AGS Alumni | Tamar Rafferty
Name: Tamar Rafferty
Left Acklam Grange: 2013
Current position: Education, Training and Employment Officer
Current Employer: Peterborough City Council
What was your experience at Acklam Grange like?
AGS always felt like a community, from the moment I arrived in Year 7. My mum also attended when she was younger, so it was exciting to be taught in the same building and even by some of the same staff. I was lucky enough to get 2 years in the old building before moving to the new site we have today, so it felt like being part of history.
I enjoyed school for the most part and even on the days when things weren’t going right, I knew I could ask for help and be given it at a moment’s notice. I will always remember how supportive my teachers were, and truly passionate about their subjects.
Do you have a fond memory that you would like to share?
Attending rehearsals in the old building’s drama huts was always good fun!
What person, class or experience most influenced you?
My drama teacher, Miss Connor, was one of my biggest cheerleaders at school. She was firm, fair, funny and incredibly kind. If I ever got stressed or felt overwhelmed with a task, she would say “How do you eat an elephant……piece by piece”. It is something that I have taken with me through life and say to myself when faced with a tough situation. We still talk and see each other regularly. When she left the school in 2018 I organised a surprise farewell party for her and invited her ex-pupils to perform and share fond memories of their time with her at AGS.
How did your education at AGS prepare you for your career?
It made me value my education more and want to pass the positive experiences I had to the next generation. AGS gave me a passion to work in education, which I have done in many capacities since leaving.
What has your career path been like? How did you get to where you are?
I studied A Levels at Stockton Sixth Form and then went on to Edge Hill University where I qualified as a Secondary English Teacher in 2018. I taught in a school for a while but decided I wanted to get out of the country and do something different but still work with children. I spent 2 years as an Au Pair in North Carolina, USA. It was the greatest adventure of my life and when I returned to the UK, I knew I still wanted to work in education.
I got a job as a Student Recruitment Officer for a group of local colleges. It was a great experience working with young people across Teesside, helping them to choose their post-16 options. I had the chance to do assemblies and attend careers events at AGS as part of my role. It was so great catching up with my Head of Year and Form Teacher all these years later. They are still so supportive of me, which is a testament to the great teachers at the school.
I relocated to Peterborough in the summer of 2024 and took up a new job as the Education, Training and Employment Officer for the council’s youth justice service.
What do you enjoy about your job?
I enjoy the challenge of working with young people who have had difficulties in life and need support to get back on the right track. Helping them realise that they deserve a good education and are worth the effort is really rewarding.
What skills have served you well in your career?
Having an open mind is very important, as well as always looking for the positive no matter how small it is. Hope is a powerful thing, it is always there but sometimes you have to look hard. Understanding how to adapt my approach to suit other people’s needs is another skill that I have strengthened over my career.
What advice would you give to current Acklam Grange students about their future?
Whatever you do, go at it with your whole heart!
If you’re a former student of Acklam Grange School and want to share your story, get in touch via the details below.
Miss S Winter
Careers Advisor
01642 277700
winter.s@acklamgrange.org.uk