A postcard from Ulaanbaatar

It’s always an immense pleasure when we receive regular updates from our previous trainees, and we’re extremely proud of their achievements as they develop their careers in teaching. Callum Aris, 2020–21 PE PGCE graduate, has just been in touch with an update on his start to the academic year and we thought we’d share it with you all…

Thanks again for your help over the last year and everyone else at The OAKS, who would have thought that when I was sat in the Chancellors building at Keele in August 2020, that I would be teaching at an international private school in Mongolia just a year later. Working Monday to Friday, then horse trekking and stopping in traditional Gers most weekends, not a bad gig, right? I do not do things by half that’s for sure and although it’s a British school and the majority of pupils speak English, I am very grateful the EAL sessions now.

The British School of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia is great, accommodation and facilities are top tier, and the attitude to learning and behaviour of pupils is just too good to be true.

I was recently appointed as head of house this week. My first year as an ECT and head of house already (I’m not overdoing it, I promise)! I just thought I’d officially thank The OAKS, because genuinely my ability to assist with pastoral issues is down to you, along with my EAL experience and the overall confidence you assisted me with in securing this extra role!

PS. The photo of the ger is not my accommodation, just in-case you think I have turned into a nomad!

We’d like to thank Callum for the update and here at The OAKS, we offer all of our Early Career Teachers (ECTs) the option of a support visit during their transition into their early career years. We think you’ll agree that this visit won’t be short of volunteers from the staff at The OAKS!