Teach Secondary 14.4

FaraWilliamsMBE , The Lionesses’most capped player, explains why none of her teachers or classmates had any idea that she was playing football for England during her teens – and why she has come to be E.ON’ s New EnergyAcademy’s Trailblazer Ambassador... What I learnt at school Which schools did you attend and what were they like? My primary school was a minute’s walk fromhome, in the estate where I lived, and I loved it.We had a good headmaster who identified my talent for football really early on. Because we lived so nearby, me andmy little brother usually arrived well before school opened. One day, our headmaster drew a box on one of the walls in the playground and some lines on the floor, and toldme I should practice kicking withmy weaker foot. How did you find themove to secondary school? I went to two secondary schools. I struggled a bit with meeting new people at the first one, as no one frommy primary school went with me and I was quite a shy kid. There wasn’t much opportunity for me to play football at that school, so I wasn’t all that sporty, either. But then, in Y9, I moved to a different senior school that was really into the sports side of what they did. A lot of the people I lived with on the estate went there too, so settling in was much easier. Some of the education I’d had at the previous school, and how they taught it, was very different though, so making that transition was still quite difficult. Outside of PE, what were the other subjects that interested you themost? At primary school we only really didmaths, art and English, whichwasmostly storytelling. I enjoyedmaths, and also went to a lot of clubs, including chess club. I thought I’d go on to do okay at secondary, but I soon realised that that English wasn’t just about storytelling and struggled a bit. I still didwell atmaths, though. That, food technology, art, PE– those hands-on, creative subjects were what I enjoyedmost. How easy was it balancing your football training and playing with your schoolwork? No one knew I was doing football inmy own time. and I didn’t tell anybody there when I made it to the England under 16s and under 18s youth sides. We’d only go away at half term. My friends never found out about any of it until after I’d left school andwas on telly – “ Oh, I never knewyou played for England! ” I just didn’t mention it. I’ve always been driven, but I’ve never wanted to shout about it. Plus, there was a boy at our school who played for Fulham, and another who played forWatford, and they ended upwith a lot of pressure being placed on them, on top of all the usual school stress. So I just kept it tomyself. What careers advice did you receive at school? We never really had any. Maths was something I enjoyed evenmore than sport at times, but I didn’t know where to go with it. My PE teacher suggested I should study sports science, but learning the theory about howmuscles work and all the rest of it was the side of PE I hated. My sole focus when I left school was that I just wanted to play football. What can you tell us about being E.ON’ s NewEnergy Academy Trailblazing Ambassador? I’m incredibly proud to be E.ON ’s Ambassador. Having experienced first-hand how vital the right guidance and support can be whenmaking career decisions, I’m passionate about helping young people find their path. This role is all about inspiring the next generation to explore the incredible opportunities out there - especially in careers that can create real, positive change. I want to empower young people to recognise their potential, take on challenges and pursue what they love –whether that’s sustainability, sport or any other passion. The NewEnergy Academy’s free, curriculum- aligned resources are a fantastic tool for teachers to help their students build essential employability skills like communication, problem- solving, and adaptability – all qualities that I’ve found have been crucial throughout my football career. Fara Williams is a broadcaster and former footballer, having played for Chelsea, Charlton Athletic, Everton and Liverpool, while also earning a record 172 caps for the England women’s team. E.ON’ s New Energy Academy initiative is offering schools free KS3/4 resources themed around future-focused employability skills and sustainability, as well as careers-related information videos and a competition to win a skill-building workshop for your students; for more information, visit eonenergy.com/new-energy-academy (competition entries close 23rd May 2025 ). 21 teachwire.net/secondary C L A S S O F T H E PA S T