Primary Teaching leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) PGCE: What our students say

Student profiles

Don't just take our word for it – here's what some of our current and recent students say about what it's like to study at Kingston.

Name: Shaheena Yusuf
Completed: Primary Education PGCE

"I had worked for nearly ten years after finishing my first degree, advising and assisting private tenants who had serious disputes with their landlords. When I became dissatisfied with my job, my thoughts drifted to teaching.

"I decided to apply for the PGCE at Kingston, largely because it was conveniently located for me and because of the University's excellent resources to support PGCE students.

"Although the course has been extremely demanding, both physically and mentally, I've definitely made the right decision - when I read the 'goodbye' class book given to me by the children from my last teaching practice school, I knew."

Name: Claire Saul
Completed: Primary Education PGCE

"During my first degree I decided that teaching might be an option for me and, after working with young offenders for a year, I decided to apply to Kingston University. It seemed a perfect place for me to complete my PGCE due to its location and also for being so welcoming on the open day.

"The School of Education has been particularly supportive in finding placements close to my home and luckily in great schools, which has heightened my desire to teach.

"Although the PGCE has been one of the hardest years of my life, it has also been one of the most satisfying. Leaving my first placement class knowing that I'd actually taught them something was a great feeling and showed me that coming to Kingston to do a PGCE was a fantastic decision."

Name: Christine Briggs
Completed: Primary Education PGCE

"I realise now that I have always wanted to teach, but it took several years and a growing frustration with commercial life for me to find out!

"Kingston University was my first choice of institution for the PGCE because the School of Education actively encourages applications from mature students and understands the constraints of family commitments.

"For example, the well-designed course structure enabled me to plan ahead and it made a big difference to me that my school experience placements could be located close to my home. It has been a wonderful bonus that my first teaching appointment is to be in one of these schools!"