Testimonials

Melanie Stapley-Hinds - Part-Time trainee in Social Sciences - 2025-2027

I came into teaching after six years as a stay‑at‑home mum, and the part‑time route was the perfect way to balance training with family life. My week consists of two days in school teaching, a day of Core Training, and time on my non‑school days for planning and study. 

Before starting, my biggest worry was whether I would ‘fit' into teaching after time away from the workplace and entering the profession later in life. An early conversation with Sophie, the then‑director, changed that. She was warm, encouraging, and genuinely understood the realities of returning to work as a parent. That welcoming, empathetic tone gave me confidence that Mid Essex was a place where I would be supported. Alongside the flexible part‑time route and local placements, it was the obvious home for my training. 

Throughout the year, Mid Essex has supported me with clear guidance, realistic expectations and real understanding of family life. My course tutor, Holly, has been exceptional; patient, organised and incredibly supportive. The wider tutor team, including my Subject Expert Trainer, have been knowledgeable, approachable, and generous with their expertise. My placement school has also been wonderful. I’ve learned so much this year and am beginning to feel more settled and confident as I grow into the role.

Spencer Welch - Career Changer - Physic trainee 2025-2026

I studied chemical engineering (quite a long time ago) and in mid-2025 after working for 30 years in the oil industry I decided that I wanted to end my career as a teacher, passing on some of my knowledge and life experiences to the next generation. I think my main worry was not the technical/knowledge side of teaching but was to do with behaviour control in the classroom. I was attracted to Mid Essex by a number of factors, one of the key ones was the subject specific training we have been given on a Tuesday afternoon, by a subject specialist teacher in a local school. This has been very helpful to me particularly given the significant time that has passed since I was learning the subjects I am now teaching.  

Apart from this I was attracted to Mid Essex by the weekly variety of training and teaching, and by the careful and thoughtful structuring of the training throughout the year, and by the fact that the PGCE is done with Anglia Ruskin university and the graduation will be at Chelmsford Cathedral!  

The ITT course with Mid Essex has been excellent, everything I could have hoped for, great formal training each Thursday using subject specialist guest speakers, great mentoring support from my course tutor and within our placement schools, and my initial concern about behaviour management was thoroughly covered by a full week's training very early in the ITT on behaviour and routines in the classroom. It has been a fun year, challenging at times, but rewarding and I very much look forward to very shortly becoming a qualified teacher, thank you Mid Essex for all the support and encouragement.

Charlie Kayley - English Salaried Trainee 2025-2026

My route into teaching has been far from conventional, a childhood dream that remained dormant until now, my early thirties. While studying through the Open University and working across a range of educational settings, I slowly built the foundations for a career I had always hoped for. After achieving a 2:1, I finally stepped into teaching, though not without doubt. Questions circled constantly: Was I too late? Would I be knowledgeable enough? Could I truly make a difference? 

Those fears could easily have overshadowed my journey, but MEITT became the lighthouse guiding me through the storm. The support from Director to Course Tutor, Lead Subject Tutor to In-School Mentor creates a genuine family atmosphere where encouragement never fades. Teaching is relentless, the weeks move at lightning speed, and challenges often test your resilience, but the curriculum, guidance and people around you ensure you never face it alone. 

This year has transformed me from a nervous novice into a confident and capable teacher, building meaningful relationships and making a real impact every day. I owe that to the people that championed me along the way. 

My advice to anyone considering teaching: be prepared to work hard, be prepared for setbacks, but above all, be prepared for one of the most rewarding careers imaginable.

Hayley Ryan - Science trainee 2024-2025

Thank you so much for all of your help and support over the last year. You have all been fantastic. I am so pleased I chose you as a provider. Your support, guidance, knowledge compassion and understanding has been invaluable.

Aiysha Haque - Science trainee, 2024-2025

One of my happiest memories from the course was the teach-meet sessions. It was really interesting to watch other trainees present some were naturally funny and charismatic, while others were clearly nervous. That really resonated with me, as it helped me realise I wasn’t alone in feeling anxious about presenting to my peers. By the time it was my turn to present, I had built strong relationships with the other trainees, so it felt like a genuinely safe and supportive environment. Having training on Thursdays also really helped to break up the week, and it was great to be able to catch up with others in the same position, share experiences, and offload together.

When I was training, there was a strong focus on evidence-based practice, with a lot of emphasis on concepts like cognitive load, chunking, and retrieval/recall. We spent time looking at how breaking learning into manageable chunks and regularly revisiting key knowledge could support long-term memory and understanding. It was particularly encouraging to see these ideas being put into practice at Beaulieu, a relatively new school with high expectations of its students. Seeing strategies we discussed in training actively used in classrooms helped reinforce their value and made the theory feel purposeful and relevant.

One of the biggest takeaways from my time with Mid Essex ITT was meeting the Mid Essex team, who were incredibly supportive and kind. My wellbeing was always at the forefront of conversations, and I felt genuinely cared for throughout my training, especially during a period of bereavement. Their compassion and understanding made a huge difference and is something I will always be grateful for. Without the support I received, I don't think I would have been able to complete the training. There are several people from my teacher training who I would really like to thank. Holly was incredibly supportive during a period of bereavement, and her kindness and understanding made a significant difference to me.

Sophie also stands out, before even being asked Sophie offered to help lighten the workload for me and the other Muslim trainees during Ramadan while we were fasting. What has stayed with me most was that both Holly and Sophie approached us first. They clearly considered our culture, backgrounds, and needs, and that meant a great deal. I would likely have just carried on quietly and become overwhelmed, but their thoughtfulness made me feel genuinely cared for and supported. I would also love to thank Jules for the lovely postcards celebrating achievements and the chocolate she sent in the post. They were always such a thoughtful surprise and really brightened my day.

 Bernadette Soris - Computer Science trainee, 2024-2025

Bernadette applied to Mid Essex ITT in the Summer of 2024 and was living in Scotland at the time. She travelled to Braintree for an interview with Mid Essex and also a school that was interested in hosting a salaried Computer Science trainee

I was living in Scotland when I applied to Mid Essex ITT. Mid Essex ITT recognised my local and overseas experience and welcomed me on to the teacher training programme, showing their commitment to fair and inclusive recruitment. From my induction onwards, I always felt supported. The Director’s kindness and approachability gave me the confidence to relocate to England for my training, and throughout the programme, staff guided me with empathy and fairness as I adapted to a new education system. Mid Essex ITT truly values all trainees, and I would highly recommend it to anyone from a Global Majority Heritage background.