TEACHERS teach the students to learn - but who teaches the teachers?

Primary and Secondary school teachers work tirelessly to feed pupils with knowledge and life skills but as with all careers, there are endless opportunities to learn and improve.

For husband and wife, Betsy and David Maytham, their teaching experiences flagged up a need for better and more professional training.

The couple, who were both teachers, have now left their posts to focus full time on improving schools all over the country.

They set up their company, TT Education, at the University of Essex in 2013.

Betsy, 33, from Shrub End, Colchester, said: “David was a primary school teacher and I was secondary.

“We quickly became disillusioned with the quality of training out there for teachers.

“It wasn’t really good enough. The importance it should have had just wasn’t attached to it.

“So we both came out of teaching and set up the company. It was mostly run by David but now we both run it full time.”

Both had been working as teachers for about five years before setting up the school improvement company.

David, 33, went from working at Hamford Primary Academy in Walton to running a team of 13 at their head office at the university, and managing consultants all over the country.

The business offers a range of services but their training courses are the most popular.

Betsy said: “We take teachers on a one-day course and we make sure we give them the best experience, so we give them a nice hotel, a three-course meal and make sure the training is of a professional standard.

“We also go into schools to run inset days, so we offer training on pupil wellbeing, improving results and leadership training for head teachers.”

The consultants are also committed to working with schools long term.

Betsy added: “The impact of a one-day course could be good, but we know the best improvement comes from longer packages of support. So we go into schools on a regular basis and offer a customised solution, or bespoke package of consultancy where we run model lessons.”

Their teaching has won praise and scooped a prestigious national award.

The Education Investor Awards is for companies working in the education sector and TT Education won the coveted Best School Improvement Provider trophy.

David said: “I started TT Education with the support of my investor, Graham Keene, five years ago.

“From an idea on a piece of paper, it’s grown to a team of over 40 consultants, supported by a fantastic head office team.

“The aim of TT Education was always a moral one – to support schools and teachers and ensure they are able to provide a superior quality of education to the children in their care.

“That hasn’t changed, despite all the challenges of working in a market that has seen budget cuts year on year.

“I’m so proud of the work we’ve done and of the amazing team we’ve built.”

The company is also shortlisted for an Amazon Growing Business Award in the Bridges Positive Impact category.

Betsy added: “Some of the schools we have worked with were failing, some have outstanding Ofsted ratings but just want to improve.

“One of our best outcomes was with a school which required improvement. We worked with them for 15 months and after that they were given an outstanding rating.”

To find out more visit tteducation.co.uk or call 01206 625626.