Ashleigh Galway

Currie Primary School and Nursery Unit
  
Subject: Primary Education.
Your place of birth: Belfast.
Studied at: Stranmillis College.
First job:  Dairylea Slice.
What it taught me: Not to take life or yourself too seriously. To find humour in every day and to work hard at whatever the task in front of you may be. Also that top to toe yellow was a never to be repeated look for me!
Family/status: Married for almost 28 years with two grown-up children aged 24 and 22.
Best advice anyone ever gave you: Never assume!
Best advice you could give someone thinking of a teaching career: Being part of a child and their family’s journey is a privilege. Invest in relationships and connections with colleagues, pupils and their parents/carers. Always be authentic and sincere in what you do and keep learning. Remember all behaviour is communication – look beyond the backpack!
 
I have worked at Currie Primary for 29 years, first as a Primary 2 teacher, moving into the role of Parent Support Coordinator in 2001, Special Needs Coordinator and Vice Principal before becoming Principal in September 2011. As a mother of two I fully appreciate how challenging being a parent/carer can be at times and this has motivated me to keep family support at the core of what we do at Currie Primary and Nursery Unit.
I am passionate about relationships and connections and have loved seeing so many past pupils return to school with their own children and value continuing to be a part of their journey as they raise their own families.
Connecting with community and colleagues across North Belfast has been very important to me in terms of working together with the common goal of improving the life outcomes for the young people in our care and their families. Working with our neighbouring school Holy Family and seeing the pupils, staff and parents develop friendships over the years has been a personal highlight of my career. Even on the toughest days I always remember what a privilege it is to be in the position of teacher and Principal.