Facilities and expertise in Education, Children and Teaching

Undergraduate

Next-level teaching that gets you and inspires you, from an expert team that is there to give you the support you need to succeed.

As a student with the Institute of Education, you’ll benefit from next-level teaching and insight from world-class research that is transforming educational policy and practice internationally. From our Teaching Innovation and Learning Enhancement (TILE) Hub, championing digital innovation across campus, to innovative schemes to transform regional maths and English skills, and a Chinese project focused on the primary curriculum.

You’ll have access to a range of high-quality placements across early years settings, schools and other learning environments. We work with over 50 high performing early years settings and schools within the local area and in Birmingham, the Black Country, Shropshire, Manchester, Derbyshire and beyond. Our students also take part in outdoor learning in environments such as our on-campus nature reserve and Forest School. Delivered by a Forest School practitioner, the adventure sessions focus on practical experiences in a natural setting.

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I also enjoyed the creative element of my course. We learnt about forest schools and local parks, and we did a full activity day in the nature reserve where we did a range of activities such as building rafts with an expert.

Imogen Belicki

Facilities

Woodlands Day Nursery and Forest School

Our Woodlands Day Nursery and Forest School puts sustainability and the natural world at the heart of children’s learning.

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Education Settings

You will have the chance to train within a variety of education settings across the region, working with a range of practitioners, children, other professionals, and parents. Placements will aim to be arranged to minimise travel as much as possible.

School Settings

You will be placed within a range of different schools, working across the primary age range. You will have the opportunity to work within diverse contexts, within a variety of classrooms with experienced school-based mentors and university tutors.

Early Years Settings

You will have the opportunity to train within a variety of early years settings across the region, working with a range of practitioners, babies and young children, other professionals, and parents.

Outreach

The Institute of Education enjoys a range of partnerships with organisations across the city and beyond which will give you work-based learning opportunities with volunteer and charity groups.

Expertise

Learn from staff who bring their professional experiences to your teaching, not just as experienced lecturers and Fellows of the Higher Education Academy. Their many professional certifications include a HighScope Endorsed Trainer, Microsoft Certified Educator status and Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (MIEE).

Many have taught in pre-school, primary and secondary school and further education settings, including college, adult learning, and teaching professional qualifications. They have been employed as advanced skills teachers, special educational needs coordinators (SENCO), and headteachers.

Part of the Institute of Education, their unique research into learning and teaching methods extends beyond schools and reaches community settings, healthcare, social work, museums and even the RAF. From numeracy consultancy on behalf of local authorities to Sarah Misra’s arts-based doctorate into the experiences of working mothers and maternal guilt, which culminated in an exhibition at the Tate Modern in Liverpool.

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Our staff

Dr Jim Pugh

Director - Inst. Of Ed. - Assoc Prof.

I am proud to be the Director of the Institute of Education leading an innovative group of professionals, educators, researchers and working with our creative and exciting students, partners and community.

Jim's profile

Amanda Tayler

Senior Lecturer

I am an early years specialist with a specific interest in our workforce. I take great pride in managing this course and educating the next generation of practitioners to lead practice and change the lives of young children. 

Amanda's profile

Alyson Jolley

Senior Lecturer

Learning is something that we all experience throughout our lives and ensuring that it’s fun and engaging is my passion. Education is not just about schooling but is about education in our communities, from our youngest citizens to our wisest.

Alyson's profile

Dr Michael Burnitt

Senior Lecturer

I am the joint lead of this course and take great pride in working with my experienced colleagues and our partnership schools to create the next generation of exciting and innovative primary teachers who will help to shape their pupils’ futures.

Michael's profile

The tutor was absolutely fantastic

The tutor was absolutely fantastic and supportive – and I think what worked really well is me studying around full-time work. I had a Tuesday evening study so it worked really nicely around my Teaching Assistant role that I was doing at the time.

It was difficult, but the support that I had off our lecturer was fantastic. They’d worked in education for a number of years so they understood how it worked.

Marcel Phillips

BA (Hons) Education Studies

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