Starting your teaching career with Bright Futures offers many opportunities!

Elena De Fraja began her teaching career with Bright Futures in 2017 on our Paid Undergraduate Internship Scheme. This programme is led by Bright Futures SCITT and is aimed at undergraduate students who are studying Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) or STEM-related subjects, and who are considering a career in teaching

Following her time on the internship scheme, Elena decided that teaching was the career for her, and she joined Bright Futures SCITT, achieving Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in 2018. Elena trained in two of our Trust schools, Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, and Cedar Mount Academy. She gained much experience and found opportunities to make a real difference to young people’s lives. Elena speaks so highly of the support and opportunities she received from mentors and staff from across the Trust.  

Elena enthused: “I firmly believe that training with Bright Futures is what shaped me into the teacher that I am today. The internship which I completed between my second and third year of university was the perfect way to see if teaching was the career for me. From then on, I knew I wanted to be a teacher, but more importantly, I knew I wanted to complete my training with Bright Futures SCITT. What stuck with me the most from my training year was how supportive, kind, and passionate everyone at Bright Futures was – that’s why all these years later I was so honoured to come back to where it all started and deliver my very own training.”

Eleanor Davidson, Bright Futures’ Teaching School SCITT lead, added: “We want our graduates to be outstansing, resilient teachers with a passion for learning and teaching, who really want to make a difference to the lives of young people. Elena’s journey in teaching is just one example demonstrating success with one of our school-based routes into this profession.”

More recently, Elena chose to specialise in young people’s mental health and moved to The Pendlebury Centre, a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) for young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.

We are delighted that she has come full circle and returns to the SCITT to deliver high level training, sharing all her experience with our current trainees.