I AM BCU
We have a confident, proud and diverse community of students at our School of Education and Social Work, who are striving to achieve their career goals and transform their lives. Read just some of their stories here.
Abed Ahmed
Secondary Mathematics - PGCE
Abed has had a stammer from a very young age and will continue to stammer for the rest of his life. He was worried that this would affect his chances of becoming a teacher. Thankfully, the staff at BCU provided the support he needed and he’s now working in his dream career.
Charlotte Ralph
Primary Education with QTS - BA (Hons)
Charlotte always wanted to become a teacher but changed her mind on her original university choice when the cost of moving away from home was too much. She now commutes to BCU from home and has flourished as a student, crediting the fantastic academic services the university boasts and the second-to-none mental health support she received.
Matthew Greene
BSc (Hons) Social Work
University was never in the plan for Matthew when he left high school at the age of 15 in his home country of Trinidad and Tobago. He immediately went to work in hospitality, earning a living to survive. Now in the UK, he only works to support himself on our BSc (Hons) Social Work course with the aim of thriving in a profession where he can really make a difference.
Jessica Wythe
Education Studies - BA (Hons)
Jess had never really thought about joining BCU until, on a whim, she visited an Open Day with a friend. Having spoken to the course leader of the Education Studies course, BCU instantly became her first choice university. Since joining, she’s taken on every opportunity to broaden her horizons such as attending a placement in Peru, becoming a student ambassador and taking on student placements at Lincoln Castle.
Phil McCahill
Primary Education with QTS - BA (Hons)
Phil's plan was to train as a secondary history teacher but he started a business degree. However, while he was studying, he also volunteered with a primary school and realised he’d been thinking of the wrong teaching role, so he transferred to the Primary Education course and has never looked back.
Aquib Mohammed
Secondary Physical Education - PGCE
Aquib decided during his undergraduate degree that he wanted to pursue a career teaching Physical Education. His interview experience confirmed that BCU offered the supportive experience he wanted. He’s embraced the opportunity to learn how to teach activities he’d never done before, adapt to pupils with particular needs and gradually transition from a coach to an educator.
Jess Tout
Social Work - BA (Hons)
Jess realised that she no longer wanted to be a beauty therapist and that she was now ready to start university. She had always wanted to go, but when she left school at 16 she didn't think university would be in her future. Starting university as a mature student and worrying whether she would fit in with her flatmates was a worry at first, but BCU made her feel a part of a university that is inclusive and supports every student.
Theo Auld
Secondary Drama - PGCE
As a mature student, Theo had worked in many different roles before realising his true calling was to become a teacher. Some experience as an unqualified teacher cemented this idea. Now he’s nearing the end of his PGCE in Secondary Drama he is looking forward to using his new-found confidence to continue to impact the lives of the children he teaches and the wider community.
Bethany Mallett
Primary Education with QTS - BA (Hons)
"A last minute change of mind from a media degree to primary teaching meant Bethany deferred going to university for a year – but she’s glad she did! She’s now training to be a teacher and making the most of the opportunities on offer, committing herself to becoming creative and confident in the classroom and in her life as a student.
Ben King
Primary Education with QTS - BA (Hons)
Ben has dyslexia, which has always impacted his ability to read, write and retain information. However, after hard work, support and determination, he secured a place on our Primary Education with QTS course. Since then, Ben hasn’t let his dyslexia define him and has truly immersed himself into endless opportunities provided to him by BCU.
Georgia Read
Secondary Drama - PGCE
Georgia considered teaching from a young age. As a trainee secondary school Drama teacher, she’s found she’s grown into the creative freedom allowed within the subject area, using drama to both connect with her pupils and help them to connect with the world around them. Now she has her sights set on taking her passion for creative expression across the globe.
Carmen Tulloch
Working with Children, Young People and Families with Foundation Year - BA (Hons)
Growing up, Carmen had never given university a thought. After leaving school, she went on a Youth Training Scheme (YTS) course and during her work experience, she was offered a permanent job. It was only after her second child turned two, when she was 38, that she thought about returning to study.