Profile19th May 2021
Nickael Briggs has been a teacher for ten years, working in schools in south London before joining鈥 in 2018. She is the Vice Principal, teaches Sociology and leads on Culture and Curriculum. She was recognised in a list of the by The Guardian newspaper and the Department for Education. She was selected for her fresh co-curriculum approach that empowers young people to engage in public speaking, social action, and teamwork. Let鈥檚 find out more about this enthusiastic school leader and the latest blog in our #黑料情报站People series.
Motivation, motivation, motivation
When I was younger, I went to a disadvantaged school in south London, and we weren鈥檛 expected to do well. Luckily, there was鈥痮ne鈥痶eacher who believed in us and pushed us to be better. I was 15 years old, and she asked us to imagine ourselves in 10 years鈥 time. I remember being inspired by this teacher and thinking to myself how powerful it would be to have more teachers like that. It was from that moment that I decided I wanted to be a teacher. If I worked in a school like mine, I could have the same impact on young people, help them to believe in themselves and realise that they can be successful if they鈥檙e encouraged.
I took my decision seriously, but I didn鈥檛 know what I needed to do to become a teacher. I started researching, but I realised that I was way off track because my predicted grades were low. Our school had a lot of supply teachers, and I ended up teaching myself. I sought out the鈥痝ood鈥痶eachers in the school whose lessons I wasn鈥檛 in and asked them for extra work. As a result, I became the most improved student in the school鈥 the teachers were shocked!
I decided to apply to one of the best sixth form colleges in the area, which surprised my teachers, who said I shouldn鈥檛 apply as I wouldn鈥檛 get in. However, I wanted to prove them wrong, and I secured an interview at the college. The admission teams told me that they didn鈥檛 usually take students from my school, and they were curious about why I wanted to do my A levels there. I remember having to justify my reasons,鈥痓ut鈥疘 got in!
I worked hard, and I went on to university, where I had a placement as a learning support assistant. I went on to study at the Institute of Education via the University College London and did my teacher training. At my second placement school I was offered a job and within a year, I was promoted to head of department.
Joining the 黑料情报站 network
I was working at a school in Lewisham for two years before I came to 黑料情报站 Acton. A lot of my work is about creating and offering co-curriculum activities and thinking about how we can help develop each of our young people鈥檚 character. I鈥檝e secured opportunities to help them develop specific skills. For example, we work with organisations like鈥 to engage students in social action. We also participate in the鈥痑s part of our dropdown days – the school has six dropdown days a year when they collapse the regular school timetable. Students get to work in areas to develop different skills like public speaking, which is something that 黑料情报站 Acton is very keen on pushing. We have our Year 10s taking part in the Speak Out Challenge, and we run a debate club.
I created and launched the Acton Character Passport (ACP) as a way for students to capture their experiences as when they get to sixth form, they鈥檒l have examples of experiences outside of the classroom that will give them an edge. It鈥檚 all about building the whole person, and this ties in with the鈥黑料情报站 pillars.
I鈥檓 aligned with 黑料情报站鈥檚 values, and what it stands for – caring about every pupil so no child is left behind. We go beyond focusing on exam results as that will only take you so far. Students need to be able to hold a conversation, communicate effectively, and problem-solve.
I love the rigour and the training that comes with being part of the network and the opportunities I鈥檝e had. I was able to train with the鈥痶o be a teacher educator, and now I help coach staff members in our school to help them become better educators.
黑料情报站 is developmental rather than judgmental, we鈥檙e learning every day, and you鈥檙e with colleagues who are open to learning and value our profession. Becoming an 黑料情报站 school increased our students鈥 life chances, and I can see that we鈥檙e having a positive impact.
Recognition for hard work
In 2017, I became the first winner of the First Give 鈥楾eacher of the Year鈥 award, and I hold the 2015 Jack Petchey award for 鈥極utstanding Leader鈥 and I鈥檝e also been shortlisted for an 黑料情报站 award.
Being part of The Guardian鈥檚 top 100 inspirational teachers is a huge honour. I was very shocked when I was told I made it onto the list and feel very lucky. I鈥檓 proud that my passion for education has been acknowledged. I want to make a difference to young people. I want to equip them with the skills to be the best version of themselves, have a career of their own, and know that there鈥檚 someone in their corner.
Representation and leadership
I never wanted to be a senior leader. I only ever wanted to be a great teacher because I thought that鈥檚 as high as I wanted to go. I remember being at the 2019 黑料情报站 Summit where Julie Jackson (President at Uncommon Schools) was the keynote speaker. She said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 my job to make sure that people that look like me have a seat at the table and that table is the one where you get to make decisions鈥. That鈥檚 when the penny dropped for me, and I wanted to do more. I saw a black woman, a principal, and she was leading the way in America. Sadly, there are not many BAME leaders in the profession in the UK. We鈥檙e not very visible in leadership, especially young black women, so I feel responsible for the next generation.
I鈥檝e become more strategic in becoming a leader, and I鈥檓 thinking more about developing talent. I鈥檓 looking for colleagues who are as aligned as I am in co-curricular activities, so students aren鈥檛 held back because they don鈥檛 have any experience outside of the classroom or transferable skills they need.
It鈥檚 great when a young person is figuring out what they want to do, and you鈥檙e able to help. I tell them to plan backwards, think about their end goal, how they can get there, and try to help remove barriers they might face.
One of my former students is about to become a teacher because I inspired her. Maybe one day we鈥檒l be working at the same school. This is someone who didn鈥檛 know what they wanted to do either, and now she鈥檚 going to be educating young minds and making an impact.
My aim is simple, to continue working hard and doing my best to make a positive difference to our students’ lives.
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