First class result gives Ben sporting chance

It was a great end of season feeling for Ben I’Anson, who netted a top job just days after learning he had secured a first class honours degree.

The 24-year-old, from Darlington, was still celebrating his stunning 82% overall mark for his BSc (Hons) in Sports Coaching at Bishop Auckland College when he took the call to tell him he had top scored in his interview with Education Enterprise Legacy.

The company supports more than 50 nursery, primary and secondary schools with their physical education provision.

And in his new role as PE & School Sport Coordinator, Ben will help teachers with the planning, delivery and assessment of their PE curriculum and assist in the administration and delivery of leagues, festivals and competitions.

He said: “Having wanted to pursue a career in sport from a young age, Bishop Auckland College has helped me secure this dream with the fantastic opportunities they have provided me with over the last year.

“The help, support and challenge the lecturers have given me has been unbelievable and I’d recommend the course and Bishop Auckland College to anyone. Obtaining a first class honours degree in sports coaching will be one of my proudest achievements and I am looking forward to continuing with my studies as well as starting a new career with Education Enterprise Legacy.”

Ben, a former student at Longfield Secondary School in Darlington, studied Level 4 and Level 5 Sports Coaching at Leeds City College before joining Bishop Auckland College to complete his degree.

No stranger to hard work, he supported his degree with a part-time role as a Learning Support Assistant at the college and also coached children from deprived backgrounds in a variety of sports during school holidays for Darlington Borough Council. Ben is also a volunteer coach at Darlington Railway Athletic (RA) Cricket Club.

Andrew Dixon, Head of Teacher Development and Sport at Bishop Auckland College, said Ben deserved his double dose of good news: “If ever there was an example of hard work paying off,this is it. We are all ecstatic for him.”

Lewis Marr, Partnership Manager at Education Enterprise Legacy added: “Ben really impressed us during the interview process. Obviously a methodical thinker when it comes to planning and delivering sessions, he engaged the whole group immediately with his craft and charisma. In this domain, working with both teachers and children respectively, we needed someone who could engage with the desired audience from the onset and Ben demonstrated that clearly."

Ben, whose partner Georgina teaches part-time at the college, will graduate at its annual HE ceremony at Durham Cathedral in October.

Bishop Auckland College has a range of full and part-time sports courses starting this September, from Level 1 right through to the Open University-validated Level 6 degree Ben has just completed. For more information visit bacoll.ac.uk.

Photo

First class result: Ben I’Anson is pictured with Andrew Dixon and Lewis Marr at Bishop Barrington School in Bishop Auckland, one of the schools served by Education Enterprise Legacy.