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Dr Ursula McKenna
Dr Ursula McKenna is Senior Research Fellow in Implicit Religion at BGU where she is located within the Department of Theology and the World Religions and Education Research Unit. Upon completion of her BA (QTS) she was awarded an Economic and Social Research Council MA studentship and obtained an MA (with distinction) for her work on religious education for children with special educational needs in the primary school. While combining a part-time research post with a job-share class teaching position she then completed her doctorate. Her research was an evaluation of the Building E- Bridges programme, a project which advocated the use of email in primary schools to promote interfaith dialogue amongst pupils across the UK. For fourteen years Ursula taught across the primary age range and as research fellow at the University of Warwick (1999-2021) she contributed to the PGCE Primary and Early Years Religious Education module and the MA in Religious Education by distance learning course. She has undertaken supervision of dissertation students on BA and MA Education Studies degrees and has co-supervised research students. For twelve years she was editorial assistant for the British Journal of Religious Education, co-ordinating the refereeing process for all submissions and special issues. -
Bishop Grosseteste University ranked 2nd position in Top 10 Universities in the country for social inclusion
Bishop Grosseteste University has been announced 2nd in the top 10 ranking for social inclusion in the country in this year’s Sunday Times Good University Guide. -
Reflections on Black History Month at BGU
Throughout October, Bishop Grosseteste University hosted a month-long programme of free events to celebrate Black History Month. The events included academic lectures, story-telling session and exhibitions that highlight the contribution of Black poets, educators, activists, athletes amongst others during this global month of celebration. Each of these sessions were designed to be educational, but also to engage and entertain in different ways while challenging received ideas and knowledge and were available to staff, students, guests and the wider public via live-stream where applicable. Dr Sheine Peart, Reader in Access, Equality and Inclusion and Project Lead for Black History Month at BGU, said: “As we reach the end of October I would like to offer some personal reflections on Black History Month at Bishop Grosseteste University 2021 which has been a resounding success in countless different ways. “The month-long programme of events was planned by a multidisciplinary University wide team and from the outset the ambition was (borrowing words from the BBC charter) to entertain, educate and inform while at the same time celebrating the multiple ways the global community has been enriched by contributions of people’s from the African diaspora. Benefiting from the skills and knowledge of University colleagues and invited contributors, each event fed into this ambition and provided new insights to the participating audiences while simultaneously honouring the common bonds which unite us and engaging with the challenges which confront us. “Through poetry, music, song, film, thought-provoking talks and story-telling sessions the audience learned of the ways Black peoples had enriched local, national and international communities including the innovative education strategies of Beryl Gilroy (the first Black Headteacher in London) and the ways the Reverend Sonia Baron in her work with the national government is currently challenging inequalities in work based and other spaces to provide better opportunities for everyone. “BHM at BGU will return in 2022 with another programme of events which will be open to students, staff and the wider public. We look forward to welcoming you to our next celebration and invite you to keep watching for future announcements.” -
International Men’s Day 2021
To celebrate International Mens Day, academics from across the University have highlighted influential men within their fields that have made a difference in their subject area. -
LORIC survey opens for headteachers, deputy heads and careers lead across schools in Greater Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire Open Research and Innovation Centre (LORIC) is undertaking some market research for Complete Careers LLP, with regards to raising aspirations, embedding skills and knowledge related to self awareness, awareness of opportunities, decision making, career planning and employability skills within both the primary and secondary school curriculums. They have recently sent out short surveys to all Primary and Secondary schools in Greater Lincolnshire to obtain some qualitative data on the awareness and potential utilisation of the Career Mark approach to the national Quality in Careers Standard which accredits good practice in education in raising aspirations and helping learners to understand and prepare for their futures. One of the surveys is aimed at Primary schools and aims to garner feedback about the 'Career Mark Primary Award'. The other two surveys are aimed at Secondary Schools to look at the reasons why some schools are successfully engaging with the Career Mark approach whilst others haven't adopted it as yet. The surveys take approx. 5 minutes to complete. Your honest feedback would be greatly appreciated and if you work as a Head Teacher/Deputy Head/Careers Lead in a school in Greater Lincolnshire we would value your feedback. The surveys are due to close on Friday 10th December. For further details and to access the most relevant survey please see below: For Primary Schools in Greater Lincolnshire, please visit https://forms.office.com/r/7i71rCZJFPFor Secondary Schools in Greater Lincolnshire who are not using the Career Mark approach, please visit https://forms.office.com/r/uAw2AfCfDwFor Secondary Schools already using the Career Mark approach, please visit https://forms.office.com/r/ED5ZrthL8N -
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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. -
Student UCAS Top Tips
Hear some top tips from one of our current Mathematics students when it comes to the UCAS application process. -
BGU launch Solertia – a new student research journal
Bishop Grosseteste University launches a new student journal to showcase research undertaken by its undergraduate and postgraduate students. -
Senior lecturer invited to Andalusia to speak on differences between English and Spanish teacher training
Dr Mark Larrad, Senior Lecturer School of Teacher Development, recently made a lecture visit to the Faculty of Education at the University of Granada in Andalusia, the third time he has made this visit in recent years. The University of Granada is one of the oldest universities in Spain, and with over 300 teaching staff and nearly 2000 students, the Education Faculty is more than three times the size of Bishop Grosseteste University. Andalusia is one of 17 autonomous regions within Spain in all off which teacher training is controlled by the regional government rather than from the Spanish capital, Madrid. The purpose of his visit was two-fold: to give a lecture to final-year primary education teaching students about the differences (and similarities) between methods of teacher training between Andalusia and England and to meet with the Dean of Education to discuss possible future partnership. In his lecture Mark focussed on the eRPD and the way national standards (such as those for QTS) are used as a measure of progress. Whilst there are many other differences, the biggest similarity is that in Andalusia, Spain and England the most important responsibility of any teacher is to ensure each child can succeed. Another one of the big differences between English and Andalusian systems is that in Andalusia (as in Spain as a whole) all teachers in the state sector are civil servants, and as such, the majority stay in post for around 30 years (the point at which they are eligible for a generous state pension). Dr Mark Larrad, said: “In Spain nearly all teachers in state sector remain until their 50s (unlike in England which has a 20% attrition rate within the first five years after qualifying). “However, I found the most striking difference to be in the differing approach to what constitutes readiness to teach. In Andalusia, like other regions, each student’s chances of securing a job depend not on success in placement but on getting a high mark in the exam (called an oposición) all civil servants have to take before qualifying. “But a possible downside compared to the relative freedom English trainees with QTS have to choose where they work, is that Spanish trainees are effectively posted to schools where teachers are needed, and this might be a long journey from home. “Trainees might be moved several times in their career, but generally those with children are usually prioritized for schools near where they live and older teachers will not be moved around for this reason as much. “Exploring this fundamental difference led to an enthusiastic debate about which system the Spanish trainees would prefer: one where a job is guaranteed but with no freedom to choose your school, or the other way around!” In his discussion with the Dean, Javier Viloria Prieto, both expressed the hope that future years may bring opportunities for our institutions to work together. Dr Larrad believes that in the current climate where UK finds itself increasingly isolated from its former European neighbours, it has never been more important for English universities to nurture and develop links.
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