Insight programme participant Review

Very much so. Everyone was very friendly and like-minded so we all got on well. We were given a full time-table with plenty to do so we weren't left doing nothing for long periods of time. The only thing that did begin to grate was the extent of promotion for the LDP.

Staff made a clear and genuine effort to make us feel welcome and show us how pleased they were to have us all there. Emphasised the fact that we’d done well to get on the programme given how many people had applied. Again though, the persistent advertisement of the LDP and reminders of its recruitment dates began to feel like they were just trying to recruit as many people as possible. They have invested a lot of time and effort into the programme though so it’s probably fair enough.

The whole point of the first four days was to provide support both for the one lesson we would have to teach in the second week and for making a decision about whether to become a teacher and whether to do so via the Teach First or other teacher training routes.

The experience will definitely help me if and when I decide to become a teacher and whether I decide to go the Teach First or traditional PGCE route. It made me realise how much I would need to think about what type of school I would be good at and enjoy working in. It didn't particularly improve the skills I will use in my degree.

It was very structured. We were given a detailed timetable a few weeks in advance (as well as accommodation details) and this schedule all ran smoothly when we were there. The timetable for the time we spent in school was far less detailed and much more last minute, but I think they come from the many different schools that we went to so is really beyond Teach First’s control.

The atmosphere was great – the other participants were all interested and keen to learn about teaching and the Teach First organisation. The staff and most participants were all also very friendly and approachable. Everyone was very much there to meet new people and try something new and created a good learning environment. .

We had many training sessions about personal development – one Teach First’s 8 key competencies is self-evaluation. Teach First are clearly very keen to recruit as many people as possible to the LDP programme and all participants were automatically invited to an assessment centre for the LDP. They also rang each of us up after the programme to discuss our next steps with us. Personally, I found this a bit over-kill but you can’t say they didn’t invest in us.

The staff/session leaders were not shy about the fact that doing the LDP programme is hard core and can be pretty tough but all said that they found it incredibly rewarding and was therefore worth it. We spent four days in a school so also got a pretty good idea what it would be like from that. However, the schools varied a lot and some people were aware that if they actually did the LDP programme they might get put in a completely different school and have a very different experience.

We were paid £500 for the 9 days that the programme consisted of. All of our accommodation, including the intervening weekend, was paid for. I think travel to and from London at the beginning and end of the programme could be reimbursed, but not the travel to and from the schools.

A large part of Teach First is about developing a network between its employees and ex-employees, all of its teachers and other LDP participants who have since gone on to do other things. I think pretty much everyone session was run by someone who either worked for Teach First or had done the LDP.

Yes, lots of volunteering opportunities and work experience opportunities in other careers.

If you're thinking about teaching but aren't sure, this is a very valuable and thought-provoking experience. You have nothing to lose from doing it.