What Our Trainees Say About Us

I chose to train to teach with the i2i Partnership because you are placed in a school on day one and are able to build your teaching hours as your confidence and knowledge grows.  The support I have received from both the course leaders and my mentors throughout the year is exceptional; I have been challenged and encouraged to experiment whilst learning which has really developed my skills as a teacher.

I am studying for QTS and PGCE (accredited by the University of Sussex) and I made this decision because I thought it meant sense to be able to combine the two elements within the same year as they cross over so much in terms of content. This was definitely the right decision as I have been able to base my university assignments on the classes that I am teaching and having been with those classes since September, I know them really well.

Undertaking some school experience before starting the programme was valuable to me because it enabled me to get a taste for what teaching was like before I started. Going to the school I was placed at for my main placement also meant that I could get to know my mentor and the school a little before the programme started in the September.

My degree was in Fashion and Textiles, which lends itself perfectly to teaching Textiles but I have had to learn Food & Nutrition, Product Design and Resistant Materials as I have taught them, as I chose to train under Design and Technology.

Juggling the home/school life is an adjustment as the training year is hard work and full on but organisation is key and it can be done – I come to school early, work a little each evening and usually dedicate one afternoon each weekend to preparing for the week and this allows me to feel well prepared for my lessons, as well as balancing assignments.

What I have enjoyed the most so far has definitely been the relationships that I have formed with my students at both of my placement schools. I feel I have a real bond with all my classes and have enjoyed getting to know them whilst teaching their lessons. I have also loved the friendships we all have on the training course – everybody is so supportive of each other!

My personal highlight was my Professional Mentor coming to observe on of my Year 10 lessons at my second placement, giving me lovely feedback with some constructive points and then writing me a card to say that my lesson was her ‘success to share’ at the schools Leadership team meeting.

Attending the information seminar was so valuable for me when deciding which route to go down for teacher training as I was able to meet the course leaders and discuss with them the logistics of how everything would work in a way that was personalised to my situation – meeting the team at this event was essentially what decided that the i2i Partnership training was for me!

I couldn’t recommend the i2i training programme enough, the support is second to none and the experience of being in a school from day one and being part of the staff body is so valuable as you develop yourself as a teacher.