Elliott’s Pathway: Learning to See, Learning to Teach

The first time Elliott stood on a stage, it wasn’t to speak. It was to accept an award for a photograph—an image of heart‑shaped leaves taken in Foundation Stage 2, captured on an iPad, framed and recognised before an audience. The award itself has since been retired, but Elliott still remembers the moment clearly. “I have a photo of it somewhere,” he says, smiling. It was an early sign of something that would quietly define his time at school: an instinct to notice, to observe, and to care about the details.

Elliott has been part of the Bangkok Patana School community for almost his entire life. “It’s the only school I’ve really been to,” he says simply. That continuity has shaped not only his confidence, but his sense of belonging—something that would later influence his ambition to teach.

By Year 4, Elliott was already comfortable performing, earning the Readers’ Theatre Award for reading on stage as part of a group. But it was in Years 5 and 6 that his future path began to take shape. A learning support teacher, Miss Hannah Dickie, left a lasting impression. “She inspired me to become a teacher,” Elliott says. “The way she supported students and made learning feel possible—that stayed with me.”

The transition into Secondary School was smooth, thanks in part to that same support. With guidance from the learning support team, including Mr Whitehead, Elliott settled quickly and began to explore his interests more deeply. For IGCSE, he chose Geography, ICT and Photography—subjects that balanced creativity, structure and a growing curiosity about the world.

Photography, in particular, became more than a subject. “It really started in Year 10 when I took the course,” he explains. Since then, Elliott has become a familiar presence behind the camera at school events, photographing conferences, fundraisers, anniversary celebrations and performances. This year alone, he has covered the AL‑LOC conference, the school’s 31st anniversary events, charity fundraisers and more—learning not just how to frame an image, but how to tell a story through it.

Alongside photography, Elliott remained deeply involved in school life. From Year 9 onwards, he took to the stage again—this time as a performer—appearing in productions including Bugsy Malone, Grease, The Crucible, Lord of the Flies, Wendy and Peter, and Shrek Jr. His involvement extended beyond acting: as a member of the Arts Council, he supported music, dance and drama events, ushering, chaperoning and helping younger students prepare backstage. “It’s about supporting the arts community,” he says, “Helping things run smoothly.”

That same instinct—to support, to guide—runs through Elliott’s extensive volunteering. He has worked regularly with the Mercy Centre, supporting visiting children on Saturdays, and created his own ECAs in Primary, assisting teachers with playground activities, PE sessions and games clubs alongside staff including Miss Blundell, Miss Cora Graham and Mr Chris Mello. After completing his IGCSEs, Elliott spent three weeks volunteering at Thomas House, a special educational needs school in Chiang Rai—an experience he later wrote about and one that reinforced his desire to work in education.

Currently studying the IB Career‑related Programme, Elliott takes Geography and Visual Arts at Higher Level alongside his core studies. The IBCP, he says, has given him confidence. “It’s really helped with presentation and public speaking,” he explains, recalling exhibitions at Trad Park and occasions where he represented the programme publicly—including presenting at a Foundation Board meeting on behalf of Mr Fern.

Looking ahead, Elliott has confirmed Lincoln Bishop University as his first choice, with Cumbria as his insurance. The appeal is clear: small campuses, strong teaching programmes and a clear pathway to Qualified Teacher Status. “If I get into Lincoln Bishop, that’s where I’m going,” he says. “If not, I’ll go to Cumbria.” Either way, his goal remains the same: Primary School education.

Asked what he will miss most about Patana, Elliott doesn’t hesitate. “Everything,” he says. After years spent learning, performing, photographing and supporting others, Bangkok Patana has been more than a place of education—it has been home. And as Elliott prepares to leave, he does so with a teacher’s eye already forming: attentive, thoughtful, and ready to help the next generation find their way.