Celebrating 25 years of Ignite! Kyle’s rise from pupil to master

Behind all successful organisations is a team of hard-working and dedicated staff passionate about the space they operate in – and Ignite is no exception. 

From the coaches who help drive our ambition to support the provision of sport and physical activity locally to our apprenticeship tutors and team behind the scenes, they have all positively contributed to our story in the last 25 years.  

A familiar face at our headquarters in Marston, Oxford, is Kyle Bestley – a participant turned coach now designated as a tutor and our onsite safeguarding lead.  

Kyle’s personal story epitomises how tailored education and individualising the learner brings out the very best in people, and helps them repeatedly take their professional development to the next level.  

We follow Kyle’s journey from pupil to master as part of our 25th anniversary celebrations below!  

Early years 

Kyle’s first touch point with Ignite occurred in 2015 when he enrolled onto our football scholar and apprenticeship programme – now Velocity Football – after leaving school.  

He achieved top grades in the programme’s Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma in Sport to work in the leisure and education sectors before completing the circle to join our team full-time in 2021.  

As a teenager, he was also part of Oxford City FC’s remarkable FA Youth Cup run in 2016 which saw the junior hoops reach the third round. These experiences ignited Kyle’s passion for coaching, and he has since operated as a tutor, enrichment officer and community coach.  

Awards recognition 

Less than a year after starting his tutor journey with Ignite, Kyle was Highly Commended in the Training Provider Individual Award category at the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards in 2022.  

Since then, he has completed a Level 5 Learning and Skills Teacher apprenticeship himself and now supports apprentices himself by delivering three Ignite Training courses:   

• Level 4 Sports Coach 
• Level 3 Teaching Assistant 
• Level 3 Sporting Excellence  

Kyle said: “Delivering sessions to suit the learner’s requirements is something I really believe in.  

“Having the opportunity to see apprentices thrive and better themselves academically and practically is a really rewarding part of the job, and it’s our aim to inspire them to be the best version of themselves.”  

Personal development  

Working with children living with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and assisting with the delivery of Alternative Provision (AP) programmes is another area Kyle has thrived in.  

In the long-term future, he has plans to move into a management role and will continue to adopt the same development methods which have worked since his arrival nine years ago – apprenticeships!  

Justin Merritt, CEO of Ignite Training, said: “Kyle has experienced the full circle with the team at Ignite by working under our coaches and tutors to becoming one himself.  

“He is our own living example of how working professionals can advance their skills, knowledge and behaviours to climb the career ladder and aspire to a successful future.  

“We’re very proud of Kyle’s development, and the progress all our team have made who are encouraged to invest time in their own development during their working hours so they can become the best version of themselves.”  

25th anniversary 

We’ll be shining a light on more success stories like Kyle from Ignite’s 25 years of operation through the year! 

In the meantime, further information about our apprenticeship programmes and delivery is available online via our Apprenticeship Standards page.