Victoria Evans is the Head of Teacher Training and Professional Development at Warwick Academy.

1.What is the most rewarding part of your job?

I get a real kick out of observing a trainee teacher or an ECT successfully deliver a pedagogical strategy that we have previously discussed or rehearsed. To witness students making progress in a lesson because of the actions of someone I have helped to train is an incredible feeling.

2.What/who inspires you? 

Trainees and ECTs. They are full of fresh ideas, infectious energy and enthusiasm, and they are learning all about the latest educational research which keeps me on my toes.

3. Which living person do you most admire? 

I’m going to cheat and share a couple of names: I admire strong, intelligent, opinionated women in the public eye, including Emma Barnett, Caitlin Moran and Deborah Frances-White.

4. What is the best part of your day?

This doesn’t happen every day, but I really enjoy sharing a sundowner with friends, during the golden hour, sitting outside and watching the sun set over the water. Magical.

5. Which talent would you most like to have?  

I would love to be a natural polyglot. I am so envious of people who pick up languages easily.

6. What is your favourite thing about the country you live in now?

The sub-tropical island of Bermuda is beautiful – it has to be the pink sand beaches and the cerulean blue water. I’ve been here for 11 years now, and I still stop to admire the breathtaking views.

7. What do you consider your greatest achievement? 

Whilst I feel proud of the initiatives I’ve introduced at my school, on a personal level, my proudest moment was graduating from Cambridge with my MEd, a decade ago. I’d worked so hard to get there, and it felt like the pinnacle of a long academic journey.

8. What part of the COBIS network do you value most?

I am most interested in learning more about the COBIS Middle Leaders Programme and Designated COBIS Training Schools.

9. What advice would you give your younger self?

All of the decisions you’re making are the right ones – carry on! Just DON’T pluck your eyebrows during the 1990s – this is one mistake you will live to regret!

10. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

As well as very thin eyebrows, I spent a portion of my early twenties sporting facial piercings and hot pink hair. Thankfully, this was long before the days of social media, so all the evidence is buried in old photograph albums.