Mr. Ellis Coxon graduated in Chemistry from the University of Durham in 1983 and became a qualified secondary school teacher in 1984. His first teaching assignment involved instructing Chemistry to 300 students aged 11 to 16, some of who were classes of students with special needs.
The UK education system at that time had no special education policies in place and teaching a theoretical subject to students who struggled with basic literacy skills proved challenging. He describes how their lack of engagement led to them “taking great delight in misusing the acid , glass and fire involved in any practical work”. The difficulties he encountered in this stressful and under resourced classroom environment took a toll on Mr. Coxon’s mental health, resulting in him eventually leaving the teaching profession altogether.