Georgia Sims
Teaching Assistant, North Walsall Primary Academy
If someone tells you that you can’t do something you want to do and achieve, keep going. You do you!
As a woman with autism and dyslexia, I have always struggled with education and learning. I didn’t get my autism diagnosis until I was 20, so throughout my school life I was deemed as the naughty child or didn’t do things. I have had so many teachers saying things like, “you won’t be able to get into sixth form” and “your grades are bad so I think university won’t be the best place for you, maybe you should go do an apprenticeship”, but I said “no I want to become a teacher”.
Although I had to try a number of times to get a grade C in my maths and English, I excelled in BTEC childcare and health and social as no exam was required and got a distinction star, which is equivalent to an A*. I was able to use videos and practical activities to get to where I needed to be, which helped me to get into university.
At university, I was diagnosed with autism and received the support I needed, but also struggled with my mental health and started receiving counselling. Despite working as hard as I could and completing all my work, it was suggested that I defer my last year, but the Dean of Education allowed me to finish my degree.
I have had a varied career in education since leaving university. I began working in a nursery for a year, then moved to a special school and then a secondary school. After this I began volunteering at North Walsall Primary, before moving into a lunch time supervisor role, and now work full time as a teaching assistant.
I have been at North Walsall Primary for six years and it feels like a family.
