It is a return to school for a former Sudbury pupil but this time she will be at the front of the class as part of a new teacher training hub.

Evie Smith is heading back to Ormiston Sudbury Academy having been inspired by her teachers to enter the profession - something she had not planned to do.

The hub is one of seven in the country and is part of the OAKS, a school-centred teacher training programme.

Miss Smith will begin her drama teacher training in September, with the support of Head of Performing Arts and OAKS Co-Director, Leo Cox.

She said: “I think it'll be a bit weird going back to the place that I've only just left to start teaching, but I feel like it’ll be good, being a space that I’ve been to before, so it should put me at ease a little bit.

East Anglian Daily Times: Evie will be working alongside Leo Cox, The OAKS Suffolk Co-Director and Head of Performing Arts at Ormiston Sudbury Academy.Evie will be working alongside Leo Cox, The OAKS Suffolk Co-Director and Head of Performing Arts at Ormiston Sudbury Academy. (Image: Courtesy of Ormiston Sudbury Academy)

“I never actually planned to go into teaching when I was at school, but as I got into performing arts the teachers that I had were so inspiring in the way they taught. I wanted to carry that on and teach the next generation.

“The programme itself will give me a chance to immerse myself in teaching through a variety of different work-based placements and will be an opportunity to work with and learn from schools and staff across the region.

“I’d love to be able to run a performing arts department, or put on shows within schools, just to build within the drama side of teaching."

The OAKS Suffolk co-director and head of performing arts at Ormiston Sudbury Academy, Leo Cox, said: “When we set up our Sudbury hub, part of the reason was to ensure that young people in the area who are interested in a career in teaching will have really excellent provision available.

.East Anglian Daily Times: Evie, who undertook a degree in Performing Arts at the University of Bedfordshire, hopes to one day run a performing arts department.Evie, who undertook a degree in Performing Arts at the University of Bedfordshire, hopes to one day run a performing arts department. (Image: Courtesy of Ormiston Sudbury Academy)

"We want to offer great opportunities locally which in turn will mean we can continue to recruit great teachers.

“It’s brilliant to be able to welcome former students like Evie back to the classroom, and we are really pleased that our academy is somewhere our students want to return to.

"I am very much looking forward to watching our new cohort take these next steps into teaching.”

More information about the programme can be found here.