Sophie Appelqvist, who has been a member of staff at The Ladies’ College for seven years, has achieved Chartered Teacher status.
She completed the qualification alongside her role as Teacher of English, Remove Year Co-ordinator and Changemaker Pathway Lead.
The Chartered Teacher programme involves three years of structured online study, four taught units and a final professional portfolio, supported by academic coaching and extensive classroom-based research.
As part of the qualification, Ms Appelqvist undertook a series of research-led projects focused on improving teaching and learning. These included a major study into the impact of technology in schools, an examination of subject-specific teaching strategies with a focus on classroom questioning, and a classroom-based research project on Self-Regulated Learning.
Through this work, she developed her own learning model, ‘Think, Speak, Bubble, Do’, designed to support students’ metacognition, deeper thinking and reflective learning. The model has since been published in Impact Journal, and Ms Appelqvist was invited by educational consultant Steve Wilshaw to contribute content to the Myatt & Co teaching and learning platform.
She also completed wider research into the theory of Desirable Difficulty, embedding these approaches into her teaching through a long-term programme of evaluated practice. This work led to the development of English-specific strategies and support materials for colleagues.
Daniele Harford-Fox, Principal of The Ladies’ College, said: “We are incredibly proud of Sophie’s achievement. Becoming a Chartered Teacher takes real determination, curiosity and a genuine passion for teaching. She is a brilliant role model for both colleagues and students, and this qualification is well deserved.”
Ms Appelqvist added: “I undertook further study to challenge myself. There is a temptation to fall back onto what is familiar and comfortable; however, I wanted to ensure my teaching practice aligned with contemporary research and that my students were getting the best version of my teaching.
“I started study just after I returned to work after my second maternity leave and gaining Chartered Status has given back my confidence in my professional skills and allowed me to find time for myself and my own passions. I am deeply passionate about teaching and learning. As a study area it is endless, so I am excited to be in my classroom, watching the positive impact in has on my wonderful students.”