Teach First Insight Programme Review

I really enjoyed the Insight programme. It was very interesting and I enjoyed the experience of working with many others in similar interest areas to myself. On the whole the activities and work we did was very enjoyable with only a few short periods of time where I felt a session went on for too long, for example in the school placement there were times when the staff didn't have much for us to do.

I felt that we were treated well and I felt that we were there to help make a difference in education even just from the 2 week scheme. Throughout the whole first week the teach first team really emphasised our impact and what we could do and this continued into the placement week where the teaching staff seemed to value our time with them.

Guidance was always there when needed whether in person, via email or other forms of contact and questions were always answered. The Facebook group was also very helpful in connecting all the participants so we could ask questions and support each other as well as receiving support from the Insight team.

Although the programme did not directly link to my degree in chemistry it did enlighten me to many other opportunities that could be gained from Teach First. I feel that the experience broadened my skill set and made me more confident in presenting and questioning people's views in a way that can bring about positive changes. The information given throughout the time on the programme was very useful in showing the wide variety of careers that Teach First ambassador go into.

The insight programme was well structured in general and we always knew what and where we were meant to be. The accommodation provided was a very good way to meet more people on the programme. Details for the insight progrogramme were all accessable and gave within plenty time. However timings were some times very tight and sessions did overrun or get cut short.

The atmosphere throughout the 2 weeks was great on a whole. Everyone was really enthusiastic and seemed as though they wanted to be there. It was very welcoming. Everyone was excited to get up and go learn more about Teach First. I think there was slight dip in excitement towards the end of the first week but it soon picked up again once we were given details of out school placement.

I feel that personal developmemt was main focus of the Insight programme. There was many workshops and activities which required reflections on our personal performances and time to put togther action plans for further improvements. The main focus was on the Teach competencies however there was time to relate it to an even wider set of skills. It was also very useful having a final day assent where we could show the development we had made during out time. Feedback was given before and throughout the insight and this was very useful during personal development sessions.

During the insight we got many talks fromantic Teach First ambassadors. These were very helpful and gave us a more personal view of what it was like to work within the company. Time for questions wit the ambassadors was valued greatly and it gave a good indication as to what working in the company would be like. I did think that one the takers should have been a teacher currently on the LDP or one that was still in teaching as all of the talkers had gone on to different career paths after the LDP. Having said this it was great to see the wide variety of opportunities that working with this company can open.

Teach First advertise their mission and values very clearly and this continued through the insight. The atmosphere in the workshops and enthusiasm of the presenters was great and really gave a great impression on what the company's culture is like. It was friendly, exciting helpful and everyone shared similar values and were there to improve the quality of education.

The content of the days in the first week were very informative abut what the career opportunity could be like. There was a variety of presentations by many different people involved in Teach First and this was great way to give an indication as to what it could be like to work in the company. However the first week did not contain many practical activities where we could practice our skills to the fullest but during out week placement was when we got to experience a few days in life of an LDP participant, which was very helpful.

I was reimbursed my expenses through a payment of £500 for the 2 weeks. Accommodation was paid and included breakfast already.

There were many opportunities to meet employees including question times after presentations. Also many of the employees would stay after the end of the day to talk and answer any questions. The insight also set up a few social events where we could get to know the employees in a more casual setting and ask anything g we may want to find out.

The insight had a Facebook group where everyone participating joined and we could find out important details and information via this page. We were all also given an account on the Teach First community system to answer any questions. Throught rhe linch brwks and during rhe seeions was also a good time to talk to many of the participants and employees. Finally there were 2 events after the days work were we went to a bar and had the opportunity to network and talk.

There were tlaks from many charities and companies that we could get involved with. These talks were more focused on what we could get involved before we start the LDP. There was not much information on what the employees did outside if work time, however if one wanted to km now more and I'm sure those questions would have been answered during any networking or question times.

I would definitely recommend the insight to a friend if they were thinking about going into teaching or if they shared the same views as the Teach First values. It was a frat experience and I feel it is one of the best ways to learn more about the he company and get a real feel for how the company works.