Abstract: In presenting a critical view of my positionality as an educational practitioner and emerging researcher, I consider my role as a teacher in a UK context, and how that raises several interconnected issues- such as what critical pedagogy would mean, the need for learning that is effective, the extent to which State policy can shape educational development, and also why it’s important to contemplate as significant a substantial part of my story and how it impacts on my positionality. The paper involves elaborating on my experiences, and on how it relates to the relevant academic research.