Baasit
Hi everyone, is Baasit Siddiqui here, TV personality and former University of Derby student. I'm currently at the University of Derby at the Kedleston Road site for another one of their Open Days. But we're going to do a bit of a deep dive and go and look at what's happening in Education. Hopefully you'll be able to join me as I go and look at some of the fantastic things going on.
Baasit
You've had a lovely morning today. It's been brilliant to see so many young people interested in going into education. Now, I know when it comes to the University itself is doing quite well. You've been Ofsted-ed fairly recently, is that right?
Charlotte
So we had our Ofsted report was completed in April-May time and we were judged outstanding within our discipline, and also for secondary education and post 14. So for our provision, the three of us, we all got outstanding, which is very unusual. There aren't very many universities that can say that in the country. So we're very, very proud of that.
Baasit
That's something really, really special because I know it's not all about Ofsted, but that is a sign that things are being done really well. Now, when you reflect on kind of reaching that point, the Ofsted side of things, hitting Ofsted across all of the different key stages, what is it about the University that you offer that you feel has led to that?
Charlotte
I think then there's lots of strengths that we offer, really. I mean, we're all primary school teachers that teach on our courses, so we understand what it's like to be in school. And I think that's really, really important. We've got excellent relationships with our partnership schools. We work with hundreds and hundreds of schools around the East Midlands area.
We've got very strong relationships. Like I say, a lot of our students get employed by these schools. As part of the Ofsted inspection there's a lot looking at mentoring around that. Our mentoring is seen as very strong. We've got good relationships with our mentors. We spend a lot of time supporting them. And also we're at the forefront of a lot of research within our team.
And so we currently got projects on adaptive teaching. We do a lot of work around EAL students particularly, you know, that's good for around the area of Derby that we work in and do a lot of outreach, school improvement work with local schools. So we're really a beacon trying to be a beacon of change, getting, you know, schools involved in our work, our students going out and spreading the good words that we're doing here as well.
So it's really, you know, we're really tight with that partnership. We're very, very proud. So our Ofsted rating, you know, owes so much to them. You know their contribution.
Baasit
So Lucy you're in the fourth year right now. Could you give us a bit of an idea of what you've done to get to here at the moment?
Lucy
Yeah, absolutely. So across the first three years, I've done a placement every year - a teaching placement - and they've been in a range of year groups. I've done a placement in reception, year 2 and year 4 and 5. Alongside that, I've also been at university, study my modules. So I've asked to a range of assignments for that. And now I'm in the process of completing my master's dissertation as well as my other masters modules.
So by the end of this year, I'll have left with a master's degree in education. I've also been able to choose a subject specialism. So mines going to be English. And so I'm going to leave with a master's degree in education with a specialism in English. And my qualified teachers say that's fantastic. So I'm all good to go.
Baasit
So no wonder you’re smiling so much. So that's brilliant. How's it been? Is it what you were expecting?
Will
Yeah, it's definitely lived up to my expectations and probably exceeded them, to be honest. I've thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed the course. What I really, really enjoy every year is you have a different placement at a different school, and you get to experience your early years; your key stage 1 and key stage 2. So you go through all the stages and you can see all the development. Alongside that during the course, in the classes, you get to learn about the psychology, and the behaviour around children.
So different ways, methods, teaching you pedagogy, the curriculum you get to better yourself, develop yourself. I was also learning how to sort of create and mold the future.
Nathanial
I think placement. It's been an amazing experience for me. It's a real eye opener to see all the different ages and to see the change you can make in the children's lives and help their development. I think it's the best feeling ever.
Baasit
What I think is really interesting about education is you have to have that hands on experience as well, in class, does the University give you opportunity to have that?
Sophie
I'd say so, yeah, because when I go back now, I'll be doing 80% of teaching. So it does seem like a lot, but it works itself up. So at the start we do about 30% and then it goes up and up, and then you’re teaching quite a lot, but you have like time outside of lessons to plan your lessons and your mentor after school will support you with that too.
Baasit
Fantastic. And what I think is really interesting on the education side is that it's that mix between being practical, which you need, and I love the University for that because there's a lot of applied work around it. But then coupling that with the theory as well. So going back to yourself, Lucy, can you give examples of things that you've done within the classroom and then how the theory has sort of added to that?
Lucy
Yeah, sure. When I was on my placement last year, I was tasked with planning a whole new unit for English, so there was no planning that existed. And I was really overwhelmed by that. To start with. But I was able to draw back on what I learned at the university in my sessions, and I was able to apply some of those concepts that we learned about and that we've researched, put that into my planning.
And then that led to a really successful unit of work that I planned. I felt really supported by the University by that.
Baasit
Fantastic. So it's nice to see that theory come to light.
Lucy
Yeah, absolutely.
Baasit
And then to see the impact that it can have.
Lucy
And also being able to share what we've learned in university with our mentors, who perhaps it's been a while since they've been at university themselves. And you kind of share what you've learned, and it's like a two way process in that you're both sharing your knowledge.
Baasit
You've really touched on the essence of teaching. It's a part of the community, isn't it? And, you know, there is a collaborative effort, not only collaborating with your partner schools, the mentor provision that you have for them as well. But what's lovely to see is your students themselves singing the praises and, the confidence that they had. And we were saying that the confidence they had to kind of share what the experience has been like.
And I hope they don't take that for granted because educators are special in that regard, they have those transferable skills that they’re developing through you as well. It's lovely to see that level of confidence.
Charlotte
Yeah, absolutely. We thought really carefully about the kind of assessments, for example, that our students do. They do a lot of discussion based presentations, those kinds of things. Because to be a teacher, you need to be able to present confidently, and the journey that the students have been on, you know, we we interview them or we meet them, as you know, sixth formers and at college all the way through to watching across the stage at graduation.
You know, we're so proud of all the journeys that they're on. It's all very different paths, but we know the students really, really well and we love being part of that journey with them.
Baasit
If you like to think about the moment that you've seen from a young person so far, that you felt that you've either really made a difference or one of those really memorable moments, what's it been for yourself, would you say?
Nathanial
My first ever placement I did was in college when I worked in early years so I was working in nurseries and, I worked with this, this little girl with autism, and she really struggled. And the teachers had a lot in their hands so that if we have the time to always give her the attention she needed and me being on placement for experience, I stepped up and helped her with 1 to 1 and we built a real connection, built a friendship, and I think that was the best thing that I could see her advance and to know I had an impact on that was a really good feeling.
Baasit
That's brilliant. That's lovely. And it's very real, isn't it? That's when it becomes real, isn't it? Fantastic.
Will
What you get a lot as a student in primary school is that sometimes you feel that it's you. You're maybe not feeling smart enough to do something, but I think the key thing to know is actually it's probably a bad teacher in that sense. Actually, the key thing is it's not that method of learning thats gonna help that child; it’s learning actually, there's 3 or 4 different ways that you can explain it, and one of them is going to be one of the children. It's not one size fits all. You need to try and try again using adaptive strategies. Some manipulatives think like that. So for example, last year, I was in year five classroom teaching fractions, which I don't think anyone's a huge fan of, but, I tried explaining it one way and the children who got it then get on with their work. Those who don't understand come to the carpet and we’ll explain it in a different way. And the best feeling is that, that collective. Okay, I've got it. That's the best feeling. And it's using those adaptive strategies to help children in different ways.
Baasit
I think it's always nice to think about next steps or specialising as well. Can you just touch on kind of the different areas of education that your students can go into?
Charlotte
Yeah, absolutely. So we have lots of opportunities to kind of branch out and look at different things. We have students that come to us, who, you know, got a really strong passion around SEND for example. So we offer, a placement where they go into a school, they can explore that and get to kind of live as a SEND teacher for a week, which is fantastic.
Obviously, the skills that they're bringing from that they can take into a mainstream school as well and work with other children. We have links with Derby School for the deaf. We have deaf education as one of our enhancements. Forest schools. Creative things - STEM, all sorts of things feeding through. With the masters in the fourth year, our students get a specialism as well.
So they specialise in particular areas of the curriculum English, humanities, SEND again, primary foreign languages. So, you know, there is an opportunity to, you know, look at those areas that you're really interested in and develop those.
Baasit
That's really interesting. And that those opportunities come about because of your provision, the experts that you've got, but also the areas as well. You touched on, the Derby Deaf School as well. So you've got those kind of links as well. So if you did want to expand in terms of that, that's brilliant. Anyone who's watching this right now potentially prospective students thinking about going into education.
Yeah. What advice would you give them?
Sophie
I'd say, putting yourself out there quite a bit. There's an education society as well that we have. So people who are like stage one, stage two, stage three, stage four, they all go on that. So then it’s someone that you can talk to and they give you advice as well, and you can make friends through that and it'll give you support because they've been through the course themselves.
Baasit
Brilliant. And help you in terms of the education society is that a physical thing? Is it virtual?
Sophie
Is it it's like in the uni so they'll be like outside of uni, you'll meet up and they'll have like people come in to talk to you about teaching as well. So it's quite practical with that and there's like voluntary things they do too. So it will teach you.
Baasit
That's really good too because I think that's just helping your network grow even more isn't it?
Lucy
I would say the best thing that you can do is, if possible, get some experience in a school. I think, sometimes there's a bit of a people have maybe an idea of what it's like in school, but I think it's important to have a bit of an idea of what it actually like to be a teacher. And I think if you've had those experiences, I think when you come into university, you feel a lot more prepared and you've got a context that you can apply your learning to straightaway.
So although the University are really, really good at providing those opportunities for you to go into schools. I think any extra that you can do will be massively helpful.
Baasit
100%. It bolsters your CV. It gives you a real insight as well, doesn't it? Yeah.
Will
If teaching’s for you then 100% coming to a sort of BEd. Course, and no better place to do it in than the University of Derby. It's on the gold standard framework for teaching. On top of that, it's got a fantastic, selection of local schools that you're going to do placement at where it's got fantastic lecturers, fantastic students, really modern facilities.
So weigh up your options, decide where is best for you. But there's no place better than Derby.
Nathanial
There's tons of support here. And when you're in placement, your mentor and the teachers who are in the school also support you. You've got so many people in the same boat around you, so it's doable, it’s doable.
Charlotte
I think that, you know, a degree in education opens so many doors and it doesn't necessarily have to be in school. You know, I've, had opportunity, for example, to go into prison and do prison education. The whole reason for me wanting to be a teacher was I wanted to work in a, in a museum. And I haven't done that.
But, you know, you never know where this is going to take you. So you have so many skills you talked about, you know, the confidence of our students in being able to articulate and discuss and present themselves. So, you know, there's so many skills that you can gain from an education degree. And of course, you know, working with children is an incredibly satisfying job.
It's the best job in the world. I love being a teacher. You’ve got to want it. We always say, you know, it's a good idea to go and get some experience in schools first, just to check, because it is an intense course. Yeah. We push you. We push you to be your best, but it’s exciting and life changing.
Baasit
Yeah, it's for very special people. And I do love the community of educators as well. And talking to you and the rest of the team it’s just the passion that you can hear from it as well. So that's brilliant. Now honestly Charlotte, I could talk to you forever if I'm honest with you, but sincere, thank you, thank you.
Baasit
Well done with everything that you’re doing as well.
Charlotte
Thank you so much. Good to meet you.
Baasit
And you. Okay, so there you have it. Another University of Derby Open Day drawing to a close. It's been fantastic to explore the Institute of Education here at the University of Derby, speaking to the staff and students. The staff are greatly passionate and proud of their outstanding across all age groups. The students themselves - it was brilliant to hear their level of confidence and passion for teaching.
So it's been a brilliant day. Thank you so much for joining me.
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