Former Army Officer who fought in Afghanistan graduates as maths teacher

A former British Army Officer who fought and was injured in Afghanistan is now set to pursue a new career as a teacher and will graduate from Cardiff Metropolitan University this week.

Laurence Hooper, 42, from Penarth, spent seven years with the army, travelling the world working his way up to Captain before deploying on operations as an engineer.

After being shot and almost having his leg amputated while serving in Afghanistan in 2008, Laurence rehabilitated and went on to run a decompression facility in Cyprus for soldiers returning from combat. During this time, he got to work with soldiers from all walks of life and discovered a love for teaching and coaching.

Following several senior roles in construction, living and working in London and Dubai -it was during a family holiday that he discovered a new calling.

Laurence said: “I was teaching a group of my son’s friends, chess and their dad complimented me on my calm approach, commenting that I should be a teacher. I realised I was really enjoying explaining the rules of the game, teaching them a skill they could keep for life, and it sparked something in me. I had never even thought of becoming a teacher before then.

“At this point, I was running my dad’s construction firm, a business which had been in our family for over four decades and I was at a bit of a crossroads with where to take the business next. After speaking with my dad, who was wholly supportive of my decision, I decided to take the leap and enrol on the PGCE at Cardiff Met.”

Laurence, who says he has always enjoyed maths - and is a primary school governor for maths at his children’s school - has already secured a position as a newly qualified teacher and will start his new role in September.

Cameron Stewart, Senior Lecturer in Initial Teacher Education and Professional Learning at Cardiff Metropolitan University said: “Laurence is the perfect example of someone who brings their life experiences into the classroom to enhance the learning of his pupils.”

Offering advice to other mature students, Laurence said: “Previous life experience, and having had a career before becoming a teacher brings something different to the classroom experience for children and their learning. Giving the curriculum a real-world context helps make education relevant to pupils no matter what we are talking about.”