I have spent the last four years as a secondary classroom teacher in MFL, first as a Teach First participant and then as an ambassador. During this time I have led on a number of initiatives and worked collaboratively with both teachers and external stakeholders to improve outcomes in my placement school. I have taken a research-based approach to curriculum design, producing resources which have been shared across the department, and developed an excellent understanding of what it takes to work with young disengaged learners from very challenging circumstances; raising aspirations and nurturing a sense of intellectual curiosity. I continue to believe in the critical role of foreign languages in both the academic and holistic education of a young person in today's society, and that improving access to a quality grounding in a foreign language is a significant step towards reducing existing inequities in education across the country.