Inspirational teacher receives record breaking number of nominations in prestigious awards

14 Oct 2020 01:26 PM

Julia Chaplin, a tutor at Brooklands College, received an impressive number of nominations in the Tutor of the Year category of our 2020 Aspiration Awards. The award recognises educators who have gone over and above to support their learners and receiving such a high number of nominations shows Julia has certainly left her mark on those she teaches.

Being ‘supportive’, ‘patient’ and ‘a great teacher’ are just some of the words used to describe Julia’s teaching style and her passion is evident from the way her students speak so highly of her.

Zoe Hansford, one Julia’s many nominators, said:

“Julia has shown us that with help from a great tutor and team, anything is possible. Julia’s helped with confidence, self-esteem and supported the whole class all the way through our course to help us achieve what we didn’t think was possible.”

Supporting learners through difficulties

Julia teaches a range of CACHE qualifications from Level 1 to Level 5, including supporting teaching and learning, early years, health and social care, and special educational needs, as well as being an assessor on a range of programmes. Julia has successfully supported learners through lockdown as well as going over and above to support those who needed extra help.

Holly-Marie, a learner, explained:

“When I was extremely poorly and fell behind with some assignments, Julia supported me through each assignment using her own time to explain and made sure I never felt overwhelmed. Julia knows the course inside out, she is always professional and treats all students with respect and as individual adults.”

Continuing the praise, Zoe added:

“Julia has provided us with incredible support, especially through this challenging time. She has always believed in us and taught us how to believe in ourselves. I feel very lucky to have had her teach me. I now have the confidence and knowledge to progress further in my education.”

Reflecting on her nominations

Julia was surprised when she found out she had been nominated for an award. Reflecting on this, she explained:

“I was delighted to hear I was nominated for an Aspiration Award. I know we often hear how teachers are passionate about their subject, or about teaching in general, but I genuinely love to see how learners grow in confidence. I feel it is not just about getting a qualification but also about developing a whole host of other skills.

“With learners who have not had a positive school experience, whether they have just left school or are adults returning to education, it is great to see how they experience small daily successes, so they start believing they can achieve the career of their choice.”

When discussing her teaching style, Julia continued: “I try to create an inclusive atmosphere within my groups so students learn to feel they are in a safe learning environment where they will thrive and each year I have the privilege of seeing how students do just that. I also like to use my assessor skills to guide and support my students to be independent learners. I would just like to add a huge thank you for my nomination, it is much appreciated.”

Read our Aspiration Award winner stories.

To find out more about CACHE qualifications, visit our QualHub website.