Sarah Stead

French and Spanish primary school teacher

Sarah knew an office environment wasn’t for her from the time she was studying French as a student. She wanted to work with younger children, and a career in teaching seemed inevitable.

She now teaches French and Spanish at a primary school where the children’s backgrounds and cultures are celebrated with culture classes. "They love it. We have partnerships with French and Spanish schools so we have exchanges with pupils in Malaga. They pick up languages so quickly at that age – they’re like little sponges!"

At the heart of Sarah’s approach to teaching is a belief in getting her pupils immersed in a culture – and not just in a book. "We’ve loads going on. We’ve got an international week coming up which they’re getting so excited about. It’s not just reading out of a book; it’s about bringing the language and culture to life."

Sarah is a big believer in the power of language to help primary school children appreciate other cultures and get a wider perspective on the world. "They’re so much more open to other cultures, languages and diversity when they’re younger. We do so much in the classroom to help them understand the cultures of their partnership schools. We celebrate their national holidays and festivals."

Sarah’s skills and enthusiasm have led her to become an ambassador for the British Council, promoting international links between schools – which has meant a lot of welcome travelling. "It’s so great to watch the children learning about the other cultures and languages. I love it."