Emma Spink

“I knew straight away that I wanted to study at Edge Hill University. Not only is the campus absolutely beautiful, but after attending my interview for my PGCE in Early Years Education with QTS, I knew that the staff would be both friendly and supportive.

The programme prepared me for a career in teaching. Through the amazing teaching placements and campus based training, I have been able to acquire the appropriate level of curriculum knowledge for for EYFS and National Curriculum. I have also developed confidence and generated an awareness and understanding of the varied historical, international and contemporary perspectives and theories of Early Childhood Education. Studying at Edge Hill University also provided me with various opportunities to continuously develop my professional practice through enhancement opportunities and experiences such as gaining a Millie’s Trust paediatric first aid certificate, gaining knowledge and experience in special educational needs (SEN) and taking part in forest school experiences.

The programme offered incredible opportunities and support. The programme was extremely enjoyable due to its well-structured lessons, variety of placements, and the many enhancement opportunities like visiting Chester Zoo to plan a risk assessment and having guest visits from companies such as Zoo Lab. But in my opinion, the absolute most enjoyable part of this programme has to be the tremendous support, friendliness and the positive energy shown by the amazing staff at Edge Hill University’s Faculty of Education.

This programme at Edge Hill is a great way to enter the wonderful world of teaching. Make the most of all of the opportunities offered to you as these opportunities are not only free, but also provide you with experiences that will set you apart when it comes to job hunting. Most importantly, make sure you put your all into this programme. The year goes by rather quickly, so you need to make sure you can organise your time appropriately to make sure you are working at your absolute best whilst also allowing time to enjoy yourself. It will be one of the most intense but best years of your life and it is so worth it in the end!”

To find out more about studying this programme, please view the full information for PGCE Primary Early Years Education with QTS.