Search results
-
BGU’s Teacher Training Praised by Ofsted
Bishop Grosseteste University’s teacher training partnership has been praised by Ofsted for making “an important contribution to the recruitment, selection and supply of teachers to local schools and the wider region”. The inspectors found that high-quality training, provided through effective partnership between the university and schools, “ensures that teachers trained by the university present as confident and effective practitioners, who are valued by their employing schools”. Trainee outcomes, the quality of training and the overall effectiveness of the partnership in securing consistently high-quality outcomes were all graded as good in primary, early years and secondary programmes. The two-stage Ofsted inspection took place in June and December 2015 and the report was published today (26th January 2016). The report praises BGU’s “vision for continuous improvement” and “involvement in current educational research”, keeping the historic institution at forefront of teacher education and recruitment. As a member of the prestigious Cathedrals Group of universities, BGU has a warm, caring ethos. The inspectors recognised this, commenting that across all phases “the partnership provides trainees with very high-quality levels of pastoral care and support”. Inspectors found that the institution, which has been training teachers for over 150 years, continues to lead developments through cutting-edge educational research: “University tutors’ involvement in current educational research provides a sharp edge to the training programme,” they said. Trainee teachers are also involved in research, and experience “good levels of coherence between the courses taught at the university and the school-based experiences”. These connections between theory and practice led inspectors to comment on “trainees’ useful research projects”, arguing that “the consistently good quality of this training is evidenced in extremely thorough audits, varied and interesting assignments”. “We are very pleased with the inspection judgements, which all mirror our own self-evaluation,” said Dr Nick Gee, Head of the School of Teacher Development at BGU. “We are particularly delighted by the recognition given to our excellent pastoral support, the full involvement of our partnership, the embedding of research within our training and the strength of leadership and management throughout all levels of provision.” Key findings in the report are: Leaders in all phases share a common vision for continuous improvement. Team-working within each phase leadership team and across the entire partnership leadership team is a strength. Together, all leaders demonstrate the capacity for further improvement. The partnership makes an important contribution to the recruitment, selection and supply of teachers to local schools and the wider region. The partnership provides trainees with very high-quality levels of pastoral care and support. Visit the Ofsted website. -
BGU Backs Campaign to Attract New RE Teachers
There’s a national shortage of specialist RE teachers in the UK, but Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln is bucking the trend. So far this year offers made for places on the secondary PGCE in RE at BGU are up by a quarter compared to the same time last year. Nevertheless, the university is still backing a campaign to encourage graduates and career changers to train as RE teachers. The ‘Beyond the Ordinary’ campaign is being led by the Religious Education Council of England and Wales (REC). Supported by universities and colleges that offer specialist RE PGCE courses, it highlights the benefits of a career in RE teaching and raises awareness of the availability of bursaries to cover training costs. RE specialists do not need to have a theology degree – the PGCE course is open to graduates from a variety of academic disciplines and from diverse backgrounds. Becky Geeson, Admissions Tutor for RE teaching courses at BGU, said: “We have increased the number of RE places available on our secondary PCCE programme this year, and this continues to be a very popular course. “So far we have offered RE places to over 25% more people than at the end of last year, and we still have places available and welcome further applications. “RE covers issues that dominate the news agenda every day, making it very exciting to teach. It takes teachers and students beyond the ordinary as together they unpick the facts from the fiction. “RE lessons always spark a reaction, and debates will go on among the students well beyond the timetabled lesson, into the school corridors and playground.” Roxanne Fearns, Head of Religious Studies at Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School, qualified as a teacher at BGU – as did her entire RE department of four teachers! ““I love my job – what other subject allows you to enable young people to think and reflect about the world around them and develop their appreciation of different beliefs, religions and practices and the part they play in the today’s diverse world?” she said. “At a time when religion is often misunderstood it’s important for young people to be able to study RE in order to increase awareness of different beliefs. Because the media sometimes portrays negative images of religion we need teachers who can present a different view. “The PGCE at BGU equips you to be able to engage and enthuse young people into the study of religion and philosophy and to develop their critical thinking skills. “The university has really good links with schools, so trainee teachers can spend more time in school. Some training establishments just ask schools if they will take a student, but BGU specifically picks schools based on how highly they rate the department.” School statistics show that demand for Religious Education continues to rise: RE A-level entries have more than doubled since 2003, while at GCSE stage full course entries increased by 19% between 2012 and 2014. -
BGU Commits to Greater Public Engagement
To demonstrate its commitment to engaging with the wider community, Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln has joined the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCPPE) and signed up to its manifesto. The move is part of BGU’s wider stakeholder engagement work which forms an important part of the university’s five-year strategy. The term ‘public engagement’ describes the many ways in which higher education, learning experiences and research can be shared with the general public. The NCPPE says public engagement “is by definition a two-way process, involving interaction and listening, with the goal of generating mutual benefit.” The Reverend Canon Prof Peter Neil, Vice Chancellor of BGU, commented: “I am very pleased that Bishop Grosseteste University has now signed up to the NCCPE’s Manifesto for Public Engagement. “This is a reflection of our long-term public engagement strategy and of our continuing dedication to our various communities. I am looking forward to encouraging further public engagement efforts by the university and all its members.” BGU has been increasing its investment in staff volunteering, which builds on the successes of its existing student volunteering scheme. High levels of student volunteering have helped BGU to establish itself amongst the top three universities for employability in the whole of UK, as seen from the latest Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey published by HESA, the Higher Education Statistics Agency. BGU also offers public lectures on campus and innovative skills development courses ranging from journalism to paediatric first aid and from writing skills courses to Makaton. The university’s enterprise incubation centre, BG Futures, plays an important role in engaging with the business community and the campus hosts regular national and international conferences. -
Universities to Battle it Out in Cathedral Cup Return
The date has been set for the much anticipated re-match of Bishop Grosseteste University and the University of Lincoln in the city’s annual Cathedral Cup football fixture. While the inaugural fixture was won by UoL 6-1, BGU is hoping to stage a triumphant comeback on Wednesday 5th October at Sincil Bank. The match will kick off at 7.45pm in front of what is to be expected to be a very large crowd – the previous match attracted 1,300 spectators. The two universities are set to compete not only on the football pitch, but also in a wider range of events including badminton, futsal and netball, all of which will take place earlier that day. Callum Ward, President of the BGU Football Society and a former youth team player at Lincoln City, commented: “I am absolutely delighted to see the Cathedral Cup return. Last year’s event won multiple awards and received fantastic feedback but the most pleasing aspect was how it engaged and appealed to students and the wider community from non-sporting backgrounds. “When creating the event last year, we wanted to ensure the Cathedral Cup was sustainable and had the potential to grow and develop year on year. We have managed to do so with the introduction of other sports playing during the afternoon, by securing sponsorship from local companies, and by including more societies in the ticket-selling process. “The most pleasing aspect for me is the wider impact of the event. It isn’t just a football match; for example, students from the media department of the University of Lincoln are responsible for all of the promotional material. “Having said that, I want nothing more than to avenge last year’s score line and win the trophy this year. Everything is set for another sporting spectacle and I urge everyone to come along to experience the occasion.” This fixture is a part of a wider sports partnership between BGU and Lincoln City. In addition to the shirt sponsorship deal, the collaboration creates opportunities between BGU students and the football club, including placement opportunities, partnerships between the football club and BGU’s new and existing sports courses, and football in the community work. From October Lincoln City will also be training weekly at BGU’s sports facilities. Tickets for the game will be available from Monday 19th September at both students’ unions for £4 with free entry for Lincoln City season ticket holders, military personnel and under 16s accompanied by an adult. Tickets will also be available on the gate. Follow the lead up to the event on twitter at #backouruni. -
It’s Not Too Late to Apply to BGU
If you’re considering applying to university for this September, or if you didn’t get the A-level results you expected, it’s not too late to apply through Clearing. That’s the message from Bishop Grosseteste University which has recently been ranked second highest public university in England for student satisfaction in the National Student Survey. The results published on Wednesday (10th August) show that 92% of BGU students are satisfied with their university experience – that’s 7% higher than last year’s score and 6% higher than the sector average.The admissions team at BGU in Lincoln is on hand to deal with enquiries during Clearing, which begins on Thursday 18th August when students across the country will receive their A-level results. The call centre will be open from 8am until 6pm on both Thursday 18th August and Friday 19th August and the number to call is 01522 583698. Prospective students can also visit the university at an open day on Friday 19th August from 10am until 5pm. The day provides an opportunity to see what Bishop Grosseteste University has to offer, take a minibus tour of Lincoln and speak to staff and students about courses and life as a student. “A-level results week can be a stressful and worrying time for students and their families, but remember that we are here to help and advise whatever your situation,” said Karen Richardson, Head of Student Recruitment and Admissions at BGU. “It’s always a busy period for us but as always we will do our best to ensure that students are not left worried or uncertain about their place at university.” Case study: Glen Hughes An Education Studies and Psychology student who was looking for a new career challenge and applied to Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln through Clearing has graduated with an honours degree. Now he’s aiming to continue his education by studying for a master's degree in Forensic Psychology at the University of Lincoln. Glen Hughes (25) was disillusioned with his job as a carer and convinced Olivia Sagan, Academic Co-ordinator for Psychology at BGU, to offer him a place. He graduated with a BA (Hons) degree in Education Studies and Psychology on Wednesday 20th July. “I was pretty bored with my job and I rang up not expecting a place,” said Glen. “When I spoke to Olivia she gave me a place and I was like, what is going on here? I don’t think it really dawned on me that I was actually going to university! “My advice to anyone contemplating going to university through Clearing is: don’t hold back, just do it. When I contacted BGU I was bored out of my mind and they gave me what I needed.” Glen, from Bracebridge Heath near Lincoln, has been involved in a number of roles at BGU that help promote both the Education Studies and Psychology courses; he worked as a student ambassador and is now interning for Olivia and helping with her research projects. Before entering Clearing Glen studied for a BTEC in Health and Social Care at Andover College. He then moved to Lincoln and was a carer with Bupa for two years. Top Tips for Clearing If you’ve just got your A-level results and you’re not sure what to do next, consult Karen Richardson’s handy set of tips for students who will be entering the Clearing system: Don’t panic! If you stay calm you’re more likely to take in all the information you need to succeed. If your grades fall short, wait for that important acceptance/rejection indication on Track before you put yourself into Clearing. You never know – your first-choice university might still accept you. Don’t give up! You may well get a place on a similar course that’s just as good – but you’ll need to shop around. Don’t rush your decision. The UCAS system doesn’t even let you trigger the formal process of accepting a Clearing place until 5pm on results day, so you have the chance to shop around. Be realistic. If you’ve seriously blown it then think hard about re-sits or another course altogether – you can always re-apply next time around. UCAS is offering a free (for landlines) Exam Results Service on 0808 100 8000 where trained, professional careers advisers will be available to give help and advice. Be prepared to make lots of phone calls and to be persistent! Keep your nerve – you may need all your negotiating skills to persuade an academic that they should take you on. Enlist the support of friends and family – keep them informed, as they’ll be a great help to you when you have to make that difficult final decision. Be prepared to explain to universities why you didn’t do as well as you hoped in your exams – and be honest. If you don’t get the grades you need it’s not the end of the world – there are plenty of other opportunities to consider. -
Excellent student satisfaction
BGU is the second highest ranked public university in England for student satisfaction. Figures released today from the National Student Survey show that 92% of BGU students are satisfied with their university experience - that’s 7% higher than last year’s score and six percentage points higher than the sector average. Significantly seven courses reported overall satisfaction above 92%. Education Studies, Theology & Ethics achieved 100% satisfaction while three other courses – Early Childhood Studies, Primary Education with Recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status and Applied Studies – all recorded satisfaction levels of 97%. Dr Ruth Sayers, Executive Dean Learning, Teaching and International, welcomed today’s findings: “This is an excellent result for BGU and demonstrates our commitment to working in partnership with our students to improve their teaching and learning experience. We take what our students tell us very seriously and are always keen to hear what they have to say. We’ve introduced a number of initiatives to help give them a greater input including a new student engagement facilitator role which has been created to enhance and further develop a culture of staff and students working in partnership across the university. We’re also delighted with the overall response rate, which was 81% of eligible final year students, and would like to thank the Bishop Grosseteste Students’ Union (BGSU) for their support in encouraging people to take part.” BGSU President Kieran Parrish said he is thrilled with the outcome: “This shows that the students recognise the high quality of service they are actually getting from the university and that the relationship is one which is strong and transparent. From an SU point of view it is excellent to see how engaged and happy the students are, however, we know that there is always room for improvement. We are relishing the chance to build upon this and push ourselves to provide better for the students in the future.” The NSS statistics follow on from a succession of positive results for BGU. In April, the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) published its review which found that BGU met its expectations in all areas – academic standards, learning opportunities, information and enhancement. In July, the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education survey revealed that BGU is one of the top three universities in the UK for student employability with 97.2% per cent of students who leave BGU with an undergraduate degree finding work or continuing to study six months following graduation. Also during the year, Ofsted gave a very positive rating for all of teacher education – early years, primary, secondary and further education – and praised BGU for having a “clear vision and an extremely strong commitment to their engagement with partners in the FE and skills sector”. The Reverend Canon Professor Peter Neil, Vice Chancellor of Bishop Grosseteste University, said it’s been an extremely successful year. “We’ve achieved some outstanding results this year which show that we provide outstanding facilities and support,” he explained. “It is also worth highlighting that we’ve recorded increases in all of the eight NSS question categories and attained one of the biggest rises in the country for overall student satisfaction. We conduct our own in-house survey every year and receive very positive feedback but it is very encouraging to see our students saying this in public. However, there is no room for complacency and we will keep growing the range of subjects on offer and further invest in improving our up-hill campus so that we can continue giving the students an excellent experience.” -
Need a New Career Challenge? Why Not Apply to University?
An Education Studies and Psychology student who was looking for a new career challenge and applied to Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln through Clearing will receive his degree at Lincoln Cathedral on Wednesday. Now he’s aiming to continue his education by studying for a master's degree in Forensic Psychology at the University of Lincoln. Glen Hughes (25) was disillusioned with his job as a carer and convinced Olivia Sagan, Academic Co-ordinator for Psychology at BGU, to offer him a place. He will graduate with a BA (Hons) degree in Education Studies and Psychology on on Wednesday 20th July. “I was pretty bored with my job and I rang up not expecting a place,” said Glen. “When I spoke to Olivia she gave me a place and I was like, what is going on here? I don’t think it really dawned on me that I was actually going to university! “My advice to anyone contemplating going to university through Clearing is: don’t hold back, just do it. When I contacted BGU I was bored out of my mind and they gave me what I needed.” Glen, from Bracebridge Heath near Lincoln, has been involved in a number of roles at BGU that help promote both the Education Studies and Psychology courses; he worked as a student ambassador and is now interning for Olivia and helping with her research projects. Before entering Clearing Glen studied for a BTEC in Health and Social Care at Andover College. He then moved to Lincoln and was a carer with Bupa for two years. -
BGU Lecturers Go Dutch
BGU lecturers Pat Beckley, Yvonne Hill and Tony Luby recently embarked upon an exchange visit to the Netherlands visiting schools in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. In their first visit to the country, they found excellent further education practice at ROC van Amsterdam zuid-oost in Amsterdam where students received personalised learning based on their workplace. Outstanding classroom practices and relationships based around Hattie's Visible Learning were displayed in Rotterdam's Emmaus primary school. Tony and Yvonne met with the 16 MA students who will be coming to Lincoln to study at BGU this October. Yvonne said the MA Education course at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences has given her "food for thought" - and with 14 of the students being primary teachers BGU should be able to give them a good experience for their third year stay in the UK. Tony Luby said that "the future looks orange" as he discussed during the visit various opportunities for building international relationships with schools in the Netherlands. The CEO and Principal of the Forge Trust expressed interest in taking forward this scheme which could benefit schools local to BGU. Find out more about teaching courses at BGU. -
BGU Supports Campaign to Tackle RE Teacher Shortage
Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln is giving its backing to a national campaign to address a shortage of specialist RE teachers. The university is supporting a campaign by the Religious Education Council of England and Wales (REC) to encourage graduates and career changers to train as RE teachers. The ‘Beyond the Ordinary’ campaign, supported by universities and colleges that offer specialist RE PGCE courses, highlights the benefits of a career in RE teaching and raises awareness of the availability of bursaries to cover training costs. RE specialists do not need to have a theology degree – the PGCE course is open to graduates from a variety of academic disciplines and from diverse backgrounds. Despite two years of campaigning by the REC, which created a surge in RE PGCE applications, there is still a shortage of qualified teachers to teach RE in our schools. Meanwhile demand for RE from pupils continues to rise: in 2016, the number of pupils in England and Wales taking the GCSE Religious Studies full course was at its highest since 2002. Mark Plater, Subject Co-ordinator for PGCE Secondary Religious Education at BGU, said: “Last year the offers we made for places on the secondary PGCE in RE at BGU were up by a quarter on the previous year. This year applications have been steady and some of those applying are exceptionally strong candidates. Today I interviewed someone who was as good as any I have interviewed over the past 12 years. “One of my recent interviewees said he was attracted to RE because it seems such a dynamic and changing subject: always in the news, and forever shifting in response to the landscape of our modern world. It’s fascinating!” Roxanne Fearns, Head of Religious Studies at Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School, qualified as a teacher at BGU – as did her entire RE department of four teachers! “I love my job – what other subject allows you to enable young people to think and reflect about the world around them and develop their appreciation of different beliefs, religions and practices and the part they play in the today’s diverse world?” she said. “At a time when religion is often misunderstood it’s important for young people to be able to study RE to increase awareness of different beliefs. Because the media sometimes portrays negative images of religion we need teachers who can present a different view. “The PGCE at BGU equips you to be able to engage and enthuse young people into the study of religion and philosophy and to develop their critical thinking skills. “The university has really good links with schools, so trainee teachers can spend more time in school. Some training establishments just ask schools if they will take a student, but BGU specifically picks schools based on how highly they rate the department.” To find out more about BGU’s Theology courses or the Secondary PGCE Religious Education qualification visit www.bgu.ac.uk/courses. -
Clear Advice to Students from BGU on A-level Results Day
With A-level results day looming, Bishop Grosseteste University’s admissions team is poised and ready to guide students through the Clearing process. If you haven’t quite achieved the grades you need for your first-choice university or if you’ve done better than expected, it’s not too late to apply to through Clearing. That’s the message from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) which recently achieved an impressive 85% satisfaction rate in the National Student Survey. Notably students praised BGU staff for their level of availability when it came to supporting their needs, in addition to their ability to explain complex topics. The admissions team at BGU in Lincoln will be on hand to deal with enquiries during Clearing, which begins on Thursday 17th August when students across the country will receive their A-level results. The call centre will be open from 8am until 6pm on both Thursday 17th August and Friday 18th August and the number to call is 01522 583698. Prospective students can also visit the university at an open day on Friday 18th August from 10am until 3pm. The day provides an opportunity to see what Bishop Grosseteste University has to offer, take a minibus tour of Lincoln and speak to staff and students about courses and life as a student. To book your place on the Clearing open day, visit www.bgu.ac.uk/open-days “A-level results week can be a stressful and worrying time for students and their families, but remember that we are here to help and advise whatever your situation,” said Louise Stow, Student Recruitment Manager at BGU. “Our open day is also an opportunity for those who are starting (or hoping to start) in September to speak face-to-face to our staff about any anxieties they might have. “It’s a busy period for us but as always we will do our best to ensure that students are not left worried or uncertain about their place at university.” Top Tips for Clearing If you’ve just got your A-level results and you’re not sure what to do next, here is a handy set of tips for students who will be entering the Clearing system: Don’t panic! If you stay calm you’re more likely to take in all the information you need to succeed. Don’t panic! If you stay calm you’re more likely to take in all the information you need to succeed. If your grades fall short, wait for that important acceptance/rejection indication on track before you put yourself into Clearing. You never know – your first-choice university might still accept you. Don’t give up! You may well get a place on a similar course that’s just as good – but you’ll need to shop around. Don’t rush your decision. The UCAS system doesn’t even let you trigger the formal process of accepting a Clearing place until 5pm on results day, so you have the chance to shop around. Be realistic. If you’ve seriously blown it then think hard about re-sits or another course altogether – you can always re-apply next time around. UCAS is offering a free (for landlines) Exam Results Service on 0808 100 8000 where trained, professional careers advisers will be available to give help and advice Be prepared to make lots of phone calls and to be persistent! Keep your nerve – you may need all your negotiating skills to persuade an academic that they should take you on. Enlist the support of friends and family – keep them informed, as they’ll be a great help to you when you have to make that difficult final decision. Be prepared to explain to universities why you didn’t do as well as you hoped in your exams – and be honest. If you don’t get the grades you need it’s not the end of the world – there are plenty of other opportunities to consider.
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.