Insight Participant Review

I really enjoyed the Insight Programme. The first week was a split between talks and activities in groups which I felt helped prepare me for the second week in the school. The school I was placed in were very accommodating and I had lots of help from the teacher I was paired with.

The Teach First team are very friendly and make you feel very welcome throughout the week. You are constantly congratulated for getting on the program and they were very open to any questions during the activities. In the school I acted like a teaching assistant in some lessons and the teachers I was placed with were all very happy to have me there.

The first week you do lots of group activities, one of which is planning a lesson. This is really useful as you hear everyone else's plans and can use them as ideas for the lesson you teach in week 2. I felt like there could have been more on behavior management as that was what most people were worried about but it is difficult to teach in a short period of time.

I feel more confident in timed group tasks as this was done quite a lot throughout the first week, I think this will help me in any assessment centres and interviews I have to do group work in. Getting onto the Insight also allowed me to complete a reduced assessment for the LDP which I passed meaning I don't have to worry about looking for a graduate job in my final year.

The programme was well structured: we were told in advance where the programme was taking place and where the accommodation they provided was located. We were also told which school we were assigned and where the accommodation was for the second week so could book our trains in advance. A couple days before, we were given a timetable for the first week in London and then during that week we were given a timetable for the days we would spend in the school.

The atmosphere was very friendly, there was an icebreaker event and lots of opportunities to get to know people. Lot of people are in the provided accommodation and so you can make your way to and from the training with them. There is also specific times where you are grouped with the people you are in the school with so you can get to know them in the second week.

The whole of the first week is pretty much all training to prepare you for the second week in the school. You are taught about lesson structure and planning, how to give an outstanding lesson and there are lots of personal development sessions too. They also give you feedback on how you performed at the assessment centre to prepare you for the reduced assessment on the final day of the programme.

A lot of the talks were given by LDP Ambassadors so each one was able to give their experience of the graduate programme. There were also specific talks and Q&As to give us more information about it. I went into the programme only having heard a few myth about it and pretty sure I didn't want to go into teaching through the LDP but having completed Insight I think the LDP would be the best route for me.

After the programme you are given a log in to their community website which gives you access to lots of resources and events. Insight showed us how much support you get when you join Teach First - they really want you to do well. They even call you once you've started an application to help you through it!

Before I went on the Insight programme I was sure that I wanted to become a teacher but I was unsure of the route that I wanted to get my qualification. I'd heard a lot of the myths about the LDP and was leaning towards a PGCE and thought that at least I would get 4 days school experience even if I didn't do the LDP. After talking to the Ambassadors and the teacher I was paired with in the school (in her 2nd year of the LDP) I decided that actually it was the perfect way for me to qualify. I now have an offer to start in 2018 and have become a brand manager for my final year at uni.

We were paid £500 for the two weeks and they also provided accommodation. We were not reimbursed expenses so had to pay for food and travel. In the accommodation there was a small kitchen available so you could make breakfast and dinner, and the training is on a road with shops so most people just bought a meal deal for lunch.

There were opportunities for networking in a few optional drinks sessions after the training. Also the staff were around to talk to during the breaks throughout the day so you could talk to them then. Most of the people giving the talks were Ambassadors so it was really useful to talk to them and get their opinion on the LDP.

There were opportunities for networking in a few optional drinks sessions after the training. Also as everyone is in a facebook group, there are opportunities to socialise with the other people on the programme such as going for lunch or dinner together and having drinks at the end of the day.

When you do the LDP you can complete a summer project after your first year. Many ambassadors are then offered a job for after they have completed their second year. Also despite the full timetable you are encouraged to get involved with any extra-curriculars you are passionate about. Most likely the school you are placed with in Insight will also give you the opportunity to see their extra-curricular activites.

Yes, I am actually a brand manager this year so will be recommending it to as many people as possible! If you're not sure if you want to go into teaching or you're not sure which route to take or even if you have no clue what you want to do when you graduate its a great programme which gives you an Insight into Teach First and the teaching profession in general.