University And School Celebrate Partnership With Day Of Learning
28 May 2013
Derby's Claire Scott leading the Fairmeadows pupils in a languages workshop
The partnership, and this day of workshops, has been extremely valuable to our students, giving them vital skills in the classroom and in developing teaching materials. The day was a wonderful celebration of that learning and we thoroughly enjoyed working with such enthusiastic children.
”Claire Scott, the University's Senior Lecturer in Education
Primary school children at a Derbyshire school learned how to build solid structures out of paper, created bumper stickers in German, made their own books and even portrayed fun at the fairground through dance during a day of activity at the University of Derby.
Pupils aged six to ten from Fairmeadows Foundation Primary School in Swadlincote spent the day at the University's Kedleston Road site on May 21, enjoying a host of activities led by University Teacher Educators and trainee teachers.
The 32 children enjoyed dance, science and engineering, language and English workshops to celebrate the partnership between the BEd (Hons) degree at Derby and Fairmeadows Foundation Primary School, which hosts many Derby students on their training placements.
Claire Scott, the University's Senior Lecturer in Education, said: "We wanted to invite Fairmeadows staff and pupils to the University as a way of thanking them for their continued support of our students.
"We have a very strong relationship with the school. Our trainee teachers regularly undertake placements there, and members of the School's senior management team have been involved in the assessment of our students' language and communication skills.
"The partnership, and this day of workshops, has been extremely valuable to our students, giving them vital skills in the classroom and in developing teaching materials. The day was a wonderful celebration of that learning and we thoroughly enjoyed working with such enthusiastic children."
Head Teacher at Fairmeadows Foundation Primary School, Clare Hodson-Walker, added: "Our children had a brilliant day at the University, and thoroughly enjoyed all of the activities that they took part in. We have a great relationship with the University and appreciate the opportunities that the partnership has enabled us to create.
"We have been working to raise aspirations and show the children what they can achieve. This visit has given our pupils a fantastic chance to experience of Higher Education and what prospects are out there for them if they aim high and set themselves a goal."
Find out more about studying Education at the University of Derby at website www.derby.ac.uk/education.
