George Lowe

Tell us a bit about yourself

I previously worked with the FA in referee recruitment, retention and development. My passion for football extends onto the pitch where I currently referee in the semi-professional game, for steps 3 to 6 of the football pyramid.

What motivated you to move into teaching?

I wanted to have a wider impact on the lives of young people and, with some experience as an FA Tutor, I felt I had a good grounding to make a move to teaching. I saw it as the perfect fit for me, where I could help young people develop not only subject knowledge but also personal skills to help them later in life. I also wanted to bring my background of teaching in football to try and make my sessions as interactive and engaging as possible.

How has your BCS scholarship helped you?

The scholarship scheme sessions have been really useful and they allowed me to take new ideas into the classroom. Working with Nadine as my coach has been brilliant. She’s provided me with support at every step - from applying for jobs, to helping me stay focused when things get tough.

Why computing?

At school I was ’that kid’ who everyone went to for anything to do with computers - staff included! I had such a strong passion for the subject. Unfortunately I lost much of my enthusiasm by the time I studied computer science at university. But when it came to choosing the subject I wanted to train in and teach, I remembered how passionate the subject of computing had made me feel at school. I knew straight away that I wanted to inspire young people to feel how I felt back then. And I’m pleased to say teaching has helped to reignite my passion in the subject too!

What do you love most about teaching?

I love that every day is different - you can’t run every lesson the same so you’re constantly thinking of new ways to engage with your students. You have to put in the hours after school, but there’s nothing better than seeing students get that ‘light bulb’ moment when they finally understand something they’d previously struggled with.

How have you found teaching during the pandemic?

The biggest challenge I faced was around relationship-building. When you teach online you can’t get to know your students as well which, for me, is vital in helping classroom behaviour and presence.

Any advice for someone thinking about a teaching career?

If you’re passionate about inspiring young people, then I’d say just give it a go. There are so many opportunities in teaching, aside from teaching a class - with loads of different CPD and community groups to help you develop, plus support and advice from colleagues. I’ve found in teaching there’s a very close, supportive community and everyone will help you if you need it. It can be tough at times, with marking and taking the time out of school to make sure you are prepared. But nothing beats that feeling when all your hard work pays off and you can see your students have learnt something new or benefited from your lesson.