Mrs Flisher began her career at TCA in 2010 after leaving university. Initially covering maternity leave, she was asked to stay on as a cover supervisor in PE.

Since then she has also worked in other departments and with the academy’s Accelerated Learning group, which she found to be very rewarding.

After signing up to the intensive Assessment Only route into teaching, Mrs Flisher heard from the University of Derby this week that she has been recommended for Qualified Teacher Status.

She said: 'This experience has taught me so much. The support I got from so many of my colleagues was simply amazing. I truly feel so blessed to work with such brilliant teachers.  

'The journey was tough, but I got so much out of it. I have been at TCA a long time and with support, I finally found the best route for me. While it has been a challenging route to take, all the hard work has paid off.'

Mrs Flisher’s success follows that of two other members of staff who worked hard to achieve additional qualifications during the pandemic.

Miss Sikora, the school's EAL (English as an Additional Language) and Accelerated Learning Group coordinator, achieved her SENCO qualification after starting the course last September.

Meanwhile, Assistant Principal Mr Siracusano gained a Masters degree in education (Educational Leadership and School Improvement) from the University of Cambridge.