'Nothing beats the relationships you develop with your students as a teacher'

 33-year-old Thahmina Begum heads Forest Gate community school. Sharing a day in her life with Guardian, she explained that interacting with students is the highlight of her day. She starts her day at 5:30 am and checks emails while finishing breakfast. The school is a 20-minute drive from her home. She prefers in personal education method and cannot wait for schools to reopen without any restrictions and meet her students again. “It’s been a challenging start to 2021 but I can’t wait to get back to the school gate, saying good morning as the kids arrive, chatting to them in the corridors, and focusing on leading the school in the best way I can,” she told Guardian. “Nothing beats the relationships you develop with your students as a teacher – it’s why we enter the profession. It also helps me appreciate the challenges teachers face, which can be difficult for leaders who haven’t taught for a long time,” she added.