Cambridge trainee teachers in their own words
Beth Lamont
As part of an ongoing series of interviews in the context of planned Government reforms to teacher training, former PGCE trainee Beth Lamont discusses both her experiences of the course and the potential impact of the proposed changes, which could lead to Cambridge withdrawing from teacher education. Beth completed the Secondary Science PGCE this year, specialising in Biology, and is now starting a job with Hadrian’s Learning Trust, a multi-academy trust in Northumberland, where she also grew up.
With hindsight, my biology teacher was probably one of the main reasons I got into teaching
We moved to Northumberland when I was 13, and I had the same biology teacher from Year 9 through to sixth form, so he knew me very well. Towards the end of school, I was going through some issues that meant I wasn’t very happy at home. I don’t really like people to know when I’m struggling, so I kept quiet, but he quickly clocked that something was up.
I still remember vividly the day he asked me to stay behind after a lesson to ask me if everything was okay. In the classic way these things happen when you are really not okay at all, everything came pouring out. He was incredibly supportive. Having an adult who was not my mum or dad, wanted to listen and really cared about my welfare made a big difference.
I think this has a lot to do with why I became a teacher. The problems I was experiencing were just a blip, but for some young people a teacher may be the only stable adult presence in their life. Being that person and giving them somewhere that is safe and supportive is a role I would really like to fulfil in my career.
Beth in the Simonside Hills, Northumberland, not far from her home town of Rothbury
Beth in the Simonside Hills, Northumberland, not far from her home town of Rothbury
Biology was always my favourite subject, but at first, I wasn’t sure what to do with it
I studied biological sciences at Leicester, and while I was a student, I also did some work in Malaysia, teaching local children about environmental conservation, which was my first proper taste of the profession. In 2020, I was travelling again when the pandemic hit and I had to come home. I realised it was time to make some ‘serious’ life decisions! Inspired by my experience at school, in Malaysia, and also by my mum – who is a teacher and loves it – I decided to investigate doing a PGCE. It has turned out to be a very good choice.
Teaching in Malaysia
Teaching in Malaysia
Instead of being told, “go and read a book by this person,” we were actually working with, and talking to, the people who wrote the books.
I chose Cambridge because it is where some of the best education research actually happens
There is an emphasis – at least in some parts of the sector – on teachers being encouraged to stay in touch with the latest evidence, so training in a place that is at the cutting edge of education research was really appealing. The way research shapes the course, and its interplay with practice, was evident from the start. Instead of being told, “go and read a book by this person” – we were actually working with, and talking to, the people who wrote the books.
The level of support was outstanding
The course was really challenging – as it should be – but you never felt unsupported. Charlie Pettit and Mark Winterbottom (Biology subject lecturers) always had time for us. If I was worried about something, I could send an email at 9pm and get a response within minutes. They are also incredibly inspiring and love what they do, and they instil that same enthusiasm in their trainees.
No day in the Faculty was the same, which is quite a feat when you are running a course during lockdown! The range of what we learned was incredible, both in subject studies and professional studies. Rather than operating on the assumption that every teacher will end up doing the same things, the course brings you into contact with people from all sorts of settings. That was true of my placements: one was with an affluent school in central Cambridge; the other with a big rural school in Essex that was much more diverse. You emerge from the course with a range of perspectives and insights which helps you to feel prepared for the challenges ahead.
On placement during the course
On placement during the course
I worry about the knock-on effects on teacher retention, because there is a huge issue in the profession with teachers leaving after a few years.
The problem with the review is that it will change many of the things that make PGCE courses so effective
I worry about the knock-on effects on teacher retention, because there is a huge issue in the profession with teachers leaving after a few years. Talking to friends who have done exactly that, it is clear that they feel that they just don’t have the tools to keep going. The Cambridge PGCE allows you access to those tools because it shows you how to draw on the research evidence and continually learn and develop throughout your career. It also gives you a community of people you can turn to for guidance and advice. You build strong relationships, not just in the Faculty, but also on placement, and it is made very clear that they remain available to you even after you leave.
In contrast with the rigid approach proposed in the review, one of the great things about the PGCE is that it helps you to find the energy that makes you, personally, want to teach. It operates on the principle that everyone has different reasons for teaching and will have different motivations for staying in the profession. The course helps you to discover what it is that makes you tick and shows you how to draw on that energy as a professional. Even on the course itself, things can sometimes get tough, but that self-understanding, coupled with the belief and passion of the tutors, is a powerful thing to have in your corner.
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