Lauren Goddard studies BA (Hons) Primary Education (5-11) with Recommendation for QTS. Here, Lauren reveals what she enjoys most about her course, including some insight into the variety of work placements she's completed and why she thinks placement is such a valuable experience.

Course: BA (Hons) Primary Education with Recommendation for QTS

Tell us a bit about yourself and why you chose to study your course.

I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, but the career solidified on a Year 10 work experience.

From then, I looked into what subjects would be best to study at A Level to help me get to university.

I saw this course at a couple of universities and I was drawn to it due to the experience which I would gain throughout this course, but also because it was more specific than just ‘education’.

I chose Leeds Beckett University because I don’t live far from it – an hour and a half on public transport – and the Headingley Campus is a beautiful place to study: it’s not just in the middle of the city.

Have you been involved in any placements / work-like experience or do you have any lined up?

As part of my course I have been on three placements so far and have just spent four days on my fourth placement.

My first placement was a holistic placement in which I observed a class teacher in a primary school and helped out around the class.

Placement number two was my main placement (Phase 1 placement) where I spent six weeks in a different primary school, where by the end of my time there I taught the Year 3 class. It was an amazing experience which not all universities offer as part of a course and it developed my teaching practice greatly.

My final placement was an early years placement where I chose where I wanted to do it. Due to enjoying my second placement so much, I decided to go back to do early years.

From my experience, you can’t really learn to be a teacher in a classroom. You need to be the Teacher, of the Classroom.

What did you most enjoy about your placements?

I really enjoyed getting to know the children and being able to use what I knew about them to guide my own planning and preparation for lessons.

I loved seeing the lessons I had planned and prepared being put into practice and also being the reason that a child goes from knowing nothing about something to knowing all sorts.

The staff in primary schools, from my experience, are all so kind and are there for you. They are always so inclusive and provide so much help and guidance. I love being in a classroom and I am looking forward to having my own classroom one day.

What have been the highlights about studying your course at Leeds Beckett?

I enjoyed Forest School training, which is where learning takes place in a natural environment to support the development of a relationship between the student and the natural world. Although I am on the Primary Education (5-11) course and rarely do Forest School, when we have it has been informative and enjoyable.

The teaching on my course doesn’t just take place in lecture halls. Having classes where we can all work together and have a more practical approach to the course is great.

I’ve also really enjoyed school visits with the course.

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

Do the reading. It can be boring and no one enjoys it all the time, but in this course, if you read about something and then have the opportunity to witness it on placement or apply the theory to your own lessons, it slowly puts the pieces together like a jigsaw and makes teaching so much more interesting.

What are your plans after you graduate?

I’m aiming to apply to various schools in the hope to secure a teaching place. But, while waiting to secure a teaching role, I will continue my current part-time job as a shift leader.