Insight Intern Review

I enjoyed the insight very much - it gave me a good idea about teaching as a profession and the values of Teach First in particular. There was a lot of networking and socialising with partner employers as well. Moreover, most participants were like minded and this fostered a sense of common purpose.

We were treated as potential participants of the 2 year development programme. Since teaching is a profession with a high turnover rate, Teach First made a real effort to make us feel welcome. They also provided us with mentors who have been through the programme to support us in making an informed decision.

We had one week full of development and another week going into schools. I felt that the first week was significantly better in terms of the support we received because during the second week we were very much left to our own devices. That said, we had a mentor system which was very useful.

It helped me after my degree but not so much during it. The development week was great because we were able to network with partner employers, so we gained exposure to not just teaching but other professions in the corporate world. That said, I am still intend on a career in teaching only.

Very well structured. Despite this being the first year in which Teach First held their two week insight, the staff were able to coordinate the scheme effectively. Moreover, the programme had a high satisfaction rate to my knowledge, and they have continued running these insights so clearly something is working well.

Great - most participants were my age, in the second year of university. Although Teach First have partnerships with other corporate organisations, and this sometimes leads to people who do not necessarily want to teach full time participating, I feel as those most participants were genuinely interested in teaching, which fostered a good atmosphere.

There was a lot of training on personal development skills during the first week. This gave us a lot of time for reflection about our strengths and areas for improvement, with a particular focus on how they apply to a teaching context. The second week was also a good insight into how we could apply these skills in a school environment.

I felt as though the second week, which was significantly tougher in terms of the support we were given, was a closer reflection of how life as a Teach First participant works. This is unsurprising as ultimately the role of a teacher is difficult, but it did not match up with the relatively cordial atmosphere during the first week.

It was a good insight into what Teach First stand for - to reduce educational inequalities. However, I feel as though some of the more controversial aspects of Teach First - including their partnerships with the corporate sector - were glossed over a bit for obvious reasons. However, I suppose thatt hey need support from the private sector.

Very valuable - I have now decided to enter the teaching profession, albeit not with Teach First. The connections I made during the fortnight helped me to gain a position at a good school in my area. Should I choose to leave the profession, I also have contacts from other industries gained during the first week of the insight.

Yes

Good

Yes

Yes