James Poulton

James Poulton

Occupation: Full-time Lecturer of Media and Photography at University Centre Rotherham  

Course studied: PGCE

James’ Story  

“I was a student here in 2017 studying Level 3 Media and Photography, in which I worked my way up to Level 3 year 2 and then went on to study my degree here at Uuniversity Centre Rotherham and did my levels 4, 5, and 6. While studying here, I got the amazing opportunity to do some industry work on big productions in film and television, and then at the end of my degree, we had to do some professional events where we got to go out and work with clients, so I got some great opportunities for professional development.”  

After finishing his degree, James went on to apply to do the full-time PGCE course here at University Centre Rotherham, as he drew inspiration from the tutors who taught him and from his family, who are also within the teaching industry. He says, “It felt like the next natural step.”  

What is it like being a teacher?  

“Being a teacher is one of the greatest privileges of my life; it is not like any other job. I know I make an impact; although small, I am making a difference to people, and I am educating them, helping them get to their next stages in life, and that is a huge inspiration to me because I care not only as a practitioner but for them as individuals.”  

Throughout his journey with us here at University Centre Rotherham, both as a learner and a teacher, James shared this fascinating insight: “The people here at RNN Group make a difference; it is a people-led campus where the campus prioritises the community. The teachers and learners are what drive it and make it a wonderful place to work and study.”  

Completing the PGCE  

“The PGCE was difficult but rewarding and surreal. I was fortunate that when I applied, I got a placement here. It meant I got to work with some of my tutors, which helped me integrate myself and grow professionally. As some of the tutors had been working here for 10 to 12 years, so getting that professional development from people who had been in teaching and within my industry was fantastic, and it helped me become the teacher I am today.”  

Best memory so far  

“As a teacher, my best memory would be we do an end-of-year show where we host almost like an Oscars-themed award show for the students at the Eastwood theatre, where we all dress up and hand awards out to students who we thought, for example, were the best editor, best cinematographer, or most comedic. And seeing the students’ reactions to these awards and seeing how highly they think of these awards solidifies how important the work we do is.”