I have always been interested in coaching and started to help coach various football teams and help people when I was 12. Some teachers from High school encouraged and supported me in helping to coach by letting me be involved in the school’s football and netball teams, where I could learn more.

For three years at college, I enjoyed being able to support football and various multi-school events. This was where I gained more interest in going down a sports coach route rather than just an individual sport.

I wanted to do the apprenticeship as it allowed me to work in a primary school and help support pupils and see them progress. It also allowed me to be involved in sports and get more people engaged in sport which has been one of the main reasons I was able to get through school/college.

What did you learn during your apprenticeship?

One of the things that I learnt from the apprenticeship is how to properly plan a lesson with outcomes and consider progressions/adaptations more for each child. This then progressed to planning a six-week block of lessons. It allowed me to see how beneficial it is to think ahead about what you want to cover and how you can cover everything, making sure it links.

Another thing I learnt from the apprenticeship is the theories behind child development, how each child will develop at different speeds, and how we can support each pupil more.

What skills did you learn from attending training one day per week?

One skill I learnt was managing my time more effectively without panicking. On Fridays, I used to do the training lesson online, and I planned the lessons during the week.

Attending the training once a week allowed me to learn various techniques.

What did you enjoy about your apprenticeship?

I enjoyed applying some of what I learnt within the workplace to help reinforce what I have been taught and see how it works rather than just being told about it. Not everything will work with every pupil; sometimes, you will need to make some slight changes to help get the best for the pupil.

I enjoyed completing the apprenticeship and the supportive environment within the workplace and with other people during the training. This helped make the course feel easier as I knew I could ask for help and wasn’t alone, as everyone wanted me to get through the course and not give up/fail.

What do you hope to achieve in the future? What are your career ambitions?

I would like to work within a primary school as a Teaching Assistant as you get to support pupils more. It means you can get to know them more than just seeing them once/twice a week.

To find out more about our apprenticeships, visit www.inspireplus.org.uk/apprenticeships