After relocating from Coventry to Essex, Emily Wicks decided to pursue a long-held ambition of becoming a teacher. Encouraged by a welcoming and supportive interview experience, she joined UCSE's PGCE programme and quickly became a highly valued member of the cohort, embracing every opportunity to develop her skills and knowledge.
Throughout her studies, Emily demonstrated exceptional academic ability, earning the Highest Overall Academic Achievement on an Open University Validated Higher Education Programme. Alongside her own success, she consistently supported those around her, helping fellow students with lesson planning, classwork and assessments while creating a welcoming and inclusive learning environment. Her willingness to share knowledge, offer encouragement and support others through challenges made a lasting impact on both her peers and tutors.
Emily credits the strong sense of community within the course as one of the highlights of her experience. She particularly valued the support from staff and mentors, describing the small cohort environment as one where every student felt recognised, supported and encouraged to succeed. One of her favourite memories was completing her final viva, where she reflected on her journey and received positive feedback from the mentor who had supported her throughout the year.
The course prepared Emily to begin her teaching career with confidence, and even before graduating she had secured a full-time role as a Maths teacher at South Essex Colleges Group. She attributes this achievement directly to the knowledge, experience and confidence she gained during her PGCE studies.
Reflecting on her time at UCSE, Emily said:
"The support from staff was incredible, and there was such a strong sense of community throughout the course. It's been a really good experience, and I always recommend it to anyone who wants to get into teaching."
As she celebrates her graduation and the start of her teaching career, Emily's journey highlights the impact of hard work, kindness and a commitment to helping others succeed. Her academic excellence, generosity and positive influence make her an outstanding ambassador for UCSE and a graduate with a bright future ahead.
Emily's story demonstrates how ambition, hard work and a commitment to supporting others can lead to outstanding achievements. After relocating to Essex to pursue her ambition of becoming a teacher, she excelled academically on UCSE's PGCE programme, achieving the Highest Overall Academic Achievement on an Open University Validated Higher Education Programme. Alongside her studies, Emily became a valued member of her cohort, consistently supporting and encouraging fellow students while developing the knowledge and confidence to begin her teaching career. Having secured a full-time role as a Maths teacher at South Essex Colleges Group even before graduating, Emily is an inspiration to other students, and we look forward to seeing her continue to grow and make a positive difference through education.