Emma Nuttall

Education

• A Levels: I studied English Literature, Film Studies and Psychology at Esher Sixth Form College
• Higher Education: BA Film Studies and Creative Writing, Bath Spa University, followed by an MA in Creative Writing, Bath Spa University
• Teacher Training Scheme: Esher Sixth Form College, 2023-2025

Why I applied for the trainee teacher programme

After university, I worked from home as a freelance copyeditor, but I wanted a job that involved more human interaction. A fellow Esher alumni sent me a link to an LRC Assistant role at the college; I applied and got the job. Working as support staff, I discovered I really enjoyed helping students, and my manager suggested I apply for the trainee teacher scheme. Becoming a teacher would offer more opportunities for career progression and more autonomy, and the scheme meant I could continue earning a salary while obtaining my PGCE. I spoke to current trainees at the college who told me about their experiences and that cemented my decision to apply.

My experience of the trainee teacher programme

The programme was intense but hugely rewarding. I attended weekly PGCE classes at Reigate College on Tuesday evenings, which gave me the opportunity to network and share experiences with trainees from different colleges. These sessions were run by a tutor from the University of Brighton, who supported us to develop our teaching skills and complete our assessed work. She was incredibly organised, breaking down tasks with interim deadlines to help us manage the PGCE assignments alongside our teaching workloads.

There are a range of assessment types on the PGCE course, including lesson observations, presentations and essays. As a working trainee, I could instantly apply the theory I learned on the PGCE course to my teaching practice, which was hugely helpful. By the end of the two-year programme, I was fully confident planning and delivering lessons and did not have to complete an additional ECT induction.

I had a mentor in the English department each year to support me with subject-specific knowledge and skills. We met once a week to check in and set targets, and we observed each other’s lessons several times to exchange teaching ideas and feedback. The department immediately welcomed me as part of the team. By staying in one department and one college for the whole of the programme, I forged strong bonds with my colleagues and became increasingly confident with the material I was teaching.

The College was understanding of my needs as a trainee, allotting me extra periods of paid remission and allowing me to limit my teaching hours during the programme. I taught eight periods a week of English in my first year and 10 periods in my second year. I shared all my classes with more experienced teachers, who helped me develop strategies to suit the specific needs of each class. My timetable was supplemented with other sessions, such as a tutor period and EPQ. Alongside that, I worked in the Additional Learning Needs department running supervised study sessions. This gave me experience supporting SEND students, and I learned more about the function of different departments in the college.

Challenges

The trainee programme is undoubtedly demanding, because you are working full time while studying. You have to be organised and committed to the programme, and even then it is challenging. Both my PGCE tutor and the College understood that and offered me as much support, guidance and flexibility as possible. Having the school holidays is also very helpful to manage large PGCE assignments and get ahead with marking and lesson planning.

Going straight into the classroom is a huge challenge, but I believe it is the best way to learn and develop resilience. My department was always encouraging and never expected me to be perfect as a trainee. A particular challenge for me was learning new content. My Head of Department and subject mentor offered me lots of guidance and they have supported me to complete subject-specific CPD courses to strengthen my knowledge.

What I’m doing now

When I completed the trainee programme, I was delighted to be offered the opportunity to continue teaching at Esher. It is a great place to work, and I highly value the community of staff and students. I am still teaching English, working three days a week to balance teaching with my writing projects. I am grateful for all the opportunities available to me at Esher: for example, I run a creative writing extension study which draws on my expertise in that area; I also take part in a staff film club and an educational reading and discussion group.