Aspiring Teachers

Make a difference to the lives of disadvantaged young people whilst developing your own skills and experience. 

Through a placement with Action Tutoring, you will support 1-3 young people across 10–20 weeks (or longer depending on the timeframe of the placement). 

Volunteers aid disadvantaged pupils to build their Maths or English subject knowledge, confidence, and study skills ahead of SATs or GCSE exams. Additional responsibilities can be built in to meet the objectives of the placement as well (detailed on  their webpage).

As a student volunteer you will be fully supported with training, a free DBS check, travel expenses and a placement supervisor. We can accommodate up to 100 hours for students who want to volunteer as part of their placement, work-based module or career development module.

By volunteering you will...

• Gain transferable  skills in communication, time management, organising and planning. 
• Gain experience in education and working with young people.
• Get hours towards the Exeter Award
• You may also have the opportunity to develop additional skills such as advocacy, fundraising, volunteer recruitment or presentation support. 

Find out more and apply to Action Tutoring

Gain teaching experience as part of Aspiring Teachers at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum

The role of  School Activities Volunteer at RAMM is to engage and teach visiting pre-booked KS2 school groups with activities linked to Ancient Egypt, Romans in Devon or The Second World War and The Exeter Blitz . You would join a team who lead/assist, setup and takedown a number of activities that are linked to the museum’s collection.

When - The time commitment for this volunteer role is a minimum of 3 hours twice a month (once a week would be great) with timeout for holidays and other responsibilities. You will choose your shifts and the school activities you wish to undertake in advance of the school visit.

You should be available to volunteer for at least two terms in an academic year.

School visits to RAMM are generally Tuesday to Thursdays during the first three weeks of each month, during Devon school terms.  Each shift (with setup and take down times) is generally 3 hours for half a day (09:30 to 12:15) and 5 hours for a full day, with a 30 minute lunch break (09:30 to 14:00).

During your shift you will lead or assist in up to three activities, each 25 minutes in duration.  The average number of school children taking part in each activity at a time is between 8 and 12.

Training - It is important that you attend training for this role before you can start.  The required training will be in three parts:

• At home, one hour general museum induction via elearning
• A one hour walk around the museum to orientate yourself around the building, safety such as fire-escapes and understand the various procedures and policies that are in place
• In person training of the school activities in situ at RAMM – shadowing/assisting sessions during school visits

Skills - You should possess a broad interest in one or more of the school subjects we cover, with a willingness to learn. An ability to communicate clearly with school children and ability to work as part of a team. You should have a smart appearance. 

Complete the volunteering form to express your interest and ensure to state that you are enquiring as part of the University of Exeter Aspiring Teachers Programme.

Develop your mentoring skills with this paid opportunity from Exeter Maths School 

Exeter Maths School (EMS) are seeking to appoint online mentors to support and develop the mathematical thinking and curiosity of high prior-attaining KS3 and 4 students through their exciting online enrichment programme, Axiom Maths Circles.

Successful applicants will be paid to take part in their training programme and join a team of Maths Circles mentors with opportunities to apply for roles in September or January.

This is a paid opportunity working up to 3.5 hours a week, £45 a week (inclusive of holiday allowance).

Benefits of working as a Maths Circles mentor:

• Receiving thorough and paid onboarding training by our team of experienced teachers.
• Flexibility of teaching on- and off-line. 
• Growing professionally within a community of like-minded mathematicians.
• Working within an already established and evidence-based curriculum.
• Being a part of a rapidly-expanding mentor programme.
• Becoming part of a national network of Maths Circles, mathematicians, and thought leaders.
• Supporting social mobility to enable students from disadvantaged backgrounds access to pathways of higher education.
• Gain hours towards The Exeter Award.

If you enjoy maths problem solving and are keen to develop this in others, this could be the perfect opportunity for you!

How to apply

Recruitment happens twice per year. To express your interest, please fill in the expression of interest form and we will contact you when the next round of applications opens. 

If you would like to learn more about how educational establishments run, Climate Ambassadors match volunteer climate experts with education settings to develop climate action plans in schools, nurseries and colleges.

Climate Ambassadors offers every education setting in England free access to volunteer support to develop and deliver impactful climate action plans. Put your interest and experience in sustainability and climate change to practical use, supporting education settings to reduce carbon emissions, tackle climate risks and inspire and inform the next generation.

Gain experience working with Primary school, GCSE or A Level students.

CoachBright are looking for University of Exeter students to work with school pupils from low-income backgrounds to help improve their grades, confidence and access to university. A great way to build your employability skills, learn about whether working in school is for you and support a young person.

As we navigate life in a post-covid world, it's more important than ever that our most disadvantaged pupils are getting the support they need. Join us to help make education fairer!

As a coach, you will work with 2-3 pupils as either a GCSE Coach in Maths, English or Science or as an A-Level Coach in one of the following subjects: Maths, English, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Economics, History, Sociology, Psychology or Business Studies. Programmes are 15 hours long: including a launch session, 8 coaching sessions and a graduation trip and will run either in person or online.

By volunteering with CoachBright, you will…

• Help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds build confidence, independence and resilience in their learning
• Gain transferable skills in leadership, communication, and relationship building
• Gain experience in education and working with young people
• Gain professional references from your Programme Officer
• Receive a SSAT accreditation - a formal student leadership accreditation worth £500!
• Get hours towards the Exeter Award

 Apply online today at Coachbright

Any questions? Please get in touch! Email team@coachbright.org

Exciting volunteering opportunity to gain school based experience.

St James Secondary School in Exeter is about to launch an unprecedented, large scale enrichment programme for its students.

The aim is to provide high quality enrichment opportunities (similar to those found in Private Schools) for all students, completely free of charge.

In order to make this work, the dedicated teaching staff are giving up their time and developing new skills to share with the students. But we need your help!  

• Would you like to work directly with young people (age 12 – 15) on an activity that they are passionate about?
• Would you like to work closely and build a rapport with a member of teaching staff?
• Would you like to gain vital work experience at a non-selective, but hugely successful Secondary school?

If the answer is yes, then St James School (EX4 8NN) would make you feel very welcome.

To find out more and register your interest in volunteering please get in contact with Steve Brown, Assistant Head. 

Below is the list of enrichment activities that will take place between 1:30pm-3:00pm each Wednesday during term time.

If you have a preference or relevant skill set you can register to help with a particular activity. Opportunities will be allocated on a first come basis.

Help widen participation in higher education.

Student Ambassadors share their first-hand experiences of life as a University of Exeter student to a variety of different audiences, providing a positive, authentic and unscripted insight into the world of higher education. The work student ambassadors undertake involves both promoting the University of Exeter as an institution to prospective students and visitors; and helping to widen participation in higher education more generally by providing information, advice and guidance to young people from a diverse range of backgrounds who are under-represented.

Why get involved?

This is a great scheme to join if you:

• feel positive about higher education and the University of Exeter and want to share your experiences with others;
• like to work with young people and recognise that they may need help in making important decisions regarding higher education;
• want flexible work that fits well around your study commitments;
• want work that will enhance your existing skillset and increase your employability (student ambassadors will have their work listed on their Higher Education Achievement Report and may use their work to count towards the Exeter Award).

Who we are looking for?

If possible, we are looking to recruit student ambassadors from all undergraduate courses and year groups, plus a range of postgraduate courses. Student ambassadors should:

• be enthusiastic,
• have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a wide variety of people from different backgrounds,
• be brilliant team workers,
• be professional, well organised and reliable,
• be pro-active and able to use their own initiative to respond to different situations appropriately,
• be current undergraduate or postgraduate students at the University of Exeter.

Visit the Exeter Student Ambassadors webpage to find out more about this role and the recruitment process.

Explore Teaching and Gain Classroom Experience

Teaching is one of the most rewarding careers on which you can embark. Choosing a “Learning for Teaching” module will help you gain experience and insight into this challenging profession while studying for your undergraduate or Masters degree. 

To help you discover if teaching is right for you, or if you're just interested in developing your skills in this area, we have developed an accredited teaching experience module which is open to all second and third year undergraduates and Masters students, regardless of subject or discipline. Learn more about the Teaching Module.

**Open to all undergraduates and masters students in Exeter and provides you will school experience and training in a credit bearing module.**

Earn £900 for completing a 3-week placement in a South-West based secondary school in the summer term 2025. 

In partnership with the Blackdown Education Partnership and South West Teacher Training, Exeter Maths School are looking for enthusiastic university students (including master's students) who are considering a career teaching Chemistry, Computer Science, Maths, Modern Languages or Physics.

Interns will have the opportunity to work alongside teachers in schools, receive training for support and advice about how to get into teaching. The programme is funded by the Department of Education’s Get into Teaching service. Placement dates: 23 June-11 July 2025.

Further details about this internship programme can be found via the Exeter Maths School website. 

If you’d like to discuss this opportunity or find out more, please contact Exeter Maths School by emailing: headteacher@exeterms.ac.uk 

Interested in a career in teaching, or just looking to help students with a similar background to you? Become a Peer Mentor!

As a Peer Mentor, you will be paired with 1st year students enrolled on your Peer Programme. You can use your own experiences to offer support and guidance through regular sessions with Mentees. Your time as a Peer Mentor counts towards the Exeter Award and can be acknowledged in your HEAR record.

Want to find out more? Contact the Peer Programme Organiser on the scheme(s) you are interested in to get started. 

Get involved with the running of an after school club via your student union in Exeter or Penryn.

Are you a PhD researcher or doctoral graduate who wants to help a young person realise their academic potential? Then join us as a Brilliant Club Tutor!

The Brilliant Club's Researcher Development Programme offers PhD and Early Career Researchers a meaningful, professionally developmental, paid tutoring opportunity. Training with The Brilliant Club and working as a Scholars Programme tutor enables researchers to communicate their research to a non-specialist audience, gain valuable teaching and public engagement experience and deepen their knowledge of the UK education system.  

Tutors working with us will:

• Support local pupils from underrepresented backgrounds to access university  
• Get expert training and real experience to develop their teaching and other transferable skills  
• Earn £500 per placement, plus an additional £100 for designing a new course, and travel expenses  
• Disseminate their research to small groups of school pupils 
• Join a nationwide community of like-minded researchers making a huge impact on university access  

Tutors will be supported to complete a series of training modules before beginning work with us, and further continuous professional development for each subsequent placement.