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The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023 ranks Bishop Grosseteste University fourth for social inclusion and teaching quality
The guide, published by The Times and Sunday Times, evaluates factors such as student satisfaction, degree completion rates, and graduate employment prospects, to produce a guide of 132 higher education institutions that allows prospective students to make an informed choice about their education. In the 2023 edition, BGU ranked fourth for teaching quality and 13th for the overall student experience. With data from the recent National Students Survey (NSS) informing their rankings, the guide commented on the ‘extraordinary turnaround in rates of student satisfaction.’ The guide also ranked BGU fourth nationally in their Social Inclusion Ranking, which measures the proportion of students from whole sections of society including disadvantaged backgrounds. In a further breakdown for social inclusion, BGU is also fourth for recruiting students from areas with a low uptake of higher education, fifth for the number of students in receipt of the student disability allowance, and sixth for the recruitment of students who are the first in their family to attend university. The tables for subject rankings also showed an increase in ranks for Education, English and Psychology at BGU. The Rev’d Canon Professor Peter Neil, Vice-Chancellor of BGU, said: “We are incredibly pleased with the positive results in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023. “Being ranked fourth for both teaching quality and social inclusion is testament to the high-quality provision that our students receive. We are delighted that BGU’s long-standing commitment to ensuring education is accessible to students irrespective of their socio-economic background has been recognised.” -
Students and staff celebrate Chinese New Year
Bishop Grosseteste University’s TESOL team welcomed in Chinese New Year with a celebration event on campus. The event was to provide an opportunity for the Bishop Grosseteste community to learn about Chinese culture and celebrate the Year of the Rabbit. All students and staff were invited to take part in the festivities, which were led by staff members and postgraduate students. Everyone attending was able to learn about the history and traditions of Chinese New Year, try their hand at speaking Mandarin, practice traditional calligraphy and create their own Chinese New Year couplets. In addition to learning about the culture, attendees were also able to get creative with paper cutting, creating their own Chinese New Year decorations. They also had the chance to learn how to make traditional Chinese dumplings, which were enjoyed by all. This successful celebration of Chinese New Year at Bishop Grosseteste University showcased the importance of cultural exploration and exchange. The staff and students who attended all appreciated the opportunity to come together and learn something new - what a great start to the Year of the Rabbit! -
Local school children study Brayford Pool's natural environment
Last week, children from Ruskington Chestnut Street School took part in a geography field trip to Lincoln, led by trainee teachers from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU). Three PGCE Geography students from the University spent a day preparing fieldwork for the Brayford Pool area of Lincoln, which was then taught to the primary school's Year 5 and Year 6 pupils. Geography fieldwork is an essential part of studying the subject, allowing students to explore and investigate the world around them. The fieldwork conducted by Chestnut School pupils provided them with hands-on experience and the opportunity to explore a new and exciting environment, and learn more about their local area. BGU's Dr Charles Rawding said: "Our three trainees did an exceptional job in preparing and delivering the activities. Their enthusiasm, creativity and expertise ensured that the pupils were fully engaged and able to get the most out of the experience. "It's wonderful to see pupils engaging with Geography in such a meaningful way. Fieldwork allows students to see the real-world applications of what they are learning in the classroom, and we are thrilled to be a part of it." -
Theatre beyond barriers
BGU graduate tours sensory shows for PMLD audiences -
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. " -
BGU deliver inclusive learning training in the Caribbean
Bishop Grosseteste University is supporting the Skills for Youth Employment (SkYE) programme in the Caribbean which aims to improve the occupational skills and employability for disadvantaged young people, including those challenged by disability. -
BGU lecturer’s children’s book translated into Ukrainian to support incoming refugees
The dual language English-Ukrainian eBook will be available for schools and host families free of charge to help to support the acclimatisation of refugee children. -
BGU tutor goes stateside for convention
A Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) tutor recently delivered a paper at an international conference held in San Francisco. Dr Amy Webster was invited to attend the Modern Language Association's (MLA) convention as a speaker and spent four days meeting with fellow academics and exploring the city. Her paper about British series of children's classics was part of a panel with American Professors on children's literature and culture in the modern city. The paper drew upon Dr Webster's PhD, which was completed at the University of Cambridge. Dr Webster, who teaches on the Education Studies undergraduate programme and the MA in Children’s Literature and Literacies, was able to attend the convention thanks to MLA's travel grant and BGU's research fund. As one of few speakers at the conference from the UK, she was excited to present her research and explore the topic in a different context and culture. She said: "It was my first time attending this annual convention and it was lovely to be involved. I made some good connections with other academics which I hope will lead to collaborations in the future. "It was a great opportunity to identify where my researched overlapped and interconnected with that of other attendees, and we were able to enjoy some lively debate." A copy of Dr Webster's presentation can be found here. -
Teaching Internationally: student reflection on BGU
Friederike Vährmann was one of Bishop Grosseteste University's (BGU) Teaching Internationally students on placement with the University for an entire semester. Spending almost five months at BGU, Friederike took a Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) module that helped her connect with students more than she would have if taking the placement back home in Germany. "The PGDE module was linked closely to the placement and offered support through weekly classes. This led to the experience feeling more structured and organised, as expectations were communicated clearly and the weekly sessions allowed me to consciously reflect on my experience." The placement was part of the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) department and Friederike was involved in teaching English to people from foreign countries at various language levels. She found the idea of staff being divided into several separate departments and being given an office space was drastically different from schools in Germany."In my opinion this encourages collaboration and creates an incredibly supportive atmosphere between teachers of the same subject." The department also encouraged Friederike and other staff members to continuously ask questions and learn from each other. She noticed that a collaborative approach was taken when planning for certain activities and lessons that deviated from the lessons that had been developed over previous years. She was able to discuss student questions, teaching experiences, and concrete teaching methods with multiple, more experienced teachers - this helped Friederike improve her own practice."Another aspect that I found incredibly helpful was that I got detailed feedback from my mentor every single time I taught, which is a lot more than I have ever received during any placement or practical session." Overall, the PGDE module and the placement have been an invaluable experience in improving Friederike's teaching practice, developing her own style of teaching and becoming more confident in her abilities. The continued support, theories in how to approach planning, facilitating and assessing learning have helped Friederike gain experience and provided a clear guideline for future development. "I now know what I want to work on and have been given the tools to do so in an effective way. I have gained a different perspective with which to look at the educational system as the one in the UK is so different to the one in Germany and have adopted practices to better support and encourage students to reach their learning goals." Article on teaching Post-16 learners by Stefan Fusenich (Programme Leader -Initial Teacher Education (Post 16 and Further Education) published in InTuitonIf you're thinking of studying a PGDE please see the link to the course page below. -
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.
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