{"id":509,"date":"2026-02-11T13:42:51","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T13:42:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/enuapplyscience\/?p=509"},"modified":"2026-02-11T13:43:37","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T13:43:37","slug":"meet-graduate-kate-wood-pgde-biology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/enuapplyscience\/2026\/02\/11\/meet-graduate-kate-wood-pgde-biology\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet graduate Kate Wood, PGDE Biology"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kate Wood is proudly working at Speyside High School in Morayshire after graduation.<\/p>\n

\u201cChoosing to complete my PGDE (Biology)<\/a> at Edinburgh Napier University was one of the best decisions I\u2019ve made, and I would wholeheartedly recommend the programme to anyone considering a career in teaching.<\/p>\n

I first approached the university a couple of years before applying, when I was considering a career change and exploring becoming a teacher. Dr Eric Easton<\/a> generously took the time to review my transcript and offer thoughtful advice. That early compassion and professionalism turned out to reflect the ethos of the entire programme.<\/p>\n

Once on the course, I found the staff to be deeply experienced, supportive, and genuinely committed to shaping well-rounded, reflective practitioners. The tutors complemented one another exceptionally well, offering different strengths and perspectives that created a dynamic and holistic learning experience. I particularly enjoyed learning about inclusivity delivered by Dr Heather Earnshaw<\/a>. This wasn\u2019t a flat, \u201c2D\u201d approach to teacher education; it was nuanced, thoughtful, and rooted in real classroom practice.<\/p>\n

One of the aspects I valued most was the space the tutors created for thoughtful discussion of the current issues affecting education today. They were able to guide us through complex and sometimes sensitive matters with compassion and expertise. These discussions broadened my understanding beyond the individual child or class, helping me to consider the wider, interconnected factors influencing education \u2014 from local community contexts to national trends and challenges.<\/p>\n

Throughout the year, we were exposed to the full breadth of what it means to be a teacher: child development, theories of learning, pedagogical approaches, interdisciplinary learning, contexts of learning, assessment strategies, understanding additional support needs, inclusivity, and differentiation, the list goes on! Weekly subject-specific sessions were invaluable, and I draw upon the experience gained from these sessions daily in my role.<\/p>\n

Despite the intensity of the one-year course, everything was delivered with clarity, purpose, and an evidence-informed foundation. We weren\u2019t just taught what<\/em>\u00a0to do \u2014 we were taught why<\/em>\u00a0we do it, learning to ground our decisions in relevant research and current literature. This strong theoretical base has been invaluable now that I am in my probation year.<\/p>\n

Placement experiences were organised with great care. I felt supported not only by my school mentor but also by the university tutors, who maintained support throughout. Their guidance helped me translate what we learned at university into real, practical teaching skills in the classroom.<\/p>\n

I can genuinely say that the PGDE at Edinburgh Napier has equipped me with the skills, understanding, and professional values I rely on every day as a practising teacher. It is a course delivered by educators who embody the very best of the profession, and I am incredibly grateful for the experience.<\/p>\n

I have not only been able to hit the ground running as a newly qualified teacher, but I have been able to engage in professional discussions with my new colleagues and be a contributing member to my team.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Written by: Kate Wood, PGDE Biology<\/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":"

Kate Wood is proudly working at Speyside High School in Morayshire after graduation. \u201cChoosing to complete my PGDE (Biology) at Edinburgh Napier University was one of the best decisions I\u2019ve made, and I would wholeheartedly recommend the programme to anyone considering a career in teaching. I first approached the university a couple of years before … Continue reading Meet graduate Kate Wood, PGDE Biology<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":216,"featured_media":510,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[153,152,69],"tags":[156,154,6,155],"class_list":["post-509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-graduate-experience","category-teaching","tag-biology","tag-pgde","tag-postgraduate","tag-teaching"],"yoast_head":"\nMeet graduate Kate Wood, PGDE Biology - The School of Applied Sciences<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I first approached the university a couple of years before applying, when I was considering a career change and exploring becoming a teacher.\" \/>\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\/02\/11\/meet-graduate-kate-wood-pgde-biology\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Meet graduate Kate Wood, PGDE Biology - 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