Maddi – FdA Childhood Education

Courses Studied: FdA Childhood Education & BA (Hons) Human Behavioural Studies

Career: Primary School Teacher, Gulval School

Hometown: Penzance

My Story:

Maddi had completed her Level 3 diploma in Childcare and Education at Penwith College when she started to think about University. Not wanting to have to leave Cornwall, Maddi discovered she could continue studying at Penwith with the University Centre and initially progressed on to a Foundation Degree in Childhood Education. After wanting to continue studies again, Maddi then chose Human Behavioural Studies as a top up course.

Maddi said:  “The University hours worked around my job as a TA at the time, so I was studying and getting real life experience in one go”

“My favourite part of the courses I did with the University Centre was doing placements. This helped to gain experience, so we could put our knowledge into practice”

“I was lucky enough to have the same lecturers for five years and they were always on the end of an email, the office door was always open and they aways guided and navigated you to different resources. They supported me academically and also with your personal life.”

“I enjoy living in Cornwall and didn’t want to move away. I was still able to get the same experience without leaving Cornwall”

“On my course, we all came from different walks of life, all different ages. We all had different career ambitions, but the Human Behavioural Studies course was flexible to suit all your study needs. For example, when learning about addiction, I looked at it where parents of pupils will be concerned but others looked at addition to relate to mental health. The dissertation was open to whatever you wanted to do.”

“The Class sizes are small so you can get more personalised help too. The lecturers arranged guest speakers to suit what you wanted to do, so for me with teaching, they arranged for SCITT to come and do a talk. I also had help with applications and interviews. The experience was so perfect.”

Since completing her degree with the University Centre, Maddi continued on to Primary Teacher Training in Cornwall and is now a qualified teacher who worked as a supply teacher in schools throughout Cornwall before securing a full time teaching role at Gulval School, Penzance.