This will be going in the pre-course booklet the new students will recieve after accepting the offer of a place. Can you please have a read and tell me if it sounds ok?
Dear future trainee teacher
Congratulations on being awarded a place at XX!
Rewind one year and I was in the same position you are in now; filled with mixed emotions about beginning a new chapter in my life. I was excited but nervous. I was looking forward to meeting new people but worried I wouldn't fit in.
The first thing to remember is that when you begin your course you instantly have something in common with everyone else there - you have all chosen to enter the teaching profession and you have all chosen XX.
Whether you are coming to XX straight from school or whether you are returning to education later in life, as I did, we all have worries and XX have excellent support systems in place to help students with whatever problems or concerns they have, no matter how big or small. Whether you need help with accommodation, budgeting, finding part-time work or assignment writing there is help readily available. You will find out about all these facilities and more on your induction day.
When it comes to the actual course the subject tutors ensured that we were given plenty of opportunity for discussion particularly in the first few sessions which really gave trainees a great chance to get to know each other and it wasn't long at all before everyone had made friends.
The sessions are varied and interesting and you could be doing anything from observing snails in one lesson to looking at database software in the next.
Some of the things I have particularly enjoyed about my first year have been; making wonderful friends, having great support from tutors, enjoying some very interesting practical sessions and getting the chance to spend time in a classroom. I feel that the balance between placements, taught sessions and assignments is very good.
There are a huge variety of people in my cohort ranging from young people starting straight from school, people changing career and others like myself who are married with children and are just now having the chance to go to university. Whoever you are and whatever age you are I am confident that your experience at XX will be as enjoyable and fulfilling as my first year has been.
My best advice is to remember that everyone is in the same boat, use the help that is available to you and go in with a great attitude and you will get so much out of it.
Best wishes to you all