Meet Will, a former PE graduate

Will is a former PE graduate and learning assistant at a SEND school. He is now a trainee teacher on Ambition Institute’s Teacher Training programme.

When Will Coles taught a child to tie their shoelaces, it sparked his drive for supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Will reflects on his journey to become a teacher and the moments that have inspired him to teach. “When pupils celebrate their small victories, it’s fantastic,” says Will. “That’s why I do the job.” He remembers one pupil in particular, who couldn’t tie their shoelaces.

“Every day, during form time for a term, we’d both take off our shoes and go through and practise the routine of tying our shoes,” says Will. “Just repeatedly. And one day, he did it! He was ecstatic, jumping around, showing people. I was so proud. Because that little victory was massive for him. Now he can tie his shoelaces, he can wear trainers, allowing him to be more confident doing PE. And when he’s gone through one barrier, he can go through more. It’s about helping him to be the best version of himself.”

That pivotal moment happened while Will was a teaching and learning assistant at a SEND school in Plymouth. It inspired him to train to be a teacher, and now he’s nearing the end of his teacher training with Active Learning Trust (one of Ambition Institute’s school partners) at Cromwell Community College, Cambridgeshire.

Will has learning difficulties himself. This, along with his mother having been a special educational needs coordinator (SENCO), motivated him to work with pupils with SEND. “I understand their difficulties,” says Will, “as I am dyslexic, and struggle with attention span and literature. That means I can relate to some of the challenges they face. I find working with these pupils fascinating. I can’t put into words the joy they get from reaching their goals, and for me that’s a real feeling of accomplishment.”

Will studied PE at university. During that time, he went to placement schools, where one PE lesson has stuck in his mind. “At the start of the lesson, the children were exhausted, but by the end every single one of them was smiling. They’d made progress. Not only in PE, but in maths too. The PE teacher slipped in bits of maths, bits of English. There were ten pupils, some with physical disabilities, some behavioural issues – a plethora of learning difficulties in this one lesson. And he’d made little adaptations for each child. It was fantastic to see these children who find learning very challenging, motivated and excited to learn. And I thought, that’s the gold standard. How do I get there?”

Choosing Ambition

Will loves to plan, and when he decided to train to teach, he thoroughly researched routes into teaching. His first interview was for the Ambition Institute Teacher Training programme, which he had with Active Learning Trust, one of Ambition’s school partners. He knew then and there that it was the training route for him. “I’d planned my answers. But the interview was conversational and natural, with ideas bouncing around, and they pushed me with further questions. I thought, this course is going to be fantastic – because already, I’m learning and being stretched. So I cancelled my other interviews and later got a call offering me a position training to teach PE and maths.”

Support throughout the programme

“I’ve had phenomenal support. Lead practitioners, my mentor, subject experts, the senior leadership team, they want you to achieve your best, and they also want the best for the pupils. My mentor often asks if there’s anything I need. So, for example, I had extra time on my assignments as I’m dyslexic. I wasn't expecting so much support in a role where everyone is constantly doing a thousand things. It can be high stress, but it’s also high stakes. As it affects children's futures.”

The programme also brought in external experts, which fuelled Will’s focus on SEND, including a SENDCO who trainees could approach with questions. “That, along with the module on adaptations, has really inspired me and shown me ways to adapt my teaching for pupils with diverse needs.”

Learning to adapt

Now nearing the end of his training, Will reflects on how much he’s grown into his new role. “The main thing I've learned is that things go wrong. I’m a perfectionist, so that’s something I’ve found challenging. It’s how you adapt to a situation that makes a difference. My mentor has helped me with that, like the other day I had to change an entire lesson because it was over 30 degrees outside. I’ve learnt that if plans need to change, it’s not the end of the world.”

“At the very beginning, going into a class of 30 learners was nerve-racking. My confidence now is so much higher. And that’s because I’ve planned, I’ve rehearsed, I’ve done it again and again. I've got that confidence, and that's a massive development the course has brought out of me.”

A SENDCO in the making

“Next year I’m continuing teaching at Cromwell. The team here is fantastic. And my overarching goal is to be a SENDCO. I've fallen in love with teaching. It's the only career for me. And it's the little victories that make all the hard work worthwhile.”