schools starting from scratch and then achieving outstanding exam results and Ofsted judgements, before maintaining and improving on these high standards. Seeing the fantastic outcomes for the young people is tremendously satisfying. It’s all about transforming lives and outcomes and the children we serve.

Who was your favourite teacher at school and why?

How would you describe your involvement with Star?

I’ve worked alongside the people at Star, in its various forms, for the past 19 years. While working for Blackburn and Darwen local authority, I was the school improvement officer deployed to Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School (TIGHS) to support the transfer process from an independent school to a maintained school. After I retired in 2014, I took on a broader role within Star, becoming a governor at TIGHS, TIBHS and Eden Girls’ School, Slough and supported the establishment of The Olive School, Blackburn. My involvement included providing training for governing

The senior leaders within Star have so much ambition for the young people we serve, particularly those from socially disadvantaged communities, to give them the life chances they deserve. The growth of the trust has been in areas of need, where we could build great relationships and forge strong partnerships, to ensure success and make sure young people fulfil their potential.

What part of your job has given you greatest satisfaction?

Seeing schools grow from nothing to something special. When a free school starts and you’ve only got a couple of year groups of pupils on roll, you don’t know how it’s going to turn out. But Star has a model that works, introducing

I wouldn’t have been able to do the jobs that I have done without Mr Wright, who was my maths teacher. I struggled with the subject, particularly with calculus. He used to keep me back at lunchtime and explain in different ways until the penny dropped and, because of him, I passed my maths O level. Without that qualification I couldn’t have trained as a teacher. He was someone who didn’t give up, went that extra mile and who cared enough about the potential I had to persevere until I figured it out. I took that into my own work – I think it’s our job, as teachers, to help children believe in themselves, and empower them to have true ambition to stretch beyond their imagination.

What are you currently reading?

I’m currently reading a book that was a gift from a friend - 50 Words for Snow by Nancy Campbell. Each chapter is a different word for snow from a different language or different culture, so you get a new insight into the culture in which that word springs from. Who would know there are 50 different words for snow?