With the ambition of working with disadvantaged young people, Enike Musarura decided to enrol in a PGCE Secondary Computing course at Sheffield Hallam.

“I’m passionate about building environments where young people can learn, thrive and reach their full potential. Helping them see themselves in a positive light gives them the confidence they need to grow and develop as young professionals - and it gives me great satisfaction to see them achieve their goals.

“The thing that first attracted me to this course was its perfect combination of study time and practical experience. Knowing that I could learn about teaching theories and then apply those skills in real-life situations gave me the confidence to build my skillset while developing my own teaching style.

“During the course, I learnt a lot about the art of teaching and the pedagogy used in the teaching profession. I learnt how to structure lessons, create good routines in the classroom, manage behaviour, design a curriculum and build positive relationships with students and other staff members.

“But what I enjoyed most was the mentorship and sense of care. Having support both at University and at our placement schools meant that we were constantly supported with valuable feedback and step-by-step advice.

“It was through the support provided by Sheffield Hallam that I first found out I was dyslexic. They provided me with a learning contract, which meant I could access support with assignments, notetaking and written work.

“With this personalised support package, I not only completed my studies but also won a university award for Outstanding Achievement!

“Because the course was so broad and diverse, I felt fully prepared for the real world of work when the course ended. It also allowed me to see a range of learning environments across different age phases and subjects.

“I chose to teach young people in a secondary setting and was fortunate enough to go straight into a role as a computing teacher at a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school. As the department lead, I have the privilege of developing my own curriculum and teaching all the students across the different school sites.

“This has been the best decision I ever made. The students here are so precious and require lots of support, encouragement and positive reinforcement. They are so full of potential and it gives me immense satisfaction to help them achieve their goals in their own individual ways.

“One day, I hope to be a head teacher of a school built on a similar foundation of love, equality and achievement. I want to be in a position to make decisions that will have a lasting impact on the professional futures of young people in a positive way.

“I believe there’s nothing you can’t achieve with the right environment, support and expertise.”