Hello, I'm Mike Keys, and even though my accent's rapidly fading, I grew up in Northern Ireland. I come from a family of teachers, and despite years of resistance, in 2008, I embraced the inevitable and joined their ranks, after a brief stint with a bank and a legal firm. My training journey started in Sheffield, followed by a few years teaching in Nottingham (including a detour teaching English in Western Australia). I finally settled in Hertfordshire, where I've enjoyed a fulfilling decade as a Year 6 teacher in Harpenden. Outside of school, I enjoy cooking and watching a good TV series but it’s my two daughters who mostly keep me busy!

Inspiration for me comes from those who tackle life head-on and manage to achieve greatness, even in the face of adversity. Every week, I stumble upon stories of remarkable individuals – and it’s one of the rewarding aspects of teaching to share these stories with the children. Be it the bravery of explorers like Earnest Shackleton, the innovation of Alan Turing, or the music of the Beatles.

To me, kindness is the ultimate life rule and it should never be in short supply. I've been fortunate enough to experience kindness so often in my life and I hope that I can pay that kindness forward.

For me, life is all about mini accomplishments, whether it be achieving a fitness goal or ticking off places on my must visit list – it’s all about keeping the momentum going. But if I have to pick one main accomplishment, it would be having the opportunity to have taught young people in four different continents.