For many Graduate Assistants and Gap Students, their placement in your sports department will be their first real experience of how sport is delivered in a school setting. That first impression, the environment you create, the mentorship they receive, and the standards they observe will shape their long-term view of school sport.
It’s not just an introduction to coaching and teaching; it’s a lasting memory that can either ignite or extinguish their passion for working in education.
"We're creating great experiences by design and not luck, at UPskill"
Coaching in a School is Different
Coaching in a school is not the same as coaching in a club. In clubs, the focus is often on performance, selection, and results. In schools (school being the key word), it’s about development, participation, and the wider learning experience. They are a pupil first.
Graduate Assistants and Gap Students need guidance in understanding this shift from winning games to making learning visible and inclusive because many students are not their by choice and certainly not all are sporty.
They need to know that their role goes beyond sessions and fixtures. It’s about fostering belonging, creating opportunities, and shaping young people’s confidence through sport (the stuff they don't teach you on a coaching course or degree!). This requires intentional onboarding, clarity of expectations, and opportunities to reflect on what good coaching looks like in a school environment. Hello UPskill 👀
The A-Team and F-Team Question
Here’s a challenge for every Director of Sport: Why should a child in the F team get a different experience to someone in the A team?
Your Graduate Assistants and Gap Students often find themselves working with the lower teams the ones who don’t make the top squad. This is where your department’s values are most visible. Supporting these young coaches to deliver engaging, meaningful sessions ensures that every child feels seen and valued. The F team deserves energy, enthusiasm, and care every bit as much as the A team and your assistants are the ones who make that possible.
"When they start well, your whole programme benefits"
Building Confidence and Capacity
Without the right support, even the most talented young coaches can feel overwhelmed. They might lack confidence in lesson management, unsure how to engage mixed-ability groups, or uncertain about the expectations of parents and staff.
That’s where UPskill comes in helping schools to bridge the gap between potential and practice. By equipping Graduate Assistants and Gap Students with the tools to coach effectively within a school context, you’re investing in the future of your programme and protecting the standards that define your department.
Assign modules to staff, manage their engagement and create an alignment on what school sport is about. Show the people leading sport you care about them.
Your Impact as a Leader
Directors of Sport set the tone. Your approach to induction, mentoring, and ongoing support determines not just the quality of coaching delivered, but also how your assistants perceive the value of school sport. When you invest in their development, you’re not only improving pupil experience you’re shaping the next generation of educators, coaches, and leaders.
UPskill exists to help you do just that to provide structure, training, and reflection tools that empower Graduate Assistants and Gap Students to make a positive impact from day one.
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Supporting academic staff in sport
Empowering Students, Empowering Staff: How UPskill is helping