Reflecting on the time I spent working at The Tutor Trust, it was one of the most rewarding roles that I have worked in. With a background in science, having studied Wildlife Biology and Biological sciences at undergrad and masters, becoming a science tutor seemed a good path to follow. Starting in science, I eventually trained in maths and English in order to pick up extra assignments. I also had a chance to work with some students on Alternative Provision, which I found incredibly gratifying. That is why when the opportunity to join The Tutor Trust team as a full time Alternative Provision tutor arose, I couldn’t help but apply.

Working on The Right Angle Project was an great experience. Though many people may assume that working with students on Alternative Provision would be constant challenging behaviour and students that don’t want to be there, from my experience this was certainly not the case. The students were also so keen to learn, plug their knowledge gaps, and make the most of the opportunity they have been given to do the best for themselves. Of course, sometimes there were challenges like keeping a student on task some days, but often all they need is a helping hand to boost their own confidence. Being able to help these students reach their goals made this job so rewarding.

Whilst in the end I did not tutor solely science, one invaluable skill that I will use going forward is science communication. When I was at university, I often heard it said that if you can’t explain something in science to a child, then you don’t understand it well enough yourself. Well this is a skill that a have mastered and will definitely use as I move onto my new role as a researcher at Newcastle University.

My time at The Tutor Trust was thoroughly enjoyable. The team was fantastic to work with and all determined to meet the shared goal of helping young people that need it most. Working with young people is something that have always enjoyed, and I hope that the time I spent with these students will help them going forward (and maybe inspire them to go into science!).