01 JUNE 2025
Andrew is a teacher at our Bridgeway School based in Bamber Bridge, Lancashire. Learn how Andrew got into teaching and why working at WG is so special.
What inspired you to become a Teacher?
My older sister who is a couple of years older than me studied to become a teacher and it was at a time that I was deciding what I wanted to do for my career. I originally wanted to work with animals, but I decided to follow in my sisters footsteps and volunteered in schools and really enjoyed it. I found I could develop really good relationships with the young people. I then went to university to study and ultimately ended up here.
What do you love most about working for WG?
It’s more like a family than it is just a place of work. The team hold our young people at the centre of what they do and support each other at the same time. There are so many things that WG put in place, that many other places wouldn’t. Things like medicash and free lunches doesn’t happen in mainstream schools, similarly we provide so much more for our young people, our Futures programme being an example of this.
How has working with WG enhanced your skills and professional growth?
I’m very fortunate to work here at Bridgeway School as we work with a wonderful team and I have had many opportunities for training. I am currently doing some leadership training, which I was put forward for after only working here for a few months. Our leadership team are really proactive with encouraging you to pursue further training. I can now take this training with me further into my career.
What do you find most rewarding about working with children and young people in your role?
It always has been and always will be, noticing young people when they get something and you see that understanding is there. Knowing that a minute ago they didn’t understand something and now they do is such a rewarding feeling. You never get over how good it is to know that you’ve helped someone else understand something they didn’t beforehand and it’s just great to see that.
Can you tell me about a HSV you’ve had whilst you’ve been at WG?
One example is, there was one boy in our class who couldn’t dress himself prior to joining us, however after working alongside our occupational therapist he can now dress himself. Another example is many of our young people have improved their attendance since joining us. I had one boy who joined us and slept basically all day, he was worried about coming in so wasn’t sleeping at night. So, we enabled him to have a safe space here and now after a few weeks, he’s excited to be at school, he looks forward to coming in and his personality has come out which wasn’t there before.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of becoming a teacher?
It is very rewarding and it’s fantastic being able to help others and shaping who they become. Being a teacher is also hard work, there is no point saying it isn’t, but generally you work with a very supportive team which eases the load. You meet and work with fantastic people as well as meeting pupils and getting to help them. It’s a hugely enjoyable role and I’d advise anybody to look into it.
If you want to learn more about life in our education teams, explore below.