Sophie Vauzour

Sophie Vauzour is a Lecturer in Education for the Secondary PGCE at UEA. She is a language-specialist teacher educator and teaches on the Secondary MFL (Modern Foreign Languages) PGCE course.

Sophie is Course Co-Director and Admissions, Recruitment and Marketing lead for the Secondary PGCE(M) at UEA. Her additional leadership responsibilities have included , Mentoring Lead, NQT Coordination, Placement Coordinator, Resource Development Coordinator and Director of Employability for the School of Education and Life Long Learning at the UEA.

Sophie is a Senior Fellow of the HEA (Higher Education Association) and a Member of the Chartered College of Teaching. She is also an active member of the Association for Language Learning (ALL) and of the Language Teachers Network at the UEA.

After graduating in French literature, Sophie started her career in France in business training and management. Following a career change and a move to the UK, she taught French, German and Spanish at KS3, KS4 and KS5 for more than 10 years. She is very passionate about the benefits of learning a language for all children, as it can (and should always be) an enjoyable and creative subject that anyone can access. Through her university teaching and teaching practice supervision in partnership schools, she aims to support students to develop their teaching skills so they can inspire the next generation of life-long learners.

Sophie completed her undergraduate degree at the Université de Bordeaux in France, where she obtained a Licence de Lettres Modernes. She then completed a Maîtrise de Lettres Modernes at the Université de Montpellier, France (mention Très Bien).

She has a PGCE(M) in Secondary Education (University of Reading- Distinction in both Practical Teaching and Academic Studies) and a PG-Cert in Higher Education Practice.

In 2021, Sophie completed a Master's in Higher Education Practice. She has a particular interest in Curriculum building and her dissertation is looking at students and lecturers' perspectives on the actions taken to Decolonise the PGCE at the UEA to date. She is now working towards a PhD, looking at anti-racist education in the MFL classroom.

Sophie has a particular interest in teaching and learning related to Teacher Education and Second Language Education. 

Sophie Vauzour predominantly teaches on the Secondary PGCE course. She leads the MFL strand of the course. She has also supervised Master's dissertation students on the MA Second Language Education and the MA Educational Practice and Research. In 2024, she has received the award of Postgraduate Adviser of the Year in recognition to her dedication to support students on the PGCE course (UEA SU Transforming Education Awards).

Before working at UEA, Sophie Vauzour taught secondary MFL in 11-18 schools in Berkshire and Norfolk. Her previous teaching experiences include teaching adults in a business environment.

Language Teaching

Second Language Acquisition

Curriculum Building in MFL

Languages for all

Inclusive teaching of languages

Decolonising the MFL curriculum

Decolonising Initial Teacher Education

Anti-racist Education

Licence de Lettres Modernes, Université de Bordeaux, France

Maîtrise de Lettres Modernes, Université de Montpellier, France (mention Très Bien)

PGCE(M) in Secondary Education, University of Reading- Distinction in both Practical Teaching and Academic Studies)

PG-Cert in Higher Education Practice

Master in Higher Education Practice