Last week the Cornish Times reported on the success of a new teacher training scheme being run at Torpoint Infants School. This week Andrew Townsend finds out from Sandra Swain what it's like to be one of the students training at the school.

The journey to becoming a teacher has been a long one for Sandra Swain.

Now at the age of 44 the former Chief Wren is within sight of achieving her goal.

Sandra is a SCITT student teacher at Torpoint Infants School. SCITT stands for School-Centred Initial Teacher Training and Sandra is spending a year at the school working and studying towards a post-graduate certificate of education.

Under the scheme which is taking place in primary schools that are judged to be outstanding, student teachers gain far more practical teaching experience than they would if they attended a teacher training college.

Sandra said of her first few weeks at the school: "It's been hard work but very rewarding. It's enjoyable being in the classroom and working with the children.

"I'm gaining practical experience all the time in all aspects of being a teacher. I spend four days in the school and have one study day a week - there's a lot of studying to do.

"Later I will do teaching practice at a different school for three weeks."

Sandra was in the Navy for 14 years, rising to the rank of Chief Wren, and worked as a photographer in public relations at RNAS Culdrose near Helston.

With her husband, Ian, and 10-year-old daughter Cara, she lives at Illogan Downs, Redruth.

While working for many years as a leader at the Broad Lane Pre-School in Redruth, her desire to be a teacher grew stronger and stronger.

Ambition

"I've had a long-held ambition to become a teacher and it seemed a natural step on from what I was doing," she said.

In her spare time, Sandra studied through the Open University for six years to gain the degree that would be necessary if she was to fulfil her ambition.

Her reward came in 1995 when she achieved a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. Then came the process of applying for a post-graduate teacher training place.

Sandra was successful in gaining a place but then the course she was due to follow was cancelled.

"I was quite disappointed. Then one day I got out the graduate teacher training register and came across the SCITT course validated by Nottingham University - and they had spaces," said Sandra.

"I wanted to stay down in the South West as near to my family as possible. I was offered a place at Torpoint and was extremely impressed with the school."

Sandra attended one week of training at Nottingham in the summer before starting in Torpoint.

Along with the two other SCITT students at the school, Karen Kennedy and Lara Chandler, Sandra also took part in home visits to meet the new reception class pupils.

Sandra is working with reception pupils and hopes to teach in a reception class at a school in the west of Cornwall from next year.