MY TEACHFIRST EXPERIENCE

I applied for TeachFirst out of intrigue more than anything. I still have a year until I finish university, so my application was quite far in advance and I wasn't expecting much, despite my interest in the company and its aims. Somewhat surprisingly, I made it through to the assessment center in London, and thought I'd share my thoughts my experience of the TeachFirst application. Although I wasn't successful this time around, I think the experience was really great, so here's a bit of an insight into my day.





Coming from a number of 'low-achieving' schools *perhaps to say the least*, I found Teach First's aims to be really inspirational. Anything that can help those who don't get the greatest start in education to achieve is a great thing, and I found myself drawn to their whole ethos. This is what initially drew me towards applying, as I felt my first-hand experience of the education system, and its highs and lows, would stand me in good stead for their Leadership Development Programme.

Essentially, the Programme gives you 2 years of experience directly in a school environment, after which you can either decide to continue as a teacher or go on to a Graduate role. Teach First are partnered / affiliated with a number of big graduate firms, and they help you get your foot in the door should you wish to move on from education. After that, you become a sort of ambassador for the cause and are able to continue pushing their ethos in other areas.

So here's what the process to apply actually boils down to:

1. Online application
- This involves a number of 'Competency based' questions, essentially to allow you to convey how you fit with Teach First, alongside a background check of your educational history and achievements.

2.  Assessment Center
- Teach First has one assessment centre, in central London. I loved this location, right next to the Thames! In all honesty, this was the best part of the whole process. The staff at the center are really welcoming and friendly, and although it's a long day, it does seem much shorter due to the comfortable atmosphere.

Now, this is where I stumbled. I was unsuccessful after the assessment center stage, information which is relayed to you through an email. In addition, you get the chance to gain feedback from your AC, however the Teach First team give you a set date and time. I was, unfortunately, unavailable for my allotted time, which I did email to confirm, however I got no reply from the team for any available means to change this. I thought this would mean they'd phone at the first confirmed slot, however this also did not happen. In all, this put a bit of a downer on my experience. Though I realised after my AC that Teach First might not be for me (The inability to choose your placement is a bit too uncertain in my eyes, but will definitely be a plus for those who want to move), I certainly recognise the positive ethos it promotes and acknowledge that I might want to pursue something in a similar vein in the future.

In all, the process was a great learning curve for me. I think that, even if you're not necessarily going to pursue a certain career, or are perhaps unsure, these experiences can make all the difference. Having the experience of an interview is obviously invaluable, and I think this one puts me in good stead for the future.

For those reading this who have an interest in TeachFirst, please get in touch if you've got any questions and best of luck!