{"id":499,"date":"2026-01-28T11:25:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T11:25:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/enuapplyscience\/?p=499"},"modified":"2026-01-28T11:25:52","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T11:25:52","slug":"meet-graduate-katherine-lymer-pgde-physics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/enuapplyscience\/2026\/01\/28\/meet-graduate-katherine-lymer-pgde-physics\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet graduate Katherine Lymer, PGDE Physics"},"content":{"rendered":"

Katherine Lymer graduated in 2022 and has completed her fourth year of teaching, with a promoted position of Principal Teacher of Communities and Partnerships.<\/p>\n

How did the programme help you in placements?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Preparation for the placements was thorough, terrifying at times (on reflection, our insightful and structured role-playing now brings a smile to my face), and covered all the important aspects of our placements: lesson planning, preparation and reflection, learning to manage with common (mis) behaviours (hence the role-playing!) as well as hands-on practice of some of the practical elements of our subject. Professional expectations and responsibilities were clearly and appropriately set, (e.g. our progressive timetables, teaching focus (junior vs senior phase) and planning deadlines \u2013 our lecturer was open to any and all questions as we prepared for placement (even those relating to wardrobe!).<\/p>\n

While on placement, it was reassuring to know that our lecturer was on the other end of their email or phone and while, initially, their visits were a source of anxiety, as the placements progressed, they were an exciting opportunity to share improvements in practice.<\/p>\n

How did the programme help prepare you for your first year \u201con the job\u201d?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, of course the first year was tough \u2013 but then we had been repeatedly warned that it would be!\u00a0 Our lecturers shared their experiences of their first (NQT) year and our physics lecturer had arranged a call with a recent graduate so we could ask them about their training vs their first job.<\/p>\n

In the second half of our programme, we needed to juggle completing our placement while also conducting a research project, a \u201cProfessional Enquiry\u201d, (the results of which were presented on our return to university) and complete the documents for provisional registration as a teacher. To say it was intensive would be an understatement!\u00a0 However, the stages of the Professional Enquiry were broken down (\u201cscaffolded\u201d, in teacher speak), allowing us to meet clear and staggered deadlines. In addition, we had dedicated sessions to help us navigate registration. This approach was very helpful during our first year on the job when we were required to complete another research project, a \u201cPractitioner Enquiry\u201d, alongside the mandatory training, alongside teaching an approaching full timetable, alongside completing all the documentation for obtaining full registration as a teacher.<\/p>\n

How did studying at Edinburgh Napier University help progress you to where you are now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m now in my fourth year of teaching, with a promoted position of Principal Teacher of Communities and Partnership, and it\u2019s true to say that without my degree from ENU, I absolutely wouldn\u2019t be where I am now! As a mature student, I was encouraged to use my previous life experiences to help inform my \u201cteacher voice\u201d \u2013 and my approach to teaching and professional development.\u00a0 Without this, I wouldn\u2019t have had the confidence to seek promotion so early in my career.<\/p>\n

What was your experience like as a student?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In short, really positive. I applied to ENU because of their modern approach to teaching teachers, as well as their reputation in excelling in academic support and student satisfaction – examples of which I experienced before even setting a foot on campus:\u00a0 My initial queries were promptly answered by the course lead and subject lecturer, and I was supported to complete a speedy and efficient application process.<\/p>\n

I loved having lectures as part of a much larger cohort (and relished the opportunities to bond over coffee in the cafe – honestly, I still miss those cappuccinos), while the focussed, subject-specific seminars were \u201cgold\u201d. \u00a0The lab where we developed our practical science skills was fantastically resourced, and there was a huge library of physics-equipment that we could access.<\/p>\n

Written by: Katherine Lymer, PGDE Physics<\/p>\n

Edinburgh Napier University offers a\u00a0PGDE<\/a>\u00a0in specialisms such as Maths, Physics, English, Biology & Chemistry, both full-time and part-time.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Katherine Lymer graduated in 2022 and has completed her fourth year of teaching, with a promoted position of Principal Teacher of Communities and Partnerships. How did the programme help you in placements? Preparation for the placements was thorough, terrifying at times (on reflection, our insightful and structured role-playing now brings a smile to my face), … Continue reading Meet graduate Katherine Lymer, PGDE Physics<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":216,"featured_media":501,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[153,152,69],"tags":[154,6,155],"class_list":["post-499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-graduate-experience","category-teaching","tag-pgde","tag-postgraduate","tag-teaching"],"yoast_head":"\nMeet graduate Katherine Lymer, PGDE Physics - The School of Applied Sciences<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I applied to ENU because of their modern approach to teaching teachers, as well as their reputation in excelling in academic support and student satisfaction.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/enuapplyscience\/2026\/01\/28\/meet-graduate-katherine-lymer-pgde-physics\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Meet graduate Katherine Lymer, PGDE Physics - 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