Examiner case study: Andy Williams

Andy began teaching in 1994. He taught at Warrington Collegiate until he decided on a lifestyle change in 2003, moving to Caernarfon and staying at home to look after his 3 year-old son while his wife goes out to work.

He has kept in touch with education by examining and plans to resume teaching in the future. He is currently a senior moderator and coursework adviser for AQA for A-Level English Language and Literature, and a senior examiner and team leader for A-Level English Language.

'I started examining in 2000 for the sake of my teaching, as I was the only English Language teacher at my college and felt isolated, despite support from coursework advisers.

Examining made a big difference. I understood the syllabus better and what examiners were looking for, and achieved a much better grasp of the bigger picture and the core of the subject. I was able to identify what was essential for my students to learn and it really changed the focus of my teaching. There was a significant impact in terms of my students' grades – a couple of grades difference on average, a massive leap. I couldn't recommend anything better to have more impact on a teacher's ability.

Being on an extended career break, I continue to get a lot out of examining – working in good teams, input from experienced teachers, keeping in touch with my subject. I really look forward to doing it each year. I couldn't stress how useful it is in terms of the experience you gain – often dealing with people who've developed the course in the first place.

Working as a coursework adviser keeps me in constant touch with teachers, where the discussion is very focused on developments and changes. I'm probably more in touch will all the 14–19 changes than many teachers who are heads down doing their job, dealing with the day to day demands.

My examining experience will also definitely help with job interviews – I have a more impressive CV, have developed team leader skills and been involved in discussions about which way certain components of A-levels develop.'