Graduate praises supportive environment at UWTSD’s Carmarthen campus

Sophie Rockey is full of praise for the support that she received while studying the BA in Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) at UWTSD’s Carmarthen campus.

Sophie, from Garnant in Ammanford, is graduating this week and says that her favourite aspect of studying in Carmarthen was how supportive everyone was.

“The lecturers were always approachable and willing to help, whether it was with assignments or any worries you had”, she says. “They are so supportive and genuinely want you to succeed.”

“Student Services were also there whenever support was needed. I made some great friends throughout the course who supported me along the way. I also liked the balance between university and placement. We had plenty of time in lectures to deepen our knowledge of teaching, but we also spent lots of time in schools putting that learning into practice.

Sophie chose UWTSD because she had received such positive recommendations from former students.  She says: 

“I chose UWTSD because I had heard so many positive things about the Primary Education course from teachers who had studied there. The course had a great reputation, and I liked that it offered a good balance between university learning and school placements. I knew I wanted a lot of classroom experience alongside my studies, and UWTSD gave me that opportunity. It felt like the right place to begin my journey into teaching.”

Throughout her studies Sophie worked part-time at Ysgol Gymraeg Dyffryn y Glowyr which, she says, gave her valuable classroom experience, helped build her confidence and allowed her to develop her teaching alongside her studies. An added bonus is that she has secured her first teaching position. She says: 

“I’m really pleased to have secured a Year 3 teaching position at Birchgrove Primary School, where I completed my final placement. I can’t wait to continue being part of their team in the autumn term. I feel very lucky to have been supported by such an encouraging staff team, especially my class teacher and mentor, who made me feel part of the school from day one. 

“Their support helped me grow in confidence and confirmed that teaching is where I want to be. I am excited to keep developing as a teacher, learn from experienced colleagues and create a positive classroom where children enjoy learning and reach their full potential.”

Her passion for teaching was evident throughout her studies and the placement element was her favourite part of the course. 

She says:  “I loved being in the classroom, taking on the role of the teacher and seeing how much my confidence grew from the first year to the final year. I also met so many supportive people along the way, including friends at university and fantastic mentors in school. 

A real highlight of the course was being chosen to present her work at the annual teaching conference,  Aiming for Excellence, where she shared her teaching strategies from her final placement with other education professionals.

She is full of praise of the course as it provides a good balance between theory and practical experience, helping students build their confidence throughout the three year degree programme.

She concludes:  “I have learned so much over the last three years, both professionally and personally, and I feel well prepared to begin my teaching career.

Further Information

Eleri Beynon

Head
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: e.beynon@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: 01267 676790