Case Study

I was teaching English in Hong Kong and wanted to obtain my full teaching qualification. I had 16 years of teaching experience, but couldn’t get registration as a teacher because my degree was not in education. I wanted my experience to match my qualifications and so needed my PGCE to get to the next level in my career. I chose to study at the University of Sunderland because it has a good reputation and I was able to do the course online via distance learning while continuing to work in Hong Kong.

The best part of the course was having a tutor and a mentor to help support me through tough assignments. My fellow students and I also formed a WhatsApp group that allowed us to communicate with each other, which I found very helpful.

I would recommend the University of Sunderland and this course to other students, and in fact have already done so. I would advise future students to start their assignments ahead of time, take time to proofread and revise assignments before handing them in, and to ask their tutor for support when they need it.

My career has definitely progressed; one day while co-planning my lessons another teacher said to me, “Wow, your lesson planning has really improved!” I can also feel the difference in my confidence levels as I teach pupils and it's reassuring to now know the theory behind why I do what I do. I plan to continue teaching and eventually open my own school for low income pupils in various countries.

My time studying at Sunderland has been the experience of a lifetime! I grew as a teacher and as a person by stretching myself further than I ever thought I could. I am so glad I embarked on this successful journey!”

Published 2 July 2020