I cannot recommend the home economics tutors enough. They have given us so much support and encouragement throughout the year. As a group, we use one word to describe them “legends”.

Placements are where you can put all you have learnt into practice, it allows you the opportunity to develop as a teacher, build positive relationships and work with really talented members of staff. It is very tiring and challenging but also extremely rewarding and beneficial.

I have learnt what teaching involves but now, after two years in teaching, I can say that also placements are not the “real world” anyway. So, if during a placement you feel teaching is not for you, give yourself a second chance. If you are having a terrible experience, wait before giving up, because the following placement might be completely different!

I really enjoyed my first placement. The school I went to was in a reasonable area but had to deal with issues around deprivation, literacy levels and attainment. The school itself could not have been more supportive to its student teachers.

Everyone on the course was very supportive. The university lecturers are always on hand to offer help for assignments, as well as the odd piece of anecdotal advice for placement. In my experience from placement, the teachers are really supportive and genuinely want to help make you a better teacher.