Imperial Alumnus In New Teaching Documentary

Recent Imperial engineering graduate Nicholas Church appears in a new six-part BBC3 documentary about 6 new teachers who are taking part in the Teach First scheme.

The programme, first airing on January 9, 2014 at 9PM explores the trials and tribulations of the new teachers as they begin teaching in school in low-income communities in London with only six weeks of training. Nicholas Church, an Imperial Civil Engineering alumnus takes on the challenge of teaching Maths to pupils at The Harefield Academy, Uxbridge.

The first episode follows the fledgling teachers as they start their first day at the schools, with Psychology graduate Claudenia Williams trying to keep control of an energetic class of children in Croydon's Lanfranc School. However, help is at hand, each of the new recruits receives support from their University tutors (while working towards a Postgraduate Certificate in Education), and two "school mentors", teachers at the school who provide additional assistance.

The aim of the programme is to show the audience the realities of educational inequality in the UK, while showing what actually happens to the students who apply for Teach First.

Intrigued? Watch along tonight on BBC3 at 9PM, and don't forget your coursework!