Peterborough College Celebrates First CELTA Graduate

Anna-Marie Varghese, who is also a valued member of the college staff, has become the first to successfully complete the newly launched Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) course.

The Cambridge-accredited CELTA course is highly regarded globally as the gold standard for teaching English as a foreign language. For Anne-Marie, the course was the perfect opportunity to build upon a lifelong passion; “I have always been teaching second-language learners, and when I relocated to the UK, I knew I wanted to continue that journey. That passion is exactly why I signed up for the CELTA course.”

Balancing a demanding professional role as a college staff member alongside an intensive teacher-training program required exceptional commitment. Reflecting on the work-study balance, Anna-Marie noted that the experience taught her to be incredibly organised. She said, “You truly have to plan out your time effectively and ensure your tasks don’t clash. I made it a rule to structure my schedule meticulously so that my studies would never compromise my work responsibilities. Throughout it all, I felt immensely supported by my tutors.” 

The rigorous training has already paid off, opening immediate doors for her career. This month, Anna-Marie will be travelling to Canterbury to teach at a prestigious summer school. Praising the educators behind the program, Anna-Marie added: “All tutors are absolutely amazing; I learned so much from them. What I had experienced previously as a teacher was nothing compared to what they taught me; it gave me a whole new perspective on my teaching, and I enjoyed every single bit of it.” 

When asked what advice she would give to prospective students considering a CELTA course at Peterborough College, Anna-Marie’s message was clear: “Go for it! It is really worth it. The teaching staff are excellent, dedicated and sincere. It is entirely worth it.”