Meet the Educator: Amarbeer Singh Gill – a Champion of Teacher Development

Welcome back to Meet the Educator, our monthly series dedicated to sharing the inspiring stories and perspectives of educators across the UK.

This month, we’re sitting down with a dynamic professional who has dedicated their career to improving teaching and learning on a wider scale. From their early days as a classroom teacher to their current roles influencing professional development at organisations like Ambition Institute and Greenshaw Research School, Singh exudes good vibes, coupled with a unique and insightful perspective on the challenges and opportunities in education today.
So, sit back, enjoy as we meet Amarbeer Singh Gill!

Where it all began

Stepping into the education sector a decade ago, Singh held various roles, including being a sixth-form teaching assistant. He was drawn to the engagements with students and the dynamic nature of the job.

After completing a master’s degree in 2018, his stance on teaching shifted. This experience ignited a passion for professional development, leading him to get involved with Ambition Institute and Greenshaw Research School to help other teachers.

“I really enjoyed the interactions with the students. I loved that no two days were the same and building those relationships. I knew an office job wasn’t for me, so I wanted something where I could be interactive and work with young people.”

“My perspective on teaching really transformed after I did a master’s in 2018. It was the best professional development I’d ever engaged in and it gave me a real passion for that area. That’s when I got involved with Ambition Institute and Greenshaw Research School, to try and influence the field of professional development for colleagues working up and down the country.”

Behind every great educator is… another great educator!

As we’ve seen with many of the inspiring educators featured in this series, many have been shaped by the influence of a great teacher — someone whose impact helped spark their own journey into education. For Singh, it was no different. Though teaching runs in his family, with both his father and grandfather in the profession, it was the experience of powerful mentorship that truly lit the path forward.

“The initial inspiration came from my own training. I was really lucky to have a fantastic school mentor and a brilliant university tutor. From that day, I knew I wanted to be able to do what they were doing.”

“If I develop my own practice, I can help the students in my class, but if I can support other colleagues, I can have a much wider impact and help as many students as possible.”

From the classroom to the frontlines of teacher development

Teaching remains at the heart of Singh’s work — but now, he’s also helping shape the future of the profession by supporting educators through coaching, research, and professional development.

“My main role is as a teacher educator with Ambition Institute, where my week is spent working on their various programs, such as the National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) and instructional coaching.”
“I also spend time on reading and research around effective facilitation and coaching. I’m very lucky to have amazing colleagues and a family who support me in doing all of this.”

Tech that teaches – and learns

Technology is playing an increasingly powerful role in both classroom practice and professional development. Whilst Singh has been out of the classroom for three years, his experience shows how well-used tech tools can support real-time feedback, informed planning, and reflective practice — for students and teachers alike.

“For me, online platforms for homework are a massive win, especially for a subject like maths, which is relatively straightforward to mark. These platforms give students immediate feedback, allowing them to correct their mistakes and have another go, rather than waiting for the next lesson.”

“As a teacher, this also meant I could log on, see where my students were making mistakes, and plan my next lesson with that information in advance.”

Tech isn’t just for teaching the kids…

…it’s also reshaping how teachers reflect, grow, and develop their craft.

“For professional development, we use video recordings of lessons all the time at Ambition Institute. It’s just fantastic for so many reasons. It objectively captures what’s happening in the lesson, so coaching conversations aren’t based on subjective reflections.”

“Teachers can have “aha!” moments when they see themselves on video, realising things they didn’t know they were doing. I had this experience when I realised I wasn’t waiting long enough after asking a question.”

A vision for the future

At this point in the interview, Singh rightly pointed out that we’re currently a quarter of the way through the 21st century – and that really put things into perspective for me… what does the future of education look like? Are we currently in it? I’m not sure – here’s what Singh had to say about his views on the future of education:

“One of the big pushes right now is around adaptive teaching. It’s a really important part of teaching that allows us to build more inclusive classrooms and support all of our students to the best of our abilities. I think there should be a push on it, and I’m excited to see how colleagues incorporate it and develop their professional practice around it over the next few years.”

Furthering this, Singh said:

“I’m really excited about adaptive teaching. I don’t know what the end point looks like for it—I don’t think there’s a physical ‘thing’ we can produce and say, ‘We’ve done it.’ Because of that, I’m just very curious to see how the next few years pan out and how colleagues incorporate adaptive teaching into their professional development.”

The million dollar question

Like with all Meet the Educator interviews, as we near the end of our time together I ask the golden question that i hope to be different with everyone I speak to, thankfully, so far, it has been.

If Singh could wave a magic wand and solve one problem in education it would be…

“Without a doubt, it would be teacher recruitment.”

The challenges of recruiting and retaining teachers has been no secret, with the 2025 annual report by Teacher Tapp and SchoolDash highlighting that only 60% of teachers now expect to remain in the profession for the next three years—down from 75% before the pandemic.

Similarly, job advertisements for teachers are down by 31% this year compared to last, which shows that while educators are leaving the profession, their roles are not being filled, suggesting that other members of staff could be picking up their workloads.

Singh furthered this by expressing: “I would love to be in a position where we have a surplus of teachers. My hunch is that if teachers weren’t constantly rushed off their feet and had more time to engage in professional development, they would be more energised and ultimately more effective, which would benefit students.”
“That would be my educational utopia.”
…

And with that, this edition of Meet the Educator draws to a close!

Amarbeer Singh Gill’s journey from the classroom to the forefront of teacher development offers a powerful reminder of the impact that dedicated and outstanding educators can have on a wider scale. His commitment to professional growth, his insightful perspective on the role of technology, and his vision for a more sustainable and equitable education system provide much food for thought.

We at Skolon are super grateful for his willingness to share his experiences and look forward to seeing how his work continues to shape the future of teaching and learning across the country.

Want to participate in Meet the Educator?
Click here to nominate yourself or another educator you know to be put in the spotlight.