Case Study

Roger Bratchell (WSTA alumni 2016-17)

What did you do before teaching?

I was a Marketing Director in a publishing company for over 20 years. I was due for a change, fed up of working in an office – and I wanted to work nearer to home.

Why teaching?

Basically, I love talking about books and language!  My father was involved in education, so I knew which personal qualities are useful for a teacher to have; they seemed to fit with my own!  I have friends who made a career change into teaching and spoke to them about their experiences. 

What WSTA?

Winchester is my home town, so undertaking the School Direct training with WSTA was convenient as everywhere was local to me.  I went for some taster days at WSTA schools and was inspired by the teaching I saw!  At The Westgate School, I met some of the teachers in the English Department and really liked them, so decided to apply there as my lead school.  

What is the best thing about being a trainee teacher with WSTA?

There is such a daily variety of experiences, from academic to visual to physical.  You are never really quite sure what each day is going to bring!  I found that there was an appropriate level of challenge and stretch through the course. You certainly never have time to get bored!

What has been your Greatest Achievement so Far?

My greatest achievements so far have been supporting pupils to achieve for themselves.  I enabled an elective mute pupil to complete a spoken word GCSE exam and I helped a pupil with very complex learning difficulties achieve a high GCSE grade.  Supporting others to achieve their potential is the greatest reward of teaching for me. 

Future Aspirations

My aspiration is to inspire pupils and get them into reading, so they develop a life-long love and habit of enjoying literature, like me.

What advice would you give to a prospective trainee?

Take advice from others, don’t panic if things go wrong first time; always have a growth mindset. Remember that no child or class is the same, so be prepared to be creative to suit different circumstances.

Favourite Quote about Teaching

“A lesson is a journey; it should leave pupils in a new place” T. Wright, author of How to be a Brilliant English Teacher