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Schools
Waterman Primary

Waterman Primary School,  
The Boulevard, Rochford,
SS4 1QF

Head: Mrs.Welch
01702 546237
www.watermanprimaryschool.ik.org
admin@waterman.essex.sch.uk
To return to Waterman’s front page, please CLICK HERE
Talking with Tracy Stevens, teaching assistant at Waterman Primary

Always on the lookout to catch as many facets as possible of school life (being part of the life of Rochford covered by Rochford Life) we were aware that there is one group of people who we have never picked up upon and so finding ourselves chatting with Mrs. Stevens recently we thought we’d do this mini-interview just to highlight the commitment of the Teaching Assistants in schools and the work and effort they put in just to be there. Here, briefly, is Tracy Stevens, one of the ‘unsung heroes’ of modern school life.

Rochford Life: Tracy, you are a teaching assistant, I believe?

Tracy: Yes, and I work with special needs as well, working one to one giving that bit of extra support and encouragement so that eventually they can work independently. I’m in the class for years 5 & 6 and so I help generally in the class as well.  

 

RL:  So how long have you been a teaching assistant?

Tracy: I’ve just qualified with my level 3 Diploma so I’ve been working the last five years working up. There are levels that you work up to. I started off doing voluntary work and then there are NVQ’s and diplomas you can work for. The level 3 is a longer course and it covers special needs and I can actually work with adults as well.

 

RL:  It seems you are continually learning? Have you had to go to college?

Tracy: Yes, that’s right. Yes, I have been to college in the last two years.

 

RL:  How do you manage it?

Tracy: Well, yes, I have been having to work to fit it all in. I also have two children who are now older and in secondary school

  

RL:  Do you work the hours of a normal teacher?

Tracy: No, I am part time at the moment I do half a day every day and I will stay if I am needed but there are a number of us; there are normally two or three in each class and of course there are four classes so, as I say, there are a number of us.

  

RL:  Well, Tracy, thank you. That’s enough to give us a glimpse of teaching today  - a bit different to when I was a child. Thank you again.

 

Of course, as Tracy has indicated she is but one of a number in the school. So that we can honour them all, if you’d like pick up on the rest CLICK HERE