Omer Bashir

Omer Bashir is a teacher and Head of Sociology. He is also Head of Year 10 at Rokeby School. Omer is a former A Level student at NewVIc. He studied History, Law, Sociology as well as an AS Level in English Language. He progressed to an undergraduate degree at Westminster University doing a LLB Law degree and then a PGCE at Middlesex University. We caught up with Omer to find out a little more on his journey since NewVIc.

What made you apply to NewVIc?

NewVIc was the most popular choice for students in the local area at the time. All of my siblings, cousins and family friends came to the college. It became a sort of tradition in our family. We all had positive experiences with our studies so we encourage future members of our family to also study there.

Tell us about your journey from NewVIc to where you are now?

Since completing my A Levels at NewVIc, I went onto do a Law degree at the University of Westminster. During my degree, after carrying out some work experience in a law firm, I came to the conclusion that I did not want to go into the law profession. I then requested some work experience from Rokeby School, the secondary school that I attended as a student. They were happy to have me back and after thoroughly enjoying my experience, I decided to pursue a career in teaching. Towards the end of my degree, I applied for a PGCE.

After successfully applying, Rokeby were once again kind enough to accommodate me for my crucial second placement. I received a tremendous amount of support and guidance from my mentors and old teachers at Rokeby. At the end of the placement, I successfully applied for the role of a Humanities teacher and I have been working at Rokeby since. It was a surreal experience as the teachers that taught me a few years ago suddenly became my colleagues.

How did YOU get into the positions that you are in?

I am currently the Head of Sociology and Year-Coordinator for Year 10. I also successfully applied for the role of a staff governor. I gained these positions by successfully applying for the roles when they became available.

What are your memories of NewVIc?

There isn’t a specific moment but the ethos the college has is my most cherished memory. You could really work hard and apply yourself but at the same time enjoy your experience in and out of the classroom. I really progressed in my learning and achieved some amazing grades by finding a good balance between studying and time to hang out with friends.

What is your advice for students considering NewVIc and pursuing a career like you?

Try to be sure about the career path you wish to go into as early as possible. If you are sure, do as much as you can to prepare for it early. I was fortunate to get onto the PGCE with little teaching experience and in hindsight, if I knew I wanted to be a teacher earlier, I would have definitely gained more experience and knowledge about the profession.

How did you find the teaching at NewVIc? Did it prepare you for your next educational step?

The teaching at NewVIc was fantastic. The teachers demonstrated a high level expertise and knew the subject very well. They really knew how to transfer that knowledge back onto the students. Furthermore, they really knew how to make the learning interactive and enjoyable for us. I still remember many of my teachers fondly; Alan and Carina who taught me History, Vincent, Nadia and Amina who taught me Law and Ruhena and Zainab who taught me Sociology. You guys are so inspiring.

What were your next steps after leaving college?

Going to the University of Westminster to do my Law degree.

How would you describe yourself before you came to NewVIc?

Before coming to NewVIc, I was relatively shy in front of new people due to having a lack of confidence. NewVIc helped me develop as a person due to all the fantastic people I met throughout my time studying here and the amazing experiences I had. This has made me a well-rounded individual who is more confident and has more belief in himself.

What are your future plans?

Continuing teaching, which is what I love doing and aim to become Head Teacher one day.