Advice from primary education student, Ben Hobbis

BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS

Hi, my name is Ben Hobbis and I'm a BA (Hons) Primary Education student here at BCU. Preparing to start uni is really exciting, but can be overwhelming too. I've shared my advice and tips to make your transition to uni life as smooth as possible and hopefully ease any anxieties you might have.

The best discovery I’ve made since starting the University

The Library Service! You have to do lots of wider reading on this course so I’ve found the online library catalogue and being able to reserve books and then collecting them has saved lots of time. The usage of e-Books available through the library has also been a big help!

I have also found useful the monthly Twitter chats that are run by the School of Education and Social Work. Known as #BCUITEChat, they take place on the first Thursday of each month 8-9pm. They’re great ways to gain ideas and share best practice so I’d recommend following the @BCUITEChat account for more details.

My favourite thing about BCU

Although BCU is a massive university, you don’t feel like just a number – you feel part of the BCU family. This is down to the great student support services in place, with outstanding facilities and amazing lecturers who have both strong knowledge as well as recent and relevant practical experience to pass onto us students.

What I love about the city

BCU is right at the heart of, and has a strong presence across, the city. The City South Campus (where teacher training courses are based) is only a short train journey and walk away from Birmingham New Street (or a short bus ride depending on your preference). I love seeing the views and activity of a busy city. Being at the heart of the city means you never far away from something interesting going on!

On the Primary Education course, being so close to the city has enabled us to visit a number of interesting places including the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG), the Birmingham Progressive Synagogue, The Library of Birmingham as well as exploring the centre of Birmingham as part of our subject study trips.

My top tips for new students on Primary Education with QTS

Take every opportunity that comes your way (both in school and at University), and engage with the lectures and seminars as they are so useful. Engage with the other people on your course; they’re your colleagues and you’re all in this together!

When in school, be proactive - don’t wait to be asked! Also, when you’re on placement but not teaching, seek opportunities to go and observe other teachers in other classes to get a wider understanding of how a school works – this way you will also get the most out of it. Make the effort to develop relationships with everyone (children, staff, parents, your fellow trainees, lecturers).

If you can, try and get as much voluntary experience as you can beforehand. I was so lucky to get lots of experience before I started the course and I have even been volunteering at a school on my days off. This has provided me with great experience in Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2 and Early Years allowing me to develop flexibility from very early on.

Stay organised and don’t leave things to the last minute, this way you won’t get stressed and will be on track to be a great teacher!

What I didn’t know before starting my course

I didn’t realise the importance of wider reading. Don’t underestimate how much research and further reading you should be doing; my knowledge and practice have definitely developed by doing this!

Also, I didn’t realise quite how amazing placements are! I knew working with children is really rewarding, but envisaged placements to be really stressful. They are the hardest part of the course in many ways but also the most enjoyable and rewarding part! Seeing children really enjoying themselves and making progress when you’re teaching them is a fantastic feeling!

My uni essentials

Definitely a laptop and printer. I don’t rely on memory sticks anymore after going through two during this year; now I save everything to One Drive! Also, teachers love stationery so folders, dividers, pens, highlighters and Post-it Notes are a must!