My Journey in Primary Education
I’m currently in my third year of primary education at Roehampton, and I’ve loved every moment. From the placements to the taught course, the experience has been both enriching and exciting. I’m eagerly looking forward to starting my first teaching job next year.
What I love most about teaching is the difference you can make in children’s lives. There’s something magical about witnessing the moment when a struggling child finally understands a concept—it’s incredibly rewarding.
During my primary school years, I had many inspirational teachers who motivated me to pursue a career in teaching. My passion for working with children began in sixth form, where I worked at a preschool and an afterschool club. I loved the variety in each day and discovered a deep joy in working with children.
My Placements
So far, I’ve had two placements: one in Year 4 and another in Year 6. In the future, I hope to work with these age groups, especially Year 6, as I found this year group to be particularly rewarding.
Life on Campus
A Typical Day
University campus days usually start at 9:00 AM and finish around 4:30 PM, but we’re typically on campus only two to three days a week. This schedule creates a good balance, allowing time for writing assignments, reading, or working on our days off.
Specialism Days
We also have dedicated days for our subject specialism. These sessions are interactive and focus on deepening our subject knowledge while exploring ways to teach these topics to children. Activities often include examining artefacts and even dressing up, making learning both fun and engaging.
These sessions sometimes include exciting field trips, like the one we had today!
Trip to the British Museum
Morning Preparations
8:00 AM – Woke up and got ready for the day. Packing lunch was essential to avoid central London prices!
8:45 AM – Met with friends from my specialism group at the bus stop and traveled into central London.
10:00 AM – Arrived at the British Museum and received our itinerary for the day.
Exploring Ancient Egypt
10:30 AM – We split into smaller groups to focus on specific areas of history. My group’s focus was Ancient Egypt. We explored the exhibitions, many of which featured fascinating displays.
We even had the chance to speak with a staff member about how to organise school trips to the museum.
Group Activities
12:00 PM – Reunited with the rest of the class for lunch and shared our findings.
We created tasks for other groups to complete in the Ancient Egypt section, including discussions about ethical considerations around mummies and strategies for managing children’s behavior.
12:30 PM – Completed tasks set by other groups, explored the rest of the museum, and discovered the famous Sutton Hoo helmet—an exciting find for history enthusiasts!
The other groups tasks for us:
Our Tasks for the other:
Wrapping Up
2:00 PM – Met back with the group to share findings, evaluate tasks, and brainstorm ways to use them in schools. The scavenger hunt task was a particular favorite!
2:30 PM – Left the museum and made a quick stop at Covent Garden for some window shopping before heading back to campus.
Evening Activities
Back at University
4:00 PM – Returned to campus and worked with my group to create a scrapbook about our museum visit. My page focused on animals in Ancient Egypt—a creative way to reflect on the day.
Relaxing and Unwinding
6:00 PM – Spent time with my flatmates while cooking dinner.
7:00 PM – Enjoyed a classic university meal: tomato pasta. Then relaxed with some TV.
7:30 PM – Continued to hang out with my flatmates in the kitchen, watching TV and chatting.
Tomato pasta – a university food staple
Ending the Day with History
10:00 PM – Finished the day by reading Ithaca, a retelling of Odysseus’s story from Penelope’s perspective. This ties into my dissertation, which focuses on how women are represented in primary history.
Final Thoughts
Life as a 3rd-year history specialist is busy but incredibly rewarding. From interactive campus sessions to inspiring trips and creative group projects, every day brings new learning opportunities and prepares me for the exciting journey ahead as a teacher.
To find out more about this course please visit BA Primary Education (QTS) | University of Roehampton, London.