Early Life
Born in Malvern, Worcestershire, Smith attended Dyson Perrins High School in Malvern. Her parents were teachers, and both Labour councillors; although her mother briefly joined the SDP. Her local MP, Conservative backbencher Sir Michael Spicer, recalled in Parliament in 2003 how he had first met her when he was addressing the sixth form at The Chase School, where Smith's mother was a teacher. "So great was my eloquence that she immediately rushed off and joined the Labour Party." Smith read PPE at Hertford College, Oxford and gained a PGCE from Worcester College of Higher Education.
Working as a school teacher, Smith taught Economics at Arrow Vale High School in Redditch from 1986 to 1988 and at Worcester Sixth Form College, before becoming Head of Economics and GNVQ Co-ordinator at Haybridge High School, Hagley in 1990.
Smith also worked as secretary of the National Organisation of Labour Students and describes herself as having a "feminist background".
Read more about this topic: Jacqui Smith
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