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A day in the life

Force for good

Carol Morgan explains the challenges and rewards of working in a forces school in northern Germany. 

After my two years’ probation I wanted a challenge and thought about working abroad. My sister had worked for Service Children’s Education (SCE) and it seemed a great option, working overseas but in an English school with an English curriculum. That was in 1991. I’ve been with SCE ever since.

Currently I’m a year 1 teacher at Slim School, a primary with 250 pupils in 11 classes, and a nursery. I’ve been here for 13 years and have taught years 2, 3/4 and foundation stage 2. 

The school is in a beautiful, rural area of north Germany known as the Heide Heath, with the cities of Hanover and Hamburg relatively close. I swim in an open-air pool in the morning and cycle along lovely lanes after school. And I feel like I’m on holiday every weekend as I sit outside a café in the pedestrianised town centre with a good German beer!

My working day isn’t much different to a UK teacher’s. School starts at 8.55am, our infants finish at 2.55pm and juniors at 3.20pm. I teach numeracy, literacy and topic work while slotting in some phonics, guided reading and an assembly. 

Children are largely the same wherever you teach, but our children are particularly independent and resilient. They have lots to cope with – for example they move regularly when their parents are posted somewhere new. They also have a parent who can be away from home training or on operational tours. 

They live in an insular community and that brings its own pressures. School is often the one constant for them, and it is important that SCE schools all deliver a similar curriculum.

The challenges are to make the children feel secure and give them the best possible education. We support them when parents are away or they or their friends have to move. 

The most rewarding aspect is seeing the children grow, overcoming challenges and becoming confident, and thinking I have helped and made a difference in some way. 

We have opportunities to work with German schools. It’s amazing how adaptable children are – there never seems to be a language barrier, they get by and play and learn together. 

Being military we are patriotic and celebrate all events in school. This summer we had a fantastic Jubilee Jamboree. It’s rewarding knowing we offer crucial support for service families and contribute to the lives of our brave forces.

I became active in the Union a few years ago and find it enlightening and interesting. The NUT Germany Association is spread throughout the country so organising meetings can be tricky, but we always get a good turnout. I’m currently assistant secretary and minutes secretary. We deal with UK issues and others specific to us. All the unions have a good working relationship with SCE and there is a forum for us to come together for negotiations.

I feel privileged to have experienced the German way of life while remaining a UK taxpayer in the English education system. The schools are well resourced and class sizes favourable. With the current Government cutbacks I would say to anyone interested in teaching in a forces school overseas – if you want to try it, do it now!

• Want to get active in the NUT? Go to
www.teachers.org.uk/getinvolved.