Meet the Teacher – Jose Bolano Pinedo-Wilkins

Since joining Esher in 2020, his role has grown to include leading on teaching and learning while staying closely connected to the classroom. Before moving into education, he worked in architecture, design and project management, even running his own design company, Delineart. Having moved to the UK with very little English, his career reflects a steady build of skills, experience and resilience. That mix of industry background and practical insight now shapes the way he supports both students and staff across the college.

When did you join Esher?
I joined Esher Sixth Form College in August 2020 as a teacher of Graphic Communication and 3D Design. Since then, my role has grown into Teaching and Learning Lead and now Instructor-Led Teaching Lead, which has allowed me to support both students and staff. I really enjoy having that balance of still being in the classroom while also helping shape teaching and learning more widely across the college.

Did you work in another industry prior to teaching?
Before teaching, I worked in architecture, design and project management, so creativity has always been at the centre of what I do. Early in my career, I also created my own design company, “Delineart”, which focused on architectural design. That experience taught me a lot about responsibility, creativity and working closely with clients. I also had some experience in hospitality, which probably explains why I am very organised and used to juggling lots of things at once. I moved to the UK in 2004 with very little English, so building a life and career here took a lot of resilience and determination. Looking back, all of those experiences helped shape me, both professionally and personally, and they definitely influence the way I work with students now.

What or who inspired you to go into teaching?
A big inspiration for me was my animation teacher at college, because she showed me how creative teaching can be and how much impact a teacher can have on someone’s confidence. Teaching also runs in my family, so in many ways it has always felt familiar to me. I think I slowly realised that, alongside my love for design, I genuinely enjoyed helping others develop their ideas and find their voice. Once I discovered that, teaching felt like the right path for me.

Why have you chosen to work in a sixth form college?
I love working with this age group because students are at such an important stage in their lives. They are starting to figure out who they are, what they enjoy and where they want to go next, and it is a privilege to be part of that journey. I also really enjoy the independence and creativity that comes with teaching in a sixth form environment. It allows for more conversation, more experimentation and more opportunities to help students grow in confidence.

What’s your favourite topic in your subject’s curriculum to teach?
One of my favourite things to teach is branding and visual communication. I love seeing students realise that design is not just about making something look good, but about communicating an idea, a message or a personality. I also really enjoy areas where students can combine digital skills with creativity, because that is often where they start producing work that feels both exciting and very personal to them.

What achievement are you most proud of (personal or professional)?
I am most proud of the journey I have made, both personally and professionally. Coming to the UK and then building a career across architecture, design, teaching and leadership is something I am really proud of. I do not take that journey lightly, because it took a lot of hard work, patience and belief in myself. Professionally, I am also proud that my work has grown beyond the classroom through leadership and through my roles as an examiner, moderator and standards verifier with organisations like Pearson, OCR and Cambridge. For me, that represents growth, resilience and a real love for education.

When you were younger, what teacher inspired you the most? How did they?
My Technical Drawing teacher in Year 9 inspired me the most when I was younger. She helped shape my dream of becoming an architect and a designer, and she made creativity feel like something real that I could build a future around. Sometimes one teacher can completely change the way you see yourself, and she definitely did that for me.

What book or film has inspired you the most?
The Lion King has always stayed with me. I love its message about identity, growth and finding your place in the world, and I think that is something many of us connect with in different ways. On a more personal note, I am also a huge horror fan, and I love murder mystery books, so my taste is definitely a mix of heartfelt life lessons and darker storytelling. I think stories that stay with you are the ones that make you feel something strongly, whether that is inspiration, suspense or curiosity.

What words of wisdom would you give your 16-year-old self?
Trust your journey more. You do not need to have everything figured out straight away. Keep learning, keep going, and remember that resilience and hard work can take you far. I would also remind my younger self that the twists and turns in life often become the most valuable parts of the story. And most importantly, as I always tell my students nowadays: Keep designing!