WSEE Mentoring
Same journey. Just a little further ahead.
Starting a career in teaching is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming.
WSEE Mentoring connects PGCE science students, newly qualified teachers and experienced educators across Wales, creating an informal space to ask questions, share experiences and learn from people who understand the journey.
Our aim isn't to replace the support provided by universities, schools or professional mentors. It's to add something different: a supportive relationship with someone who has recently experienced the same challenges.
Why are we doing it?
There is a lot to learn when becoming a teacher.
Some of it happens in lectures. Some comes from school mentors and placements. But a huge amount comes from actually experiencing the profession — your first difficult lesson, first observation, managing workload, finding your teaching style and eventually having classes of your own.
Those experiences create knowledge worth sharing.
WSEE Mentoring is about making sure that experience doesn't disappear when someone moves onto the next stage of their career.
Instead, we want to pass it forward.
What makes near-peer mentoring different?
Someone who remembers
Our near-peer mentors aren't decades removed from teacher training. Many have only recently made the transition themselves, meaning the challenges of placements, observations, assignments and becoming an NQT are still fresh.
A space to ask the small questions
Not every question needs a formal meeting with a lecturer or school mentor. Sometimes you simply want to ask someone:
- “Is this normal?”
- “How did you deal with this?”
- “What would you do?”
WSEE provides another person in your corner.
Support without assessment
Near-peer mentors aren't there to observe, assess or grade you. The relationship is designed to encourage honest conversations, reflection and reassurance.
Experience passed forward. Insight passed back.
Who mentoring is for
For PGCE students
Gain an approachable point of contact, practical advice, reassurance and the perspective of someone who has recently completed the same journey.
For NQTs
Develop mentoring and leadership experience while reflecting on your own development and sharing what you've learnt.
For ITE
Gain valuable insight from recent graduates about what prepared them well, where the transition into teaching was challenging and where additional support may be valuable.
For the profession
Create stronger relationships between generations of science teachers and develop a culture where educators continue to support those coming behind them.
What does mentoring actually look like?
Informal. Flexible. Human.
We're deliberately not trying to create another demanding programme.
A mentoring relationship might involve:
- An introductory coffee or Teams call
- Occasional messages and check-ins
- Talking through placement worries
- Sharing experiences of observations or difficult lessons
- Discussing workload and organisation
- Reflecting on professional development
- Celebrating when things go well
- Simply having someone to ask when you're unsure
The exact relationship can develop around what the mentor and mentee find useful.
The WSEE Mentoring Cycle
Today's mentees can become tomorrow's mentors.
Over time, we hope this creates a self-sustaining network of science educators supporting one another throughout the early stages of their careers.
More than mentoring
WSEE Mentoring also gives us an opportunity to listen.
Through informal events, discussions and collaboration with ITE colleagues, we want to understand the experience of becoming a science teacher in Wales.
- What are trainees worried about?
- What helped NQTs most during their training?
- What do recent graduates feel prepared for?
- Where did they feel less prepared?
- What can we collectively do better?
These conversations can help WSEE, participating educators and ITE partners continually improve the support available to future science teachers.
Our approach
Supportive
A place for honest conversations without judgement.
Collaborative
Working alongside existing university and school support.
Near-peer
Connecting people at neighbouring stages of the same journey.
Teacher-led
Built around the real experiences of science educators in Wales.
Be part of WSEE Mentoring
Whether you're a PGCE student looking for someone in your corner, an NQT wanting to pass your experience forward, or an experienced educator interested in supporting the next generation, we'd love to hear from you.