Empowering Students in Mathematics

I have always been passionate about teaching and learning Mathematics. My first formal experience of tutoring took place while I was studying A Levels at college, where I joined the peer mentoring scheme.

This experience deepened my passion for teaching, and I was fortunate to secure a position as a tutor and mentor at Tower Hamlets College while studying for my BSc in Mathematics at Imperial College London. Working alongside students showed me how rewarding a career in education could be and laid the foundations for my decision to become a teacher.

After completing my degree, I spent a few years travelling, which gave me the opportunity to reflect on my aspirations and gain a broader perspective. Upon my return, I realised that teaching had always been the vocation I wanted to pursue. I enrolled at the Institute of Education to complete a PGCE in Secondary Mathematics.

Alhamdulillah, after graduating I secured my first teaching post in Shepherd's Bush. It was a particularly challenging school, with significant behavioural issues, and during that first year I often found myself asking, "Is this really what I want to do?" Although the experience was demanding, it taught me resilience and highlighted the importance of building positive relationships with students.

Following that year, I moved to an Islamic school in Tower Hamlets. Looking back, this was where I truly developed as a teacher. It provided me with the opportunity to refine my classroom practice, deepen my understanding of effective teaching and learning, and grow both professionally and personally. During my time there, my students achieved 100% pass rates in both GCSE Mathematics and GCSE Statistics.

Despite enjoying my role, I felt a strong desire to return to mainstream education to challenge myself further and demonstrate what I had learned. After two successful years at the Islamic school, I joined a mainstream secondary school in Tower Hamlets. There, I achieved excellent outcomes with a bottom-set GCSE class, reinforcing my belief that every student can succeed when high expectations are combined with effective teaching and genuine care. This period allowed me to further develop my expertise in teaching and learning and to explore what excellent mathematics education could look like in different contexts.

Once again, I found myself asking, "What next?" I realised that I wanted to extend my subject knowledge and teach A Level Mathematics. After completing the academic year, I made the conscious decision to apply to sixth-form colleges. Alhamdulillah, I secured a position at a college in Hackney. I was fortunate to work under a Head of Department who believed in my potential and entrusted me with teaching the full A Level Mathematics curriculum from my very first year. That confidence allowed me to grow rapidly as a practitioner and further strengthened my passion for post-16 mathematics education.

Alhamdulillah, I was successful in helping many students achieve high grades and secure places at leading universities to study Mathematics, despite many of them beginning with relatively low GCSE grades. This was reflected in my consistent ALPS score of 2 throughout my time at the college, demonstrating the value added to my students' progress.

During this period, I became increasingly interested in the pedagogy of post-16 mathematics and continued to deepen my understanding of effective teaching and learning. I wanted to challenge myself further by teaching A Level Further Mathematics, recognising the greater depth of mathematical thinking and problem-solving it demands. To prepare for this, I actively sought opportunities to develop my subject knowledge and pedagogical expertise by attending a range of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses focused on A Level Further Mathematics. These experiences broadened my mathematical understanding, introduced me to new approaches to teaching complex concepts, and strengthened my confidence in delivering highly challenging content.

Under my guidance, students "enjoy maths, build confidence and improve grades"