The PGDE is hard but rewarding work. You will have the opportunity to work with amazing groups of kids that are looking to you for support and guidance. Being organised is key to being successful on the PGDE. You can fit everything into your life if you ensure that you understand your limits.

The pacing of placement is great because your first two weeks are observation only and then you build your teaching time up with a gradual mix of solo teaching and team teaching. This really helps you ease into placement and allows you time to learn about the school and the pupils from experienced professionals.

My experience on placement was overwhelmingly positive. I was well-supported by my mentors and faculty members across both placements and thoroughly enjoyed the classes I was given to teach. I feel I adapted to the workload aspect of it fairly quickly and was producing lessons I felt genuinely proud of.

The staff at my placement schools were incredibly encouraging, offering guidance and feedback that helped me to develop my teaching practice. It was quite nerve-wracking at first, especially when learning how to lesson plan effectively and managing the classroom environment, but over time I started to feel much more confident.