Leaving home and school at 14. I was expelled from school and I was told I was going absolutely nowhere .

Having Jack and Emma, my precious kids, I decided I really needed to do something and to be able to support them.

I took myself to university and I look back now I think my God I had to get a maths O’level to do that.

And I got a first. There was no one to come with me to the degree ceremony. I chose not to go, so it was both very proud and very very sad because there was no family to go with me.

But I realise I had two kids and I got through so many things and I worked and I came to love maths! I came to do maths problems at night and enjoy it, and I still do.

I studied education then went into teaching. Oh my God I absolutely loved it from the minute I started doing it. My first job with teaching was in Seacroft and given all the experiences I’d had at school which were traumatic I just so wanted to offer a different way of being and I think I did.