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An interview with Ann Osbourne
Me at home, in a relaxed environment in a state of contentment and gratitude. SP: Thank you for making the time to talk to me this afternoon. It would be great if you could tell us a bit more about your background in equality work. AO: I got involved with equality work through my last Chambers (the offices where barristers work). We worked on opening access to the Bar through mentoring, young people probably from around 15 or 16 years old to encourage them to start thinking about careers at the Bar (i.e. becoming a Barrister) and wider careers in law with the idea that we would mentor them through A levels and university - a commitment of five years. I thought that the scheme would be an important thing to do because of my own experiences at that age group of being told what you can and can't do. I wanted to circumvent that message and say you can choose not to accept that. All the students came from inner city schools in the most deprived areas of London, were on free school meals and they would be the first in their family to go to university. I ended up mentoring a very bright young woman, who was 15 years old when I first met her. It was a pleasure seeing her development from that 15-year-old through to the confident accomplished young woman she became at 23 years old starting her first graduate job. This was a young person who had not thought of going to university until she was accepted into the scheme, let alone thinking of Oxbridge. She ended up going to Cambridge. That was a world away from anything she'd even considered. SP: Reflecting on your own experience, did you have an easy access through education? AO: My early education was without difficulty but when I was in high school, I remember being told that I was overly ambitious. It was the first time that I had odd experience in education. I thought, overly ambitious - isn't that what a 13- or 14-year-old should be? SP: What was it you wanted to do that that made them say that? AO: I said I wanted to be a Barrister. I knew that I wanted to be a barrister at age 7. When I said that I wanted to be a barrister, I suppose that that teacher said ‘you're overly ambitious’ because in her mind, I didn't seem to set the world alight. She had their own narrative about my intellect and where I should be, and in that narrative, it wasn't here. I told my parents and they said, you ‘don't let other people tell you what you can and can't do - you define yourself.’ My second and perhaps most difficult experience arose at the end of my second year of my A levels, when the head of 6th called me into her office and she said, ‘People like you don't go to University of London Colleges- how dare the likes of you apply’. She wanted me to write a withdrawal letter to UCAS, I refused. She then said ‘Well, it doesn't matter if you don't withdraw it, because with the recommended grades I've put down for you, you will never get in.’ She opened her desk drawer, pulled out a piece of paper and slung it across the desk at me and where I had been predicted a grade B, she had written D. I walked away from that in tears, and I thought ‘Well that's her opinion. I'm going to keep pressing on’. I remember her saying ‘You can't do it. People like you don't become Barristers, and even if you manage to get through, it will take you years.’ I replied, ‘People like me do become Barristers, because my father is one and he also happens to have the same skin colour that I do, so I know that people like me do make it.’ I knew that both he and his friends were examples of people like me doing it. That experience left me with a sense that if my parents hadn't told me I could make it, and if I didn't keep hearing that message at home, I would have stopped it in my tracks. How many other young people are told ‘no’ at school? ‘no’ at home and ‘no’ when they step out into the wider world? I had to develop this blind, almost crazy self-belief of I'll get there, it doesn't matter what you say, I'll get there. So that is the reason for my commitment to mentoring these young people. If you can't see it, how do you do it? Seeing someone like me walking into that school and saying ‘Well, here I am’ it helps to challenge those assumptions. Some minority children, who they may not immediately scream ‘genius’ but given the right tools and right opportunity, suddenly they blossom and given a bit of direction can achieve amazing things. They're not even given that opportunity. So, all those things force me to continue that process of mentoring, young women coming through the legal professional, mentoring Black female students. Going into schools so they can see we exist, we are here, and we are here in increasing number. SP: You've talked about your home life as a significant influence. Who else would you identify as inspirational figure? Who else has inspired you to think there is no ceiling to my abilities. AO: I've had two amazing parents. So, my mother who as a young woman was an incredibly feisty character – ‘Don't tell her no;’ she was not going to be dissuaded from doing the things that she set her mind to, and she did not have the benefit of a continuous education. She grew up in a fee-paying system during colonialism and she to wait and to go to secondary school after her older sister. She always wanted to get a degree but selflessly she supported first her husband and then her children with their education and careers taking the back seat. And amongst all of that, the constant refrain from her was ‘don't let other people tell you no, don't let other people tell you that you can't do it.’ And she would only get cross if she thought you let someone else tell you what you could do. She did get her degree and became a lay reader, the first woman to be made a lay reader and was subsequently ordained as a Deacon at the cathedral church in Antigua and then at 65 to be priested (i.e. ordained as a Priest) in the Church of England. That wasn't her plan, but the opportunity came, and she took it. I have great admiration for her. So, I try to say ‘yes’ to things because you never know where it can lead. Those are my key role models. SP: Your mother clearly achieved several academic and professional goals and the thing that seems to be the persistent thread is this idea of integrity, endeavour, and idea of excellence. How have those ideas affected your value set? AO: For me, when I put myself in the position of doing something I either don't do it because I know I can't do it (and I'll have the humility to say I can't) or I put my soul into it because I think part of the integrity is knowing a what your limits are, but also recognising if someone has entrusted you to do something, do it to the very best of your ability. SP: So how did effectiveness integrity impact on you? AO: While it created a certain fuel to keep striving forward it gave me a larger sense of imposter syndrome and when I finally got to that point, I wondered ‘Do I really belong here? Could I really do those things? Am I a bit deluded?.’ That can be so crippling, and I had to pull back to that point of the girl with that blind self-belief. I needed to be that person again. So, the challenge now is, how far can I go? Because I know that there are others who come behind me and they need to believe they can do it too. SP: Thank you for taking the time to talk to me today and to share your thoughts and insights. I am sure we will be in touch again. -
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust - BGU partnership
The Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust acts as a Lead Partner with Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU). "Our aim is to provide the very best Catholic education for all in our community and so improve life chances through spiritual, academic and social development." The Trust works in partnership with BGU to deliver our Initial Teacher Education ITE programme. BGU provides teacher training opportunities in Primary, Secondary and Special Education in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. Our well-established programme of ITE provides trainees the opportunity to gain a PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) - as well as masters credits in Primary, Secondary and special teaching.Applicants who apply to Our Lady of Lourdes will be able to choose the school that they train at in their Trust. Please visit here for a list of their schools. This partnership is founded on the principle of collaboration and an absolute belief that by working together we can improve outcomes for all students in these schools.Our Lady of Lourdes has a long record of partnership with BGU in helping to train teachers. If you choose to train with them you can expect: • Successful trainees will obtain a PGCE and QTS by the end of the programme• A programme that gives you four days a week in school and one day a week at University• The chance to observe and work with outstanding teachers• Outstanding mentoring from an experienced and trained mentor• A programme of support sessions• A comprehensive induction programme• A second school placement in a contrasting school All their primary and secondary courses are available here. If you would like support in applying or further information, please contact: Vanessa Scott learninganddevelopment@ololcatholicmat.co.uk -
BGU graduate given Prue Goodwin Award!
This year's Prue Goodwin award has been presented to Bishop Grosseteste University Children’s Literature and Literacies MA student (now 2024 graduate) Emma Edwards, in recognition of her Master's dissertation which explored representations of disability in children's literature. Her research around this topic was incredibly in-depth and she was "very interested in the types of characters represented in literature, as well as how the children interpreted and understood them." Dr Prue Goodwin, who received an honorary doctorate from BGU in 2021, has been an inspiration to many colleagues and their teaching. Prue Goodwin trained as a teacher at BGU (1965-1965) and is now a world authority on Primary Education. She is a longstanding member of the UK Literacy Association (UKLA) and a prolific writer, having written and edited more than 18 books and guides. Emma commented: "I am really grateful that my master’s dissertation has been recognised through the Prue Goodwin award. I referred to her work during the research element of the study. The final dissertation was a result of a lot of hard work and was particularly challenging as I was balancing a Primary School teaching role, a new Senior Lecturer role and a young family.My dissertation stemmed from two key pieces of academic writing. Bishop (1990) identified that books were, ‘Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors.’ Blaska (2004) built on this work and went on to identify that ‘Perhaps no group has been as overlooked and inaccurately presented in children’s books as individuals with disabilities.’ My final work focused on representations of disability within children’s literature, particularly focusing on visible disabilities. I’m really proud of the work through this piece of research and I hope that I will have the opportunity to share my findings and build further on my understanding of representations within children’s literature in the future." Her award was presented by award-winning children's author Hannah Gold on Thursday 24th of July just after the BGU Graduation ceremony at Lincoln Cathedral. Hannah was attending the ceremony to receive her Honorary Doctorate from BGU. Congratulations Emma! -
Historical tuition fees
Tuition fees history and previous figures. -
BGU tops leader boards in five categories in National Student Survey
The results from the National Student Survey (NSS) 2024 have been announced, and we are thrilled at the outcome, retaining 1st in three categories from 2023, as well as achieving 1st in two new categories. At an institution level, BGU’s positivity scores exceeded sector averages in all themes. This trend continues at an individual question level where BGU scored higher than the sector average across the board. The NSS was the chance for students to provide feedback on their student experience and aimed at undergraduates in their final year of study. We’ve been ranked 1st for: Learning OpportunitiesAssessment and FeedbackLearning ResourcesAcademic SupportStudent Voice Interim Vice-Chancellor Professor Karen Stanton said: “These awards are a testament to the dedication and hard work of all our colleagues. It’s inspiring to see our students acknowledge the excellence of our transformative education, and the supportive, empowering environment we foster at our University. “Together, we’re empowering our students to develop the skills needed for a life of positive impact.” See more of our awards and accolades here. -
BGU students celebrate Graduation 2024
Students, friends, family, and faculty gathered in Lincoln Cathedral to witness the graduation ceremonies of students from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU). Celebrations took place on Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th July over four ceremonies. 888 students from various academic disciplines graduated this year, including undergraduate, master's, postgraduate, doctoral programmes, and apprenticeships, with many donning their robes to cross the stage at Lincoln Cathedral. The University also presented Honorary Awards to individuals recognised for their exceptional contributions to the University, academia and society. Among the Honorary Doctorate awardees was BBC presenter Peter Levy, who has had a distinguished 49-year career in broadcasting, notably presenting BBC Look North for Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire since 2002. Hannah Gold, celebrated children’s author of best-sellers such as The Last Bear, also received an Honorary Doctorate. Receiving a Distinguished Honorary Fellowship is Alex Baxter, who is the Chair of Franklin Sixth Form College, and whose service in the Royal Navy inspired his current roles and contributions to military-civil engagement in North East Lincolnshire. Educationalist and historian Judith Jones was honoured for her exceptional contributions to the University and public life, including her voluntary work with the Sandford Award. Paul Deane, Principal and Chief Executive of Grantham College, was recognised for his role in fostering educational collaborations across Lincolnshire. Richard Hallsworth received an Honorary Fellowship for his dedicated service to BGU as a trustee and council member. This year's ceremonies were overseen by Interim Vice-Chancellor Professor Karen Stanton. She said: “Graduation marks a significant milestone for all our students, and it is a privilege to celebrate this achievement in the historic Lincoln Cathedral. “We are delighted to honour the diverse talents and achievements of our graduating students, and to anticipate the extraordinary contributions they will make in their respective fields and communities. I have no doubt they will make us proud.” -
Students graduate in exciting Early Childhood degree pathway
In September 2021, Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) introduced students to the opportunity to work towards sector endorsed graduate practitioner competencies alongside the BGU BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies programme. The ECGPC (Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies) pathway seeks to strengthen the link between placement and theory, developing a graduate led workforce across the ECEC sector. It includes 80 days of placement in a variety of settings, an additional portfolio, and a very special end point assessment where they showcase all they have learned. This is therefore the first year of completion. This route, along with our traditional BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies, is full and relevant, meaning they are ready and qualified to work within the Early Childhood sector. BGU students Marina Quaresma and Katy Evans graduated from the University on Thursday 24th July 2024 with a qualification in BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies (Graduate Practitioner). Prior to graduation they both completed their End Point Assessment for their chosen routes, demonstrating the skills they have learned across their extensive placement. Both of them are BGU's very first students to graduate with the ECGPC! The GPC route really benefits practical skills such as planning activities and observing children. Placement offers the opportunity to see the theory in practice and allows you to build relationships with local settings. The E-diary also benefits your reflective skills and allows you to look back on what you have learnt. My favourite part was watching the children flourish under my care and the relationships I made along the way. Katy Evans The Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies aim to: 1. Remove the confusion in the sector about how ECS Degrees are aligned to practice requirements in the four nations of the UK. 2. Address the inherent challenges of different types of Early Childhood degrees and study pathways, enabling the wider workforce to be clear about individual early career graduates’ expected level of knowledge, skills and actual experience in practice. 3. Acknowledge the different pathways that lead learners to undertake the degrees, enhance their practice experience and enhance employability skills. 4. Ensure that Higher Education academic routes are responsive to the changing needs and training routes in early years practice, education and the wider Children’s Services workforce. 5. Make a significant contribution to strengthening a graduate-led Early Childhood workforce that is responsive to workforce needs and improves outcomes for children. 6. Afford students with placement opportunities to critically apply theory to practice in a range of Early Childhood settings and/or schools, social care and health settings. This will enable students to develop graduate skills in the application of the inter-disciplinary Early Childhood knowledge base to reflective practice. 7. Provide new opportunities for graduates who want to strengthen their practice in Early Childhood and/or progress to post-graduate academic programmes or professional training, including Early Years Teacher (0-5), Teacher (3-11), Social Work and health professions. ECSDN. (2020). Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies -
Student Advice & Wellbeing Information
Explore our Student Advice and Wellbeing resources, offering information and guidance to our prospective and current students. -
Students with Caring Responsibilities Information
A carer is someone who provides unpaid care to a partner, child, relative, friend or neighbour who could not manage without this help because of frailty, physical or mental illness, addiction or disability. If you are caring for someone whilst studying, we recognise that juggling all of this can be very difficult. Your role as a carer will depend on the person you care for but could include: Practical household tasks (cooking, cleaning, washing up, ironing, dealing with correspondence and financial management) Personal care (bathing, dressing, lifting, administering medication, collecting prescriptions, support to attend medical appointments) Emotional Support (listening, offering advice and friendship, keeping an eye on the person you care for to ensure their personal safety) Disclosure of Carer Status The University actively encourages students to disclose their Carer Status using the opportunity on the UCAS application form or during the enrolment process. Support Package Due to the unpredictable nature and demands of caring roles, students may be provided with a Carers Support Plan that provides leeway in relation to assignment deadlines, tutor contact and attendance but not exams. The plan may consider or suggest adjustments but will not make recommendations around placement support, international visits, field trips or residential requirements as we recognise that these may be difficult to put in place. You may require a Parking Permit in order to ensure you can meet your caring responsibilities. If so please contact Student Advice & Wellbeing for more information. -
Sandford Award Winners 2024
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), in partnership with the Heritage Education Trust and supported by Historic Royal Palaces, is thrilled to announce the winners of the prestigious 2024 Sandford Award.
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