Taster experience Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the Teach First taster experience. The staff were incredibly helpful and welcoming. It was a great opportunity to meet students from universities across the country. We also got the chance to run a mini lesson for year nine pupils which gave us valuable practical experience. Overall the two days were very fun and insightful.

I felt and still feel very valued by Teach First. They offered support with the whole application process via phone or email. At the taster experience the staff seemed very pleased to have us there and all travel expenses were reimbursed. After the taster experience we were offered further support with applications to the graduate programme and other roles.!

The whole taster experience was well guided and supported. We attended multiple workshops led by a range of experienced members of Teach First staff. The leaders remained on hand to help for the whole session. We also got support whilst planning our mini lesson which was very helpful and put us at ease.

The reflective exercises held at the taster experience really helped me to realise my strengths and weaknesses. This has been very useful in terms of identifying my academic strengths and weaknesses and improving my essays. I also gained confidence in presenting with a group, as well as leadership through the mini lesson task.

The taster experience was very well structured. We were given a clear itinerary even before we arrived at the event. This itinerary was followed well and we had plenty of time for each activity. There were also a mixture of events on throughout the day so it never became repetitive or boring.

The taster experience had a great atmosphere. We were given plenty of time to get to know other students which made everyone feel more relaxed. Yeh pupils brought to help us with our mini lessons produced their own presentations and the atmosphere created by this was very positive. We also had a group meal at pizza express which gave us more time to get to know one another.

The was a big focus on developing the teach first competencies at the taster experience. This was a good investment as it will be beneficial when applying for the graduate programme, stem internship or campus representative job. We were constantly asked to reflect on our own personal development throughout the taster experience.

We received talks from many people who were either currently on or had recently completed the graduate programme. This gave us a really idea as to the highs and lows of working for Teach First and the opportunities that follow from the graduate programme. Overall I came out with a much greater understanding of what it would be like to work there.

We were based at the company office for the whole taster experience and so gained a good understanding of the company culture. We could chat to staff easily and observe them at work. At the end I felt almost part of the culture itself and so we were definitely well immersed in it.

The content was rich and varied which meant we learnt a lot. We covered everything from group work to lesson planning and future career opportunities. This allowed us to build up a good picture of what life is like as a teacher and helped us to decide whether it was right for us.

I was not paid for the taster experience but my train fares were reimbursed up to £80 and overnight accommodation was also paid for. We also receive free lunch and dinner. However we were not paid to attend.

Yes, there was a whole hour dedicated to networking with members and staff and affiliate companies in the office over lunch. We also had the chance to network during the pizza express meal in a more informal way. Overall we had many opportunities to network and the staff were very friendly.

The staff were welcoming and encouraged us to network with them. They made us feel at ease and were happy to help. There were no workshops on how to network but I do not feel this would have been relevant. We receive lots of tips about the development centre which was useful.

We did not really find out about activities outside of work life. However I do not feel this would have been relevant. Especially given the short time period we were there and how much other, more relevant, aspects there were to cover. We did find out about optional activities that could be completed during the graduate programme.

Yes I would definitely recommend this taster experience to a friend. I felt well supported before, during and after my time there. I felt valued and welcomed by the staff. It is a great way to figure out whether or not teaching is the career for you and other things which can come of it.