Primary Education student turned childhood dream into reality

Student Natalie Coleman had the dream of becoming a teacher from an early age. After attending college, BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS at Lincoln Bishop provided the perfect next step on her journey. 

Originally from Dorset, Natalie first learned about Lincoln Bishop University at a university fair she attended in Bournemouth where she had the opportunity to speak to our Student Recruitment team and learn more about the University. 

Despite her hometown being over five hours away, Natalie chose Lincoln Bishop for its rich history of delivering teacher education, prime location within such a historical city and tight-knit community on a small campus. 

Natalie said: “During an Open Day that I attended, I was able to speak directly to students and lectures. I loved the fact that the lectures seemed genuinely passionate about what they do, as well as caring about their students.” 

With kind, caring, supportive and passionate programme tutors by her side, from the very beginning Natalie benefited from exploring the theory and practice of primary education, spent time developing a personal philosophy and made the most of Lincoln Bishop’s strong school partnerships – gaining valuable hands-on experience. 

In particular, Natalie shared a memorable moment from her first year where our primary education students are given the opportunity to work with small groups of children before progressing to working with a whole class. 

She said: “My most memorable experience is when the University invited some local primary schools to come and visit the campus. We had the opportunity to take care of a small group of children and do some activities with them that we had planned in the run up to the day. 

“The day was a lot of fun but also it gave us the experience of planning and working with children before we went out on placement.”

Despite loving her time at university, Natalie’s journey didn’t come without its challenges. Being born profoundly deaf in both ears and hearing through a cochlear implant meant that an important part of her placement was to communicate her needs to the school, as well as spend time educating the children. 

During her second year, she also experienced a related illness. With the support of university colleagues, Natalie took a step back from her studies and placement to rest, recuperate and get an official diagnosis. After treatment, a support system was put in place for Natalie to return to her studies and she was able to complete her second-year placement over the summer.

Natalie said: “The support I received during my time at the University often went above and beyond what I expected.”

After graduating in July 2026, Natalie is looking forward to securing a teaching position and might even consider the possibility of teaching abroad! 

Natalie continued: “I would 100% recommend studying primary education at Lincoln Bishop if you want to go into teaching. 

“The lecturers are really passionate about their subjects and have great knowledge to share. They will help you with anything and support you through it all.

“A key piece of advice I have for anyone would be to attend an Open Day! You can take the time to chat with current students and lecturers and get a real feel of what the University is like.” 

Ready to start your journey into teaching and join students just like Natalie? Discover Primary Education with QTS at Lincoln Bishop here.

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