Meet the Team

Steve Patrick

Steve Patrick

Hi, my name is Steve Patrick. I am the Undergraduate Primary ITT Programme Lead here at Newman University. I will also deliver some of your lectures, particularly PE. I haven’t been at Newman University for very long but I did complete my teacher training here many years ago!

You can contact Steve with any questions you have about studying Primary ITE: s.patrick@staff.newman.ac.uk.

Nadia Talukder

Nadia Telukder

Hi, I’m Nadia. I am a Senior Lecturer in Professional Studies and Partnerships. I primarily oversee the mentoring that school partners provide to all undergraduate students during school experience.

There are lots of other staff members on the Primary team, who you will get to meet as your course progresses, as they will be delivering lectures; be your Academic Personal Tutor (APT) or the lead lecturer for the modules you will study.

Get in touch: n.talukder@staff.newman.ac.uk

Andrew Sheehan

Hi I’m Andrew, and I am the Science Module leader for first and third year students on the BA (QTS) Primary Education programme.

I originally worked as a Biomedical Scientist for 9 years before entering the teaching profession. Over the years, I have taught in secondary schools, a moderate learning difficulty school and primary schools across inner city Walsall and Birmingham before entering higher education. I am passionate about science and quality science teaching that introduces pupils to working scientifically from a young age.

Get in touch: a.sheehan@staff.newman.ac.uk

Each year at Newman is split into 2 semesters. In semester 1 of your first year, you will study the following modules: TEI430 – Introduction to Professional Enquiry

TEI431 – Adaptive Practice: learning theory, models and approaches

TEI432 – Planning for learning in Early Years

SEI430 – Understanding Professional Practice (school experience)

You will never have to study more than 4 modules at any one time. Modules are taught in groups of around 30. Here at Newman we do very little whole cohort teaching in large lecture halls as we truly value the importance of student engagement and opportunities to discuss the learning, take part in practical activities and share ideas with peers and staff. It is all about active, rather than passive learning here at Newman.

Each year of the programme is designed to help you understand, develop and embed the following 4 strands: Research; Learning & Development; Pedagogy, Curriculum & Assessment, and Professional Behaviour. During your school placements, you will have the chance to prove your ability to meet the 5 Themes of the Newman Curriculum, which are: Role of the Teacher; Teaching, Learning & Assessment; Adaptive Practice; Understanding and Managing Behaviour, and Subject Knowledge.

But please don’t worry! The Primary team, particularly your APT, will always be there to support you throughout the entirety of your degree at Newman.

When you are on placement you will be expected to attend all day Monday to Friday.

For on campus activities students are split into groups at enrolment. Each group will have its own timetable where some aspects can change on a weekly basis. Normally classes will be distributed across 3 to 4 days per week between 9am-5pm.

Full details of your individual academic timetable will be available on mynewman after you have completed online enrolment and set up your student login.

You may like to undertake some preparation before your taught sessions start. below is a short list of recommended reading and websites that you may wish to explore;

  • Blatchford, R.  (2020) The teachers’ standards in the classroom.  4th edn.  London:  Sage.
  • Carroll, J. and Alexander, G.N.  (2020) The teachers’ standards in primary schools:  understanding and evidencing effective practice. 2nd edn.  London: Sage.
  • Cremin, T & Burnett, C (2018) Learning to teach in the Primary School. 4th ed. Oxon: Routledge.
  • Ephgrave, A.  (2018) Planning in the Moment with Young Children.  Oxon: Routledge
  • Glazzard, J.  (2016) Learning to be a primary teacher: core knowledge and understanding.  Northwich:  Critical Publishing.

These books will be of use in several of your modules and for your teaching placements during your degree and as such will be a valuable investment, though copies of these are available in our library and as e-books once you have enrolled so there is no need to purchase them if you don’t wish to.

We also recommend searching for ‘Teachers TV‘ on YouTube for some really useful videos on many key aspects of how to be an effective classroom practitioner.

We would also recommend you sign up for the free newsletter from the Education Endowment Foundation – to keep up to date with the latest education-based research and findings, and an established safeguarding organisation website, such as the Safeguarding Network – because safeguarding underpins everything we do as teachers.