Mrs Sharon Millington’s teaching career stemmed from her passion for Science. Joining the School 18 years ago, Mrs Millington has inspired many students with her science lessons and experiments, and her voice still echoes clearly across the School.

At school I had an amazing chemistry teacher called Mr Charnley and he is responsible for my love of Science, especially Chemistry.

At the end of 6th Form (Year 12), I decided I needed a break from studying so I got a job in a research lab as a technician making chemicals that could potentially be the next super drug (we did not have gap years in 1980). The first chemical I made was Brufen (Ibuprofen).

While working, I did my chemistry degree part time. I loved working in the lab and enjoyed organic chemistry. Later, I started my family but missed doing research work, so I joined the Pharmacy Department at Nottingham University and after three years of hard work, I was the first person to make Nephilatoxin 636, a kind of neurotoxin.

At the time, with my family becoming older and working long days, I realised I was missing out on seeing my children. I concluded that I needed to combine my love of science with helping children learn. I decided to re-train as a science teacher and have never looked back. I hope to be like Mr Charnley.

In 1995 I arrived in Bunbury and started teaching at local schools. In 2002 there was the opportunity to teach here at Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School and I jumped at it. Starting in 2003 I worked with the great Chris Gibbs, who taught me how to change your teaching to help students with different learning styles and to never give up on anyone.

In the beginning I was the Home Group teacher of Knight 2. I was then lucky enough to work with Brad Goerling as the Associated Head of Redding. Brad taught me patience and giving students time to talk.

I moved into the academic side of the School becoming Head of Science in 2012. This is where I feel that I have been most at home and it has brought the best out of me. Developing new tasks, waking up in the middle of the night with an idea for an incredible experiment to show how different ideas are linked or just watching fake YouTube clips to see if the students can spot the flaws and show they really understood the concept.

There are a few stand-out moments throughout my time at BCGS:

• Watching the Year 8 students trying to re-enact a water perpetual motion machine this year and making them stop 20 minutes after the lesson had finished was a true highlight for me.
• My best memories are Day 5 on Outward Bound Camps. That is when students show their resilience as another five days is a long time and I start to see their strength of character.
• Winning the loudest teacher competition with a decibel reading of 110 decibels – although Tom Rodgers gave me a run for my money!
• Being the first and only Dance Coach at Country Week and the students dressing me as a ballerina while at the WA Ballet Centre, then the Prima Ballerina arrived and she was amused and happy that we were having fun. The other schools were jealous.

The best thing about BCGS is the relationship between the students, parents and teachers. We are all working together to get the best out of everyone. Together we achieve outstanding things. All students mature at different times and we are able to cater for them.

Another favourite aspect of the School is when a student comes back, having achieved their goals. Being a part of their journey is very worthwhile and heart-warming. To know you helped someone to reach for the stars and get there, maybe not the first time but eventually, is the reason I keep working and changing how I teach. I would never swap this job and I do believe it keeps me young.