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Local mother of four graduates university with First Class Honours
A local mother of four has graduated at Lincoln Cathedral with a First Class Honours Degree in Health and Social Care. After enrolling at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in 2018, Katie Downes started her educational journey as a mature student with a passion for making a positive difference in the field of health and social care. Despite facing disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, her own health issues, and the additional responsibilities of homeschooling her children, Katie completed her degree in five years instead of the usual three. During her studies, Katie gained practical experience through a placement at Carers First in April 2022. This opportunity led to a part-time role with the organisation, which she managed alongside her studies and family commitments. She has since transitioned into a permanent position as a Carer Support Adviser, providing support to unpaid carers. In her final year, Katie collaborated with Night Light Cafés (Acts Trust) and facilitated a meeting between the charity and BGU. As a result, BGU will be introducing a Night Light Café in the Students' Union building later this year. This initiative aims to provide out-of-hours emotional support, with trained volunteers offering a safe space and one-to-one conversations to anyone who might need it. Katie said: "Graduating with first class honours is a dream come true. I faced many challenges and moments of doubt, but I persevered. “I hope my story can inspire others to pursue their goals, no matter the circumstances. Personal growth can be achieved at any stage of life." BGU’s Programme Lead in Health and Social Care Nicki Walsh said: “Life presents us with many challenges at home, at work and in our studies. But despite the challenges Katie faced, she graduated with first class honours - a testament to her hard work. “Katie’s intention to use her knowledge and skills to support those that most need it is inspiring.” Looking ahead, Katie plans to further develop her counselling skills. She hopes to qualify as an Occupational Therapist and is keen to explore Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). BGU’s graduation celebrations took place at Lincoln Cathedral on Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th July and saw 667 students graduate over multiple ceremonies. -
Special Educational Needs, Disability & Inclusion (SENDI) and Sociology
The BA (Hons) Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion (SENDI) and Sociology joint degree programme challenges norms and assumptions surrounding context and categorisation of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The programme provides you with the opportunity to engage in study that offers a balanced range of modules from both disciplines and allows for the interconnections in concepts to be explored. -
Special Educational Needs, Disability & Inclusion (SENDI) and Sociology with Foundation Year
The BA (Hons) Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion (SENDI) and Sociology with Foundation Year joint degree programme challenges norms and assumptions surrounding context and categorisation of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The programme provides you with the opportunity to engage in study that offers a balanced range of modules from both disciplines and allows for the interconnections in concepts to be explored. -
Gillian Johnston
Gillian joined Lincoln Bishop in October 2022 as a Sociology/Criminology lecturer. Her current role is Programme Leader for both the BA (Hons) Sociology and BA (Hons) Criminology programmes. Gillian played a pivotal role in developing the recently validated BA (Hons) Criminology programme. Gillian’s qualifications span both disciplines. She graduated from the University of Lincoln with a BA (Hons) Social Science degree and later graduated from Keele University with an MA in Criminology and Research Methods. She is currently undertaking an EdD. Her area of interest and the topic of her thesis is related to class, gender and Higher Education. The aim of her research is to examine the impact that social background and gender may have on mature working-class women whilst on their Higher Education learning journey. The working title of her research: Exploring the inner worlds of mature working-class women on their journey through Higher Education. Gillian’s criminological interest is with punishment and prisons. She has gained extensive practical skills through her volunteering experiences with several local organisations that offer support to offenders in the prison environment and ex-offenders in the community. Gillian teaches on several Sociology modules: What is (the point of) sociology?Advanced Social ThoughtDiscourse and Identity: Local, National and Global ContextsProfessional ContextsIn Dialogue: Subject Studies Across the Arts and HumanitiesSurveillance and Society She will also be delivering several modules on the BA (Hons) Criminology programme. -
Criminology with Foundation Year
The Criminology with Foundation Year degree is designed to ensure students graduating from this programme have advanced knowledge and a systematic understanding of the complexities, debates and contradictions relating to the criminological field. At each level of the degree, you will build upon the previous year’s knowledge and be encouraged to engage in deeper and more critical analysis of the topics under investigation. Questions such as ‘why do men commit more crime than women?’, ‘do prisons actually work?’ or ‘is there such a thing as a ‘victimless’ crime?’ will be addressed in various modules throughout the degree. -
BRIDgE
Base for Research in Inclusion, Diversity & Equality -
British Psychological Society awards BGU student
Recent Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) graduate Sophie Wilson has received the honour of the British Psychology Society’s (BPS) Award for achieving the best overall grade. Sophie graduated along with the University's inaugural Foundation Year (FdY) cohort with first-class honours from the Psychology & Early Childhood Studies programme. The BPS prize is awarded to those students who were nominated by their institutions after achieving the highest overall score in a BPS accredited degree programme. Sophie not only receives the award, but also a gift voucher, a years' free Graduate Membership of the BPS, and a letter of congratulations from the Society's CEO. Sophie began her post-school education on an apprenticeship when she was 16 years old, quickly progressing into the world of work. From there, she decided to pursue a career in children’s social work. So in 2019, Sophie began her BGU journey, joining the University's FdY programme. This programme offers an opportunity for individuals who don't typically possess the entry requirements for undergraduate study the chance to develop their academic skills and progress on to a specialised undergraduate course here at BGU. Sophie said: "The foundation year was so important for my studies, as it provided a baseline and an understanding of how to complete a university-level degree, and how to read and reference at an academic level. "It equipped me with all the skills and tools I needed to succeed, especially after I'd had a big gap from formal education." Sophie has big plans for the future and intends to pursues a career in children’s safeguarding. If you’d like to learn more about some of BGU’s FdY success stories, click here. For those seeking to enhance self-confidence, secure a spot in an undergraduate course, or explore the Foundation Year program, find detailed information on our website. For enquiries, kindly email admissions@bishopg.ac.uk or 01522 583658, or directly reach the Foundation Year team at Foundationyear@bishopg.ac.uk. -
Ten top tips for a fun-filled, fantastic Freshers - Student Blog
by Georgina Cartwright -
Early Childhood Education (Graduate Practitioner)
Are you passionate about early childhood education and ready to take the next step in your academic and professional growth? Our BA (Hons) work-based degree programme is the perfect opportunity for individuals who have already completed a suitable Foundation Degree or Higher Education Diploma in Early Childhood. This programme seamlessly blends practice-based learning with campus-based teaching sessions that take place twice a week, ensuring you can maintain your current work or volunteer commitments. -
TEDx hosts BGU lecturer
‘Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) Lecturer Steph Blanco will be discussing neuropsychology at an upcoming TEDx Talk. TEDxBrayford Pool’s sixth flagship event is back to explore spectrums of ideas in our communities and runs for the whole weekend of 14 and 15 October. The event will host 20 speakers and offer attendees the opportunity to engage in 18 different workshops across the weekend. Professional thinkers and speakers will be presenting on a range of topics at this flagship event including activism, the arts and social change. Vice-Chair and lead of the medical advisory board for the national charity FND Dimensions and BGU Lecturer in Psychology Steph Blanco will be presenting her talk on Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). This talk explores the role of neuropsychology in an area which is under-researched and has long been misunderstood. As the first TEDx talk on this topic, this event will bring discussions of FND to a global stage. Steph is a neuropsychologist, an established researcher, and an emerging leading expert in FND; translating the lessons she learns though research to practical applications and practice in the third sector. Steph’s talk titled “The Flat Brain: Functional Neurological Disorder” will be hosted at Session Two: Showing Up on Saturday 14 October at 5:45pm in the Engine Shed (Lincoln city centre). She will also be hosting two fireside chats one on Saturday which explores the impacts of hidden conditions and ableism and one on Sunday titled “We need more data” exploring data constraints in health and illness related research. Bishop Grosseteste University's relationship with TEDx is long established, with many academic staff having previously participated in this community focused and innovative event. Two of the TEDx curators have connections to BGU – graduate Owen Tonks-Lewis and former lecturer Andy Farenden. Owen Tonks-Lewis said: “We’re really excited to build on last year’s programme and activities that showcases what a remarkable place we live in with our fantastic speaker programme. If you’re not sure what to expect; think part festival, part conference and part exhibition with hands-on workshops and activities mixed together with live speakers and performers to create a community event like no other!” ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Full weekend tickets are on sale at £35, concessions £12, and individual session tickets £15. BGU students can get a discount on the weekend concession tickets using the code BGUS2023 to get in for £5 (valid with student ID when collecting tickets). For more ticketing information and the full programme visit www.tedxbrayfordpool.com/flagship Click here to book tickets directly.
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