Rhianna Levi-Burton
For PGCE graduate Rhianna Levi-Burton, working as a cover teacher gives her the flexibility to pursue a range of interests while also still having an impact on the lives of the young people she teaches.
She has been working in Worcestershire secondary schools for the last five years having gone straight into cover teaching from her training at the University.
“It's very rewarding,” she said. “Even being a cover teacher, you have such a big impact in terms of how students see themselves, how they value themselves. If they have someone that believes in them, that makes such a difference in helping them to succeed.”
Having completed an English Literature undergraduate degree at the University, Rhianna studied for a PGCE Secondary in English. But, as she came toward the end of the course, she looked into cover teaching to allow her to study for a Master’s alongside and never looked back.
Rhianna covers for teacher absence or provides extra support in both the short and long term. As she does general cover, she can find herself teaching any subject and often doesn’t know what she will be teaching until the day.
“I've had days where I've done four subjects in one day of different classes, different year groups, and I don't mind that,” she said. “Some people prefer to do their subject because that's what they trained in, but I find it interesting and you learn a lot. I go into these schools regularly. The kids know me, the teachers know me.”
However, she does believe you need very specific skills. “You need to be able to be flexible, to think on your feet, you need to have a personality where you can kind of connect with young people very quickly, especially teenagers,” she said. “But for me I really enjoy it and it gives me that flexibility I need for all the other stuff I do.”
Alongside teaching, Rhianna is also a part-time youth worker for charity Malvern Cube, where she helps run youth clubs and trips for young people in the school holidays, and also handles
social media for a local bookshop. In 2022 she was Worcestershire Poet Laureate, the second youngest person ever chosen, and became the youngest ever Worcester Mayor's City Orator, holding the role in 2023.
Gaining her Master’s in Education elsewhere, Rhianna has gone on to complete a PG Certificate in Tutoring and Coaching at the University of Worcester.
“My time at Worcester made me ambitious and it made me believe in myself, which is really important,” she said, adding that the PCGE had proved a challenging course.
“It's like any course that's got placements, it's not just the academic side, it's the emotional side as well, as you’re learning on the job,” she said. “I built so much resilience. It's made me very confident in my teaching abilities.”
“The PGCE year really helped shape me into the teacher I am today,” she said. “Obviously you continue to develop, through the constant experiences you have, but it plays a really big part. It was a fundamental experience in how I felt as a person and what I've gone on to achieve. Even for people who decide teaching is not for them, the skills you build from it are amazing.”