Ellie
Sansom

Why did you choose the FdA Education course?

"Before starting the course, I completed my NCFE Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education at West Nottinghamshire College. After working in various provisions on placement, I found this was a profession I could see myself pursuing. I wanted to continue my studies to further develop my personal and professional skills. I chose the FdA Education course at Mansfield to expand my academic knowledge and explore different areas of education.

I found the idea of sitting in a lecture theatre with hundreds of other students daunting and I have always found I can better reach my academic potential through collaborative learning. At Mansfield, there are opportunities to do this with small class sizes."

What inspired you to study education?

"From a young age, I have always had an urge to support others. I have a younger cousin who I have been close with growing up and have given myself the challenge to be their role model and support them through life. This experience highlighted that this was something I wanted to do for younger children in my community.

I have developed an interest in supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities, and from studying this topic within the course, I now feel confident in supporting a child who has a special educational need in my future practice. I believe education should be inclusive for all children and I want to make a difference and give every child the opportunity to succeed.

My aspiration has always been to be a teacher, and I have pushed myself to make sure I am one step closer to achieving this goal."

How is the course helping you reach your goals?

"By taking part in this course, I have achieved a personal goal of self-confidence. I have always struggled with my self-esteem and found it nerve-wracking to talk in front of an audience. The modules on this course offer a range of different assessments such as presentations and debates. I have been pushed out of my comfort zone to speak in front of an audience and feel that carrying out presentations during the course has benefitted my self-confidence.

This course is supporting me to achieve my career goal of becoming a primary school teacher. Each module in this course covers a different area of education. Some of these topics include teaching, outdoor learning, special educational needs and disabilities and key questions within education. This qualification can open so many doors in education and allows students to follow a variety of career pathways such as social care, teaching, educational departments and much more.

For me, I found the teaching module the most enjoyable and this clarified my ambition in becoming a primary school teacher."

What attracted you to the Mansfield Hub?

"Studying at the Mansfield Hub allows me to remain in a fortunate position where I can carry on working in a part-time job role as well as complete my studies at the same time due to the course being two days a week. As well as this, I am local to the area which means I do not have to worry about travel or accommodation as I can live at home."

What has being part of the NTU Mansfield community helped you achieve?

"As a course representative, I believe student voice is important and can make a vital difference. I have been able to meet a range of academics and students who teach and learn across several courses. I feel I have achieved an understanding of how studying at the Mansfield Hub has made a difference in learner ambitions. I can feedback on ideas of how students studying in Mansfield can further benefit from the community, such as working alongside a variety of organisations."

What makes NTU Mansfield special?

"The Mansfield Hub has a homely feel. There are many relaxation areas for students to enjoy as well as a table tennis table and a pool table for students to socialise with one another.

There are so many different resources to support students, including one-to-one support from library staff; student mentors; laptop loans; workshop sessions and the employability team.

As well as this, due to the small class sizes, there are opportunities for students to speak with their lecturers and discuss content relating to their assessments, which is not always available at other universities."

What’s the best thing about being an NTU Mansfield student?

"The best thing about being a student at NTU Mansfield is the relationships I have formed with staff and students on my course. Everyone supports each other and is willing to help one another with both professional and personal concerns. By forming these bonds, I have been able to secure references from several members of staff I have worked with which will benefit my opportunities for the future."