My name is Gurjinder Bhopal and I have a BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies. I am 26 and now live in East London, having previously lived and studied in Birmingham. I started on the full time Graduate Entry Route to Early Years Initial Teacher Training this September, studying with Best Practice Network through School Centred Initial Teacher Training for East London Schools (SCITTELS). Our training days are at SCITTELS, which is based at Colegrave Primary School, Stratford. They provide a great opportunity to liaise with other trainees and tutors. This gives us a chance to reflect on what we are learning at our placements and also to share ideas with each other.

Our tutors have reassured us that they are very much there to support our learning and progress. I know the course will be challenging but I also know I will have support. I have volunteered to be one of two trainee representatives for my group, which means that Best Practice Network will ask me for feedback from my group members and that I can take forward any concerns or questions we may have. I volunteered for this because I feel more confident in myself after joining this course and, as a teacher, you need to be up and at the front with the children so it gives me a chance to develop and demonstrate my organisational and communication skills. I will also build relationships with different people a skill I will need able to once I qualify as an Early Years Teacher and will be working with many parents and colleagues on a day to day basis.

I am on the course as I have a huge passion for helping the young children of today to form a good foundation to becoming successful, happy adults in the future. It is a very good time to be training and working in early years as it seems to me that at last the Government and people in society generally understand that if we get things right for these very young children, they will have much better chances for the future.

Training to be an Early Years Teacher is the next step for me. Over the past four years I have worked with children with children for whom English is an additional language and children with special educational needs including hearing impairments, learning difficulties and speech and language. I really enjoy working with children from different ethnic backgrounds and developmental needs.

I am enjoying the course and my placement at Pencil Pots Day Nursery allows me to show my excellent skills and use the knowledge I already have. I aim to become an outstanding Early Years Teacher by the end of this programme. I have volunteered to blog my progress so look out for my next news item on the Best Practice Network website.