Teach first taster Review

by Teach First

Rating

4.5/5
  • About You
    4.4
  • The Company
    4.5
  • Everything Else
    4.6

    About You

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy the insight?
  • I throughly enjoyed it. I felt it really helps me get an idea of what it would be like to work with teach first before actually committing to the real thing. The only part I didn’t enjoy was the fact that it had to be online - almost 9 hours straight on zoom was incredibly exhausting, although it would have been perfect to have done in person.

    4/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued during your time at the company or firm?
  • I really felt that they wanted us there - almost in a “they want us more than we want them” kind of way. It was nice to feel valued after the application process being a little difficult but it was clear that everyone was really dedicated (staff and other applicants). It was very feel-good.

    5/5

  • 3. How much guidance/support did you receive during the insight?
  • Plenty of guidance and support, particularly during the teaching sessions. Although I had some teaching experience already it was nice to receive insights from more experienced teachers and how to improve myself. It was also nice to be supported in developing friendships and having good discussions with the other people on the taster - we were encouraged to develop a network.

    5/5

  • 4. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and information you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • I hope that employers will see that I’ve completed this and know that it was of very high quality with lots to learn. The teach first principles all shine through and I’m proud to say I feel I have a good idea of all of them now. There are some qualities (such as empathy) that I believe we must learn through doing and teach first provided that.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 5. How well structured was the insight?
  • Although a few sessions ran over, the breaks were reasonably well timed and covered a range of topics. From educational debate to actual teaching, everyone had a chance to speak about something they were interested in and what they had learnt at the end. I think this was well done and is important.

    5/5

  • 6. How was the general atmosphere during your insight?
  • Everyone was cheerful and enthusiastic which was really nice - we all rode off of each other’s energy and learnt from each other. There was little criticism but we all made sure we listened to each other’s views particularly during the debates. The teaching reflection was also done in a really positive way.

    5/5

  • 7. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • They gave us a code which would help us fast track through part of the official application process which really made me feel recognised and accepted. It adds value to the taster - it’s fun but you also get the strong benefit of being trusted to skip part of the main application process.

    5/5

  • 8. To what extent did the insight help you to understand what it would be like to have a full time role with the company or firm?
  • I hope that it did reflect what it would be like - plenty of support and cheerfullness despite some of the difficulties one might face in teaching in a difficult school. The talk about difficulties some disadvantaged students will deal with really helped me to understand what teach first is all about.

    5/5

  • 9. How much did the insight help you in understanding the company culture?
  • Again, if everyone is as positive as they were during the course then I can only imagine working for/with teach first would be even better. There was a whole range of staff and I felt I got along with all of them, so I imagine it is a very positive place to work.

    5/5

  • 10. How valuable was the content in helping you to decide on your future career path?
  • I’m very tempted to apply once September rolls around for the STEM internship. This was something I wouldn’t really have known about had I not attended the taster. Therefore, I consider this to have been a very valuable experience In knowing what is possible for me in the future with teach first.

    5/5

    Everything Else

  • 11. Were you paid or reimbursed adequately for this experience?
  • Teach first were really helpful. I lived quite far away from where taste was meant to take place so they offered me an extra night in the Travelodge so that I wouldn’t have to leave the house at 5am on Monday morning to arrive on time. They also paid for my train tickets.


  • 12. Were there opportunities for networking and meeting other employees of the company or firm?
  • Yes, I was surprised at how many different people we got to talk to. This ranged from marketing to partner companies and tutors, so there was infinite possibilities in terms of talking to other people in case teaching wasn’t going to be anyone’s end role. There are many other jobs within teach first.

    5/5

  • 13. How were the networking/ social event opportunities?
  • Had it been in Person, it would have been perfect. Brief question and answer opportunities via zoom were really helpful but sometimes too short. 5 minutes of questions with 5 other people meant that not quite everyone got to ask questions, however one speaker gave me her email address for further questions so it was resolved well.

    5/5

  • 14. Did you find out about activities that employees can get involved in outside of work?
  • This was touched upon, but there wasn’t great detail. It sounded like during the summer school you got to spend time with other candidates and go out together and so on but this wasn’t hugely clear. It also sounded like there were some outings at Christmas and so on but I think it would have been better if we were told a bit more.

    4/5

  • 15. Would you recommend this insight to a friend?
  • Yes, I would even recommend this to people who aren’t that interested in teaching. So many other opportunities were also discussed so it could really apply to anyone who wanted to go somewhere ranging from pharmaceutical consultancy work to advertising. They manage the roughly one size fits a lot theory very well.

    5/5

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Details

Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)

London

June 2020


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