Teach First Interview 16.01.2009

Teach First

Want an exciting, challenging career where you can really make a difference? I spoke to Belinda Shufflebotham about the Teach First Graduate Programme who are currently recruiting participants for the two year programme.

Belinda graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2006 with a degree in French and Hispanic Studies. She joined the Teach First programme the year of her graduation and became a Teach First Ambassador in 2008. Belinda is now working in the Teach First Graduate Recruitment Team, recruiting graduates from universities in the Midlands for the Teach First programme.

SL: Hi Belinda. First of all, can you just explain what Teach First is?
BS: Teach First is a two year Leadership Development Programme where we place top graduates into challenging secondary schools. In the short term we want these graduates to spend their two years addressing educational disadvantage, making an impact in the classroom, trying to really implement change in the schools and within the schools system. Then beyond that we are quite realistic that perhaps some of these graduates don’t want to actually stay in teaching so then wherever they go beyond that, whether it’s into law, business, the charity section, they’re going to take that knowledge of what it’s like to be in a challenging classroom and then make changes on a larger scale.

SL: It sounds like a lot of people with different interests can apply. Why did you apply for the programme?
BS: When I got to the end of my final year, I knew that I wanted to do something that would really make a difference, something that would really challenge me, inspire me and keep my opportunities open. Through Teach First, not only do you get an immediate responsibility from the first day when you go into the classroom, you’re getting that interaction with the young people and you’re gaining so many different skills, planning lessons and doing lessons five days a week. Not only that, I knew that I would gain skills through going to business training workshops and through marketing and finance and all the other elements that make up the programme. At the end of the two years, I was in a really good position to decide where I wanted to go with it, whether I wanted to stay in education or use it as a platform to go onto other things.

SL: What were the highlights of your Teach First Programme?
BS: There were so many really. The training over the summer before you go into the school was a brilliant experience, just bonding with so many like-minded people, there were almost three hundred of us when I went into the training. It was great fun but it was hugely challenging as well, it was a bit like your first weeks at university but with a lot of work and a lot of mental stimulation as well. Once I actually got into the school, there would be an element within each day that would really pick you up. In my second year, I planned and organised a trip to take 45 of my students to Paris on a 4 day trip and for some of the students, they hadn’t even left Hackney before, let alone left the country. It was just such an amazing experience just taking them out there and getting them really excited about seeing the other cultures and they were just so grateful and had a really great time. Other things are like being there on results day getting their GCSEs and seeing their faces, knowing that all the hard work that both I and they had put in had really paid off.

SL: Moments like that must make it really worth it. What would you say to people who are worried about being placed in a challenging school?
BS: Well, Teach First isn’t for the faint hearted, it is a challenge and if you are willing to take on that challenge and want that challenge, then you will overcome it. Everyone worries before they go into the school but once they’re teaching, they just go for it and make it through. Teach First also provides a really good support network of the tutors and the other participants who meet up regualry, you’re really not alone.

SL: How much training do participants receive before they go into schools?
BS: Over the first year they have 6 weeks placement in a training institution over the Summer where they spend two weeks going into different schools, working on their teaching skills and lots of other lessons and workshops to prepare them for that September when they go in. The training is whilst they are working throughout that first year and at the end of that first year they get their Qualified Teachers Status which is the same qualification that you would get in any teaching route.

SL: How did non-Teach First teachers react to you in your school?
BS: Personally, I didn’t have a problem with any other teachers. We all got on very well. The moment you go into the school it is an incredibly humbling experience and you immediately have so much respect for people who have been doing this profession for years of their lives and chosen to work in these challenging schools. At the end of the day, once you’re in the classroom, you’re a teacher like any other teacher and I had really good relationships with them and am still in contact with a lot of the teachers from my school.

SL: Why did you decide to work for the Teach First Graduate Recruitment Team after the two year programme?
BS: I realised I wanted to work outside the classroom and improve my skills in a different area but it was really helpful having taught beforehand in terms of the skills and the confidence it had given me.I decided the way I could continue to address educational disadvantage was to encourage the next generation of Teach First teachers and go and find them at universities, thinking wow you’d be really good as a Teach First teacher. Although I’m not directly in the classroom, I do still think like I’m having a direct impact on what’s going on in the challenging schools.

SL: What requirements do people need to apply to Teach First?
To get on Teach First you need a subject that can be taught in a secondary school. We are currently recruiting for Maths, Science and I.C.T, having filled up our other places already. You would need a degree or A Level at an A or B grade in those subjects to go on and teach them. You also need to have a 2:1 degree or above and 300 UCAS points. Beyond that, you need to demonstrate that you have the Teach First competences which can be seen on our website.

SL: How can people go about applying?
BS: You just visit our website and complete an online application form and if that’s successful you get invited to an assessment centre. After the assessment centre you get a call saying whether you got through onto the programme or not.

SL: Where are the Teach First Schools situated?
BS: We have schools in London, the Midlands and the North-West. This year the Midlands is being divided into the East and West Midlands and Nottingham Trent is becoming the Headquarters of the East Midlands regions. We ask that people are very flexible as to where they are placed but they can make a preference.

SL: Finally, how can people find out more about Teach First?
BS: You can come along and meet me at the Teaching Open Day in the Ada Byron King Building on the Clifton Campus on 17th February and we can answer any of your questions. Alternatively you can visit our website www.teachfirst.org.uk.

SL: Thank you very much, Belinda. I’m sure you will have a lot of interest about the programme.

If this sounds like the kind of programme you would like to get involved with, you can visit Belinda on 17th February at the Ada Byron king Building on the Clifton Campus.
Coming up next issue: A Nottingham Trent graduate shares their experience of Teach First.

Sam Lister