Student Profiles - Nevelle Deans

I came straight from school at 16 to do a BTEC National Diploma in Early Years, then went on to FdA Early Years following it with a top of year to gain a BA in Early Childhood Studies

I then took a year out working in a day nursery but knew I would  be back to do a PGCE as I’d  always wanted to be an Early Years teacher.

The PGCE was very hard, the hardest thing I’ve ever done and0 by completing it I’ve made herself proud. I’m confident and well equipped to take on new challenges and adapt my skills to different settings. 

I saw a real progression through the courses with the BTEC giving me the foundation knowledge I needed and the degree going over it again but in much more depth and everything was reinforced again in the PGCE. I found myself with a deeper knowledge the higher the level I went.

I Stayed at UCB throughout my academic career because if I like something I won’t change it for the sake of change-  I didn’t want to take a chance with something as important as my education.   I didn’t  see the point of having to re-adapt to a different situation. 

The level of support I got was important and as I started going out on placement I realised that students at other institutions didn’t receive as much (support) as I was. My worst fear would have been going to study elsewhere and ending up in a huge lecture theatre with 200 students.

I also felt that the guidelines laid out at the beginning of the course were very clear re. behaviour and appropriate dress etc.  and I was surprised that I didn’t see that in students from other institutions – because guidelines were so clear it allowed me to concentrate on the bigger stuff.

The Staff always made me feel like you were their only class and because of the smaller cohort the whole thing felt more personal and us students got to spend more time together.

I’m now working at Lozells Primary School, I heard about the job through a contact I’d made whilst on my PGCE placement, so UCB is still helping me.