Profile interview by Steve Robinson

Clementine (on the right of the picture) joined City College Brighton & Hove after completing her A levels at Sussex Downs College. She has just graduated with distinction in the Foundation degree in Biological Science, and is progressing to the third year of the Honours degree in Biological Science at the University of Brighton.

Clementine has had an excellent record of academic achievement whilst at City College, winning a University Scholarship at the end of year one. Her ambitions since starting have been to become a biology teacher in either a school or college. Her placement at Plumpton College allowed her to experience both teaching and scientific preparation for practical classes in a college.

The placement has involved some fascinating (and slightly creepy-sounding!) work. I’ve done Bacillus cereus, endospore staining, Gram staining on E coli…I made prepared slides and on really interesting wine spiking yeasts and bacteria.”

Clementine helped prepare resources for students, and has learned a lot from working in a college. “I found it interesting and I’ve learned how colleges can be so different. It’s definitely helped, it’s given me insight into how everyday college or school practicals would run, the amount of effort required, timetabling the resources needed.”

After her degree, Clementine then plans to do a postgraduate teaching qualification to become a teacher. She thinks the practical element of the work placement has helped not only with her course, but also in preparing her for a future career.

“It’s not just the theory side of it; the practicals in the placement are also relevant to the course I’m studying. it’s opened my eyes to the day to day running of education system as a whole.” She has also really enjoyed the placement experience. “I’m really really enjoying it, it has been great…It’s worked out well for me, better than I thought actually. I didn’t think I would get so much practical work in as I have really, so I think that’s quite good.”