Rebecca's Experiences

Prior to joining the GUTP course I had a variety of jobs including roles with the Royal Navy, Royal Mail, the BBC and Siemens, specialising in management, internal communications, marketing and PR. I have a BSc (Hons) degree in Meteorology and Oceanography from the University of Plymouths (predominantly maths and physics based).

Whilst on maternity leave from Siemens, I was offered and took voluntary redundancy. After my son was born I met a teacher at my local ‘mums and tots’ group and mentioned that I had always wanted to be a teacher and had missed my opportunity. She informed me that there were many paths to becoming a teacher and told me to go to the TDA website to check it out. This I did and I found a few possible options in my area. I also emailed the head teacher at Sponne School as my neighbour told me they offered a training programme. The response led me to the GUTP, and the rest is history!

Teaching was something I’d always wanted to do but felt I had missed the opportunity and was reluctant to go back to the beginning and start again. A SCITT programme appealed most to me as I thought ‘being thrown in at the deep end’ would be the best way to learn and get live experience of teaching.

I did consider another programme but chose the GUTP for several reasons:

• The course is small and intimate and has resulted in some great teamwork and camaraderie which would not have been so easily achieved on a larger, University lead PGCE course
• The GUTP course awards PGCE status whereas GTP courses only allow you to qualify for QTS
• As I live locally, the proximity of the partnership school also appealed to me. I did my first practice at the farthest school but it was still a very ‘doable’ commute

The GUTP has been a really enjoyable course. The partnership schools I have been involved with have all been most supportive and I was pleasantly surprised to be in a position to actually teach a ‘real’ class so early on!! It has been hard work and I have had to be ultra organised, especially with a small child at home, but it has definitely been worth it and I’m really looking forward to taking up my first teaching role this summer.