Shane Rancic
curriculum manager, Sport and humanities
On work-life:
“At NewVIc, I mainly teach practical sports across the department and sports development in the second year. I love passing on coaching and teaching advice and experience to students to perform highly in their leadership units and practical sport units which helps students on level 2 progress onto the level 3 programme.
In my role at NewVIc I manage the Sports and Humanities department, which is a huge honor and it's my responsibility to drive the departments forward and try to stay ahead of the developments in both content and technology which is fast paced in the world of sport. We have recently developed a Sports Lab which our sports students have exclusive access to, introduced college sports kit available for every sports student and a interclass competition to keep a competitive environment throughout the academic year.
Having performed highly in all sports, I was fortunate to have many trials at big football clubs and spent time in various academies including Queens Park Rangers, Charlton and Brighton before becoming a full-time teacher. The biggest highlight for me was representing England U15s at an international tournament in Belgium. This experience is invaluable to pass on to aspiring football players within the college to make sure that they appreciate the opportunity given and to work hard to get to where they want to be, advice that is given to all students on the programmes here at NewVIc.”
“Giving NewVIc students opportunities and inspiring them to work hard to get to where they want to be.”
On the most inspiring person you have met:
“The most inspirational person I’ve met would have to be my first football coach. He gave me the opportunity in football and saw something in me that I probably didn’t see in myself at the time. He showed total faith in me and believed in my potential. He was also extremely dedicated and not afraid to make mistakes. I try to replicate a lot in my teaching, in particular believing in students' potential and not being afraid to make mistakes seeing them only as opportunities to learn and improve.”
On your teaching career:
“I started my career as a teacher in secondary schools and sixth form colleges in Sport, as well as teaching Public Services, Outdoor and Adventurous activities and Health and Social care. I moved to NewVIc from East Sussex in 2016 and completed my degree – BSc In Sport and Exercise Science at Brighton University, before completing my teacher training at Canterbury University gaining a grade 1 in 90% of observations and finishing the year with the same overall grade.
In my role at NewVIc I manage, teach, monitor and track students throughout their time at the college, I’m also the lead internal verifier for all of the levels on the programme. The sports department is amazing, The team is a real cohesive unit and the curriculum knowledge is exceptional and I feel very privileged to be part of that.
Newham and the students are very diverse and it’s a challenge every day which I really enjoy as no day is the same. Students seem to love sport which makes things easier when we have practical lessons and getting students motivated and involved. I have really enjoyed my 8 years at NewVIc Immensely and look forward to meeting more great students over the next few years and enjoying the success achieved together.”
On student progression:
“Sports brings out a lot in people, obviously it can help with your health both mentally and physically, it can also help with confidence, teamwork, social skills and communication.
As well as academic achievement we want students to leave with skills and qualities that will serve them well in adult life, it's important that students leave with academic qualifications but more importantly they leave as well rounded people with the ability to thrive after NewVIc. Our curriculum is planned thoroughly with personal development in mind along with being tailored to fit in with the local skills agenda to allow students to experience life and build skills in the sports industry in stages throughout their time here.
To help with the students personal and academic development we provide some fantastic enrichment opportunities including Sports Journalism, Esports, regular exercise and fitness clubs. Integrated into our curriculum offer we have various opportunities to build on qualifications and experiences - we run the NCS programme in partnership with West Ham United, along with Careers Days at the London Stadium. We also work closely with local primary schools and sports clubs for work experience opportunities (Leadership and Coaching) and also the Football Association which we recently took part in the Stepping over the Sidelines workshops which gave incredible insights into the game for NewVIc students with an official FA Football Coach. It was a great opportunity to progress through free coaching and officiating courses as part of the programme.
Students experience sports that they may never have played or seen before and as a department we like to encourage and take students out of their comfort zones. This helps not just with lessons and life at the college but makes students more comfortable in their day to day lives. Two of my former students that come to mind who left last year included Milan and Bhoomi, two siblings who were our best performing students to date. Milan studied A Level Biology and achieved a B alongside his Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sports achieving D*D*D*. Milan is now at Canterbury Christ Church University studying Physiotherapy. Milan’s sister Bhoomi, also studied Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sports achieving D*D*D* and is at the University of Hertfordshire studying Sports Therapy.”
