Richard Fisher BA Music 2015

I graduated from Southampton in 2015, and, after a short summer break, I started my teacher training through the Assessment Only Process with the University of Chichester. I trained within a school for two years, before undergoing a 6-week assessment period. I also did placements at one other secondary school, a primary school, a Further Education College and a Special Educational Needs school.

My degree has been fundamental to my teaching skills. Every module I took at university has had some impact upon my teaching

I now hold the position of Head of Music at a Catholic state school in Surrey. We have a large Music department at the school, with over 200 students taking part in extra-curricular groups each week. On top of these groups, I teach all students up to Year 9, and classes at GCSE and A-Level.

My degree has been fundamental to my teaching skills. Every module I took at university has had some impact upon my teaching: the music technology modules I took help with teaching composition; I use performance workshops similar to those at university with GCSE and A Level performances and extra-curricular rehearsals; and the Global Hip Hop module I took has been useful in showing Year 9 that I know my stuff! The transferable skills that I gained at University have also been fundamental in helping with my teaching. Working with different people, helping to organise the Share The Sound festival, as well as being a part of the clubs and societies, has all fed into my day-to-day work.