Wellacre’s Wall of Fame: Alex Budget

Posted at 10:30 am on 6th November, 2019

Celebrating Alumni

Former Head Boy, Alex Budget, has been in touch all the way from Mexico to fill us in on his teaching career journey and success since leaving Wellacre in 2014!

Sport was always a passion for Alex and so, when he joined Wellacre in October 2008 as a Year 8 pupil, he represented the school in Rugby amongst other sports.  Then in 2011, Alex was selected to take the position of Head Boy.  

Alex said:

“This was something I feel, even today, gave me the initial building blocks in developing transferable skills such as Leadership and Communication which I use on a daily basis!”

Alex’s Wellacre journey included GCSEs and studying a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport at the Sixth Form.  This led to the opportunity to enrol and study the Sport Development course at Leeds Beckett University.  During his time at university, Alex sought Secondary School placements and thus, continued his school experience - working with small groups as well as planning and delivering my own PE teaching episodes.

Upon completion of his Undergraduate studies in Leeds, Alex was looking at his next career steps and gaining a place on a ITT/PGCE programme for PE but was unsuccessful and, instead, secured a Graduate Teaching Assistant position at St. Patrick’s High School in Eccles.

He said:

“In this post I was able to continue to gain further schooling experience. Working on a 1-1 basis with students in both PE and other subjects reinvigorated the desire to be stood at the front of the classroom or sports hall!”

Alex successfully gained an ITT place under the St. Patrick’s teaching alliance the following year, working across two schools and Liverpool Hope University to gain Qualified Teacher Status.  

Initially submitting various applications and attending interviews for posts in the UK without success;  Alex discovered a PE teacher post at the Instituto Bilingue Victoria in Tequisquiapan, Mexico!

Alex adds:

“I’m now about 9 weeks into the role and can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I made.  I’m doing what I love and teaching PE to Year 7 and 8 as well as heading up the GCSE and AS level courses. I love the school and feel like the tight-knit schooling community is supporting me as I take my first steps into the teaching profession as a Qualified PE teacher!”

Alex’s words of advice to the students of Wellacre:

1) Work hard.... talent will only get you so far

2) Don’t let setbacks define you or stop you from taking the path you wish, they are there to reinforce your passion; and 

3) Make mistakes, they help you become a better person/teacher.  Use it as a learning process, the experience will contribute to your professional development!