Search results
-
Celebrating Black History Month at BGU
Black History Month at BGU Throughout Black History Month, October 2024, BGU will host a variety of events that celebrate the local, national, and global contributions of Black People to various areas. Storytelling, film night, lectures, and a fashion show are among these events. As per the best tradition of public engagement, these sessions are intended to educate, entertain, and challenge existing ideas and knowledge. Full Schedule of Events Scroll down to check out this years events and to reserve your tickets! Dig Deep, Look Closer Think Bigger. -
Ideas Café – Autism
On 5th April, we held an ideas cafe surrounding the topic of autism. Attendees came from a diverse range of health, social care and academic backgrounds. A range of ideas were highlighted for discussion, in relation to autism that the attendees felt would be valuable to discuss. Ideas that were put forward included: Managing parents’ expectations around obtaining a diagnosis for their childHow to keep autistic children in mainstream schoolSpecial needs training for all trainee teachersTransition for a child into adult servicesTraining for educational staff – increasing training and confidence levels of staff to better manage children with autismHow do we access school staff in order to train them?Can technology be used to link up all of these different areas?Mapping the services available for different age groups. The group consensus was that a mapping exercise would be useful to visualise what services are currently available and who they are aimed at. This led to an interactive session of plotting out services and gaps in service for different age ranges: Early YearsPrimary School AgeSecondary School AgePost 16/Teenagers/Young adultsAdultsThe Elderly Where gaps were identified, the group considered what was being done, or what could be done to address the shortcomings. Once plotted, services were categorised according to whether they could be accessed through universal services or self-referral, or whether they required a referral to be made via a professional. A follow-up event to further map out out the autism landscape of Lincolnshire, and to discuss and collaborate on other themes relevant to autism has been planned at LORIC on Friday 7th June 10am-12pm. This event is open to anyone with a personal or professional interest in autism and places can be booked via the LORIC Eventbrite page. -
Heritage Open Days & The Early History of Bishop Grosseteste University
Since 1994, Heritage Open Days have run every year shining a bright light on England's rich and diverse cultural heritage. This year, from 10-19 September, heritage sites across the county reflected on the theme of 'voices unheard', exploring 'stories from women, children, the working class and agricultural workers, minority groups and even animals that have somehow contributed to the history of Lincolnshire'. Bishop Grosseteste University has been educating students for over 150 years, but its early history was devoted to training young 'school mistresses'. In January 1862, 'Lincoln Diocesan Training College for Schoolmistresses' opened its doors for women who aspired to be teachers. As seen in the image below, the 'Joyce Skinner Building' is one of the original college buildings. Figure 1: A watercolour painting of Lincoln Diocesan Training College in 1888. BGU Archive During the first fifty years some 1,320 girls entered Lincoln Diocesan Training College. After gaining their teaching certificates, some women went on to have careers in elementary schools. Others passed away far too young—some married, and their daughters later attended the college. A few daring women even travelled to far off British colonies to teach. Interestingly, the vast majority of trainee 'schoolmistresses' came from working-class backgrounds. During the nineteenth century, teaching was considered a working-class profession, as it was deemed immoral for the upper classes to educate working class children. Figure 2: The oldest surviving image of students at Lincoln Diocesan Training College c1860s. BGU Archive For a young woman to be given a chance to study at a teacher training college in the late nineteenth century there was an expectation that she would have successfully carried out the role of an apprentice teacher. 'Pupil Teachers' aged between 13 and 18 years of age, spent four to five years shadowing teachers in an elementary school. Alongside teaching the youngest school children, they also carried out domestic duties. Pupil Teachers were also expected to conduct their study before or after the school day. While extremely demanding, the pupil teacher scheme was also preparing the young women to take the Queen's Scholarship Exam. This exam ultimately determined their national ranking. It was from this list that College Principals selected entrants. The Principal at Lincoln Diocesan Training College used the Queen's Scholarship List, but also chose candidates based on their physical well-being, religious knowledge, and geographical proximity, preferring candidates from Lincolnshire or nearby counties of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Figure 3: The Student Common Room c. 1900s. The Common Room was only added to the College in 1895 after numerous requests from the Inspector. BGU Archive Once at the college, the young women could not escape their working-class roots as domestic duties were still required. The college décor was plain, the amenities were sparse, and the food was basic. However, despite a rudimentary diet of potatoes, meat and bread, regular college food was more than what many of the girls were used to. A fascinating medical record held within the BGU Archive reveals that one group of undernourished trainee teachers managed to put weight on at the turn of the twentieth century, and their general health improved considerably during their two years at college. To learn more about the university’s early history and heritage, and study History, Military History or the MA in Social & Cultural History in the surviving Victorian buildings, please click here. -
Bishop Grosseteste University to accept T-Levels for entry
Students who complete the new technical qualifications T Levels will have their award recognised by the university for entry to higher education courses. -
Philip Yeung
Philip has worked at Bishop Grosseteste University since 2018, first as a Visiting Tutor before taking on various roles such as Programme Leader, Deputy Head of Programmes and Associate Dean. He has taught on several undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, including Foundation Year, PGCE, iPGCE and MA Education. Philip currently works as Head of Online Learning at the University. Philip studied his undergraduate degree in music at the University of East Anglia. Once graduated, he undertook his PGCE with the Open University and became a fully qualified teacher in the secondary sector. Philip spent 10 years working in secondary schools and FE colleges, mostly as a Music Teacher and Curriculum Leader of Music and Performing Arts. After completing his MA in International Educational Management at the University of Leeds, Philip taught on various Education-related MA programmes at both the University of Leeds and the University of Bath, specialising in educational leadership and management. Philip’s research interests are in educational leadership and creativity in teaching and learning.You can learn more about the MA Education, MA International Education, and iPGCE programmes we have here at Bishop Grosseteste University, and the opportunities available below: MA Education MA International Education iPGCE -
Cost of Living
Living with inflation and the rising cost of living -
Empowering others through music therapy
Sabina Marr knew she wanted to be a music therapist since the age of 12. With a passion for music, a caring nature, and a fascination for the human mind, it made perfect sense to combine these elements of her personality and work towards a career in music therapy. Sabina added singing, the guitar, the piano and the viola to her list of talents, honing her own skills so she could use them to support others in the future. After gaining experience working for HCPT - a charity that works with young people and adults with complex needs - she enrolled on Bishop Grosseteste University's (BGU) Special Educational Needs, Disability & Inclusion and Music course. Sabina said: "There were only a couple of universities in the whole country that offered this kind of course combination, so I went to look round BGU. As soon as I stepped foot on campus, I knew I was in the right place. "The University's approach is completely person-centred and I felt immediately welcomed into its community. Throughout my course I had fantastic support from my tutors and I was given the opportunity to complete placements that improved my confidence and provided experience that would prove invaluable in my future career." After completing a Master's in Music Therapy, Sabina joined Chiltern Music Therapy in 2021 as a Music Therapist. The non-profit organisation provides Music Therapy, Neurologic Music Therapy™ and Community Music services across England and strives for 'a world where music therapy is the transformative thread in everyday life.' Clients range significantly in age, background, personal needs, and goals. Sabina says it's a misconception that music therapists only work with children and shares that 60-70% of her client base are adults. Sessions can be one-on-one or to a group of clients, and may be delivered in schools - including those for students with special educational needs - or in a clinical setting such as brain injury rehabilitation, residential care homes, mental health facilities and hospitals. When defining music therapy, Sabina said: “Every person has the ability to appreciate and respond to music. Music therapists use this connection to establish and develop therapeutic relationships with the people they are working with, in order to meet relevant physical, emotional, social, behavioural, cognitive and communicative goals. Sessions are tailored so that they are accessible and targeted towards individualised development. "Music therapy is an established psychological clinical intervention, and is an internationally recognised practice.” She emphasises that her goal is not to teach others how to play instruments or read music. She says: "I use music to achieve non-musical goals. For example, when working with someone who has had a stroke, I may use melody and familiar songs to improve their clarity and fluency of speech. If the person needs support learning to walk again, I may use elements of music, such as rhythm, to help with their coordination and balance. If the individual is suffering from low mood, we may use song writing or musical improvisation to explore these feelings. "With music, you don't have to rely on words to express yourself, which is really helpful for my non-verbal clients. It's important to tailor the sessions to the individual needs of the client so we can make sure we're on the right path to achieving their goals. "There are so many ways music can be used to improve lives. The most rewarding part of my job is seeing my clients progress and witnessing how much the sessions have helped them. Right now, I'm focusing on refining my expertise and continuing to use music therapy to empower others. " -
Contextual offers
What is a contextual offer? Here at BGU, we are committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, has the opportunity to access an excellent university education. That’s why we are proud to provide a contextual admissions process, enabling us to make flexible offers that consider an applicant's background, achievements, challenges and personal circumstances. This context enables us to make alternative and achievable offers to applicants who have faced disadvantages in their lives, giving people who might not otherwise have been able to pursue their desire of a university degree a chance to do so. -
Teacher Education celebrates Good rating
Following a rigorous full inspection in April 2024, the entire range of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) provision at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) was judged to be ‘Good’ by Ofsted. The University, which boasts over 160 years of heritage in teacher education was visited by 11 Ofsted Inspectors, who scrutinised the wide range of programmes designed to develop primary, secondary and further education teachers to be successful in their future careers. Inspectors commended the ambitious training curricula, noting the clear intent to develop high quality, insightful teachers who work to address social inequality and ‘change pupil’s lives’. Dr Matt Dunn, Head of Initial Teacher Education Programmes at BGU, said: ‘We are delighted with the outcome of this inspection, which mirrors our own self-evaluation. Our highly-qualified and committed team of teacher educators are passionate about the transformational power of education. We nurture excellent teachers, challenging them to be the best that they can be, empowering them to play their part in transforming the communities within which they work. ‘We are especially pleased that inspectors recognised our supportive and caring ethos as a particular strength, noting that trainees consistently reported a ‘family feel’ to their experience in their meetings with inspectors. We are committed to ensuring that our future teachers know how to maintain good mental health and wellbeing, both for themselves and the pupils they teach.’ BGU works with over 740 partner schools and colleges across the region to deliver high quality ITT, and inspectors recognised their vital input, supporting the university in constructing and delivering ambitious and relevant training programmes which meet the needs of employers and communities. With 550 trainee teachers in 2023/24 academic year, BGU makes a significant contribution to the teacher workforce. Professor Karen Stanton, Vice Chancellor of BGU said: ‘I am delighted the University’s dedication to excellence has been affirmed by this inspection. This achievement reflects the unwavering commitment of our entire community towards fostering a dynamic learning environment where students thrive, and aspirations are nurtured. I extend my thanks not only to our exceptional staff but also to our valued partners whose collaboration and support have significantly contributed to the University’s success. Together we celebrate this achievement, proud of the meaningful impact we continue to have in shaping futures and enabling individuals to succeed.’ Inspectors met with several trainee teachers and were impressed with the extent to which they felt supported and prepared to teach in their future careers. One trainee reflected on this after the inspection: ‘Bishop Grosseteste University has provided me with unique experiences, knowledge, and most importantly, the support I needed to undertake my teacher training. With the staff's accessibility, flexibility and patience, I could not ask for a better support system…BGU has modelled a fantastic level of motivation that I intend to replicate in my teaching career. With the team's brilliant understanding and confidence, I developed into the trainee teacher I am today’. Marshall, Primary Trainee. You can read the full Ofsted report here. Find out more about Routes into Teaching with BGU here. BGU staff and partners in Refectory -
Guernsey placement success for pGDE trainees
Bishop Grosseteste University students on pGDE courses (Professional Graduate Diploma in Education) in Sport, Performing Arts, Plumbing, Health and Social Care, Childcare, English and Engineering undertook a placement for a week at the Guernsey College of Further Education. All trainees on the programme have one main placement and the Guernsey visit was to enable them to see another setting beyond their own and also to show them different education system to BGU's. Guernsey was an experience that we would not of missed - it gave us an insight into the lifestyle of another teaching environment. We were made very welcome and as such were able to enjoy the culture and social experience. As a group it gave us the opportunity to bond and engage with fellow teacher trainers. Roger, pGDE student Guernsey College staff will be coming to the UK in the future for a reciprocal visit, where staff have arranged for them to spend some time in Further Education colleges where our trainees are based and a day at BGU. Input was provided to the colleges Continuing Professional Development (CPD) during the time trainees were with them on placement. This gave Guernsey an opportunity to develop relationships with trainees to fill any potential vacancies they have. This opportunity has allowed me to develop my skills as a facilitator. Working with the performing arts department in an environment that's so different from my current placement gave me great inspiration for carrying on my teaching practice. Keira, pGDE student What an amazing opportunity! Spending time with the staff at Guernsey Institute and gaining valuable insight into creativity within the English classroom was a treasurable experience. Thank you so much. Shelley, pGDE student Programme Leader Stefan Fusenich would like to give a shout out to the Guernsey colleagues... Jennette Heart Deputy Principal who supported me with the inception of the ideas, Lucy Mallet who co-ordinated the visit, and Venessa Mee, who arranged for me to deliver and trainees to attend the college's CPD day.
Explore BGU
Browse our wide range of degree courses and find the perfect one for you.
Open days are the best way to find out what BGU has to offer.
Download your copy of our prospectus to find out more about life at BGU.