The knowledge and skills I gained from the degree are invaluable, in particular specific lectures such as:

• the understanding of educational theorists;
• procedures regarding child protection and looked-after children;
• current policy and practices involving asylum seekers and refugees;
• working with wider professionals;
• children’s development of language;
• the promotion of children’s wellbeing.

Additionally, Childhood Studies gave me a wider awareness of policy’s impact on children which is vital to understanding the children’s lives holistically.

Where are they now?

Since graduating I have completed the first year of the Teach First Leadership Development Programme, working as a Year 6 Class Teacher in a challenging school in West London alongside gaining my PGCE. Teach First is a charity which believes no child’s educational success should be limited by their socio-economic background.

Due to the nature of Teach First I have had to balance the responsibility of a full time class teacher early on in my career alongside PGCE essays and lectures; the essay writing skills and ability to balance a heavy workload I developed through CS have been vital preparation for the challenging year I have experienced.

I would thoroughly recommend this course to anyone interested in teaching or working with young people in challenging circumstances as it equipped me extremely well to be knowledgeable and resilient in the face of the numerous pressures placed on professionals working with children today.