BA (Hons) Primary Education (Early Years 3-7) student, Ruth tells us about her experience on the undergraduate teacher training course and why she chose to study at Leeds Beckett University.

• Course: BA (Hons) Primary Education (Early Years 3-7) with Recommendation for QTS

Tell us a bit about yourself and what drew you to teaching?

From a young age, I have always loved working with children. My first experience of working with children was when I was in secondary school and I completed my work experience in a private nursery. I loved every minute of it and knew I wanted to take it further. I enrolled on to a Level 3 CACHE Diploma of Childcare and Education, and completed this with lots of practical school-based experience, in mainstream and Special Educational Needs schools. This gave me a real insight into the way children learn in the early years and I wanted to further my education and knowledge, to become a primary school teacher. This is where I found Leeds Beckett University.

What made you choose Leeds Beckett University?

Finding the right university was really important to me. I didn’t want to be too far away from home as I am very close to my family, but equally, I wanted to have my own independence. I looked around lots of universities with my parents and never got the feeling that it was right for me, I started to doubt whether I really wanted to go to university and looked at other options. Until I came to an Open Day at Leeds Beckett University. Instantly from arriving on the Headingley Campus I got a friendly and welcoming feel, and the green space surrounding the campus made me feel at home. Speaking to the lecturers and students on the day, I felt like I could see myself there, this was a feeling which I hadn’t had at any other university. I came away with a smile on my face knowing I had really enjoyed my day, so much so, I went back to the next Open Day to have another look and again got the exact same feel – I knew it was the right place for me!

My advice for choosing the right university would be to try and imagine yourself living your life there when you are looking around.

How has your course helped you?

My course has really supported me to grow and develop my confidence as a person and in my job role as a teacher. The mix between practical teaching experience and the university theoretical teaching has allowed me to put all the knowledge I have learnt into practice and become a better teacher. There is also a range of training opportunities within the course, such as Forest School, Into Film and Makaton training. All these opportunities allowed me to develop new skills which I can take with me into my teaching career. When checking out other courses it is important to look at additional opportunities which universities can offer you. Leeds Beckett University is unique for offering these, as not all universities do this!

What has been your favourite thing about your time at Leeds Beckett University? 

My favourite thing about studying at Leeds Beckett has been meeting new people and making new friendships, which I will keep for life. The university offers great social events for students which allow you to meet new people and have a good time. As well as this there is a great range of societies which will also help you to meet people that have similar interests to you. At Leeds Beckett there is something for everyone!

What advice would you give someone thinking about studying this course?

The advice I would give to someone considering studying primary education at Leeds Beckett would be to look carefully at what you think the university can offer you personally. Are the modules right for what you are interested in? Do you think the facilities would work for you? And most importantly, do you get the right feeling when you are on campus? The course offers a great range of experiences and the support from the lecturers is exceptional.

Choosing to study at Leeds Beckett is a great choice and you won’t be disappointed by your experience!