Secondary Modern Foreign Languages (MFL)
PGCE

Initially, I chose St Mary’s due to their outstanding reputation in teacher training. The moment I contacted the university last year to enquire about the PGCE course, they were extremely encouraging and positive to talk to and from then, my mind was made up.

I am now halfway through the year and I have made huge progress developing as a teacher whilst also maturing and growing as an adult.

St Mary’s University is unique in so many ways and for me, what makes them so special is their devoted staff. My tutors have made the effort to get to know me on a personal level and they are always there if I need constructive advice or even just a chat. This is a huge comfort for me, especially when I don’t have family close by to seek advice.

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After doing a languages degree and a Master’s in Project Management, I was eager to study further and do a PGCE course. I decided to study this course because I have always been interested in becoming a secondary school teacher, and teaching children languages and about other cultures from around the world. 

As well as helping me progress academically, the course also developed me personally; the nature of the programme enables you to become more authoritative, confident and patient.

I learnt so much this year and am very grateful for it. I could not have asked for better tutors and staff as they were always extremely helpful and would offer their support constantly. They would give help on assignments, offer support with teaching ideas and always offer advice when needed, even whilst we were on placement. 

St Mary’s offered a variety of workshops and lectures, which included theory and practical teaching (at a subject-specific level and with the entire cohort). This enabled us to gain more from each session and enabled us to meet people studying a different subject.

I wanted to be a teacher since I was young. When I started feeling unhappy in my office job I realised it was the perfect time for me to train to teach. I went to one of the open evenings at St Mary's and spoke with the programme director who was very helpful and gave me all the information that I needed.

The other trainees were very nice and we were encouraged to work together, making a challenging year much more supportive. Lectures were interesting and inspiring; I feel lucky that the University really cared about our professional training needs.

The PGCE year is not always easy, but what truly made a difference for me was the support that I received from my tutors. They cared about me as a trainee, but also as a person and made a point of knowing everyone's strengths and weaknesses, providing each of us with tailored support.

It's truly remarkable how much tutors cared about us. They were always available; even answering emails on evenings and weekends. Beyond their dedication and great teaching during the course, the tutors still give us support as NQTs and are still available when needed.

I am very happy with my experience at St Mary's University and would recommend the course to anyone who is thinking of becoming a teacher.

I felt part of the St Mary's community from the very first meeting, and I think this is what makes St Mary's different: the personalised approach.

Tutors are extremely knowledgeable, always available to help and have a lot of experience in teaching and in Modern Foreign Languages. They support and stretch, encouraging students to develop their own identity as a teacher.

As a foreign student who decided to get into teaching from a different career, it was important for me to choose a university that would support me properly. I really liked that nothing was taken for granted (the school system in England, the philosophy behind teaching and learning languages, etc) but at the same time, I always felt challenged because they want every student to excel.

There are a lot of practical experiences and a lot of visits and seminars during the course, which make it even more hands-on. I am very happy I picked St Mary's and I would do the same again if I went back. I am now about to embark in my NQT year and, while I am a little frightened by the new adventure, I am confident that I now have the foundation needed to teach and I know that I can still count on my tutors if I need them.

I decided to study PGCE Secondary Modern Foreign Languages at St Mary's University because of its excellent reputation among teacher training courses.

The University has been extremely inspiring and my course tutors have been beyond supportive. They have been immensely understanding of my personal circumstances and have helped me all the way through my training. They also made sure we had a supportive environment among colleagues too, including the buddy system in which we had another student who could support us both academically and emotionally.

The course is focused on learning and improving from our own school-based practice. The feedback given by my tutors meant I could see myself progressing as I met the targets they had set. My MFL tutors, Glennis and Anna Lise, believed in me from the day they interviewed me. Their enlightening character has helped me achieve my pursuit of becoming a teacher and for this, I will always be grateful.