Rachel was an English teacher for 10 years before moving into HE; she is now Associate Professor of English Education at the IoE, University of Reading, where she runs the Secondary English PGCE and is Deputy Director of the Secondary PGCE programme. She is former Chair of the National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE) and member of the English Association’s Higher Education Committee. Her research interests include mentorship, Initial Teacher Education, L1 English curriculum and pedagogy.