This is a brilliant placement based in a Nottingham Primary School. You will be working in a class of either early years age or primary school age children in a school where inclusion and diversity are central to their beliefs. The school is currently in special measures but they are working very hard to improve their standards with amazing results.
Based in Bilborough, this placement is especially suitable for those interested in working with children in mainstream schools with disabilities as there are a large number of such children at the setting. As such, you are also able to experience the palliative care processes and how these work along side the day to day routine of a normal primary school.
The staff, children and parents at the school are all extremely friendly and take a keen interest in your studies, offering to help where they can.
If you are interested in this placement and do not already have somewhere to stay then I would recommend that you look in the city centre first as there is a far larger selection of cheap hotels such as the Travel Lodge and Premier Inn to choose from and it is only a 15-20 minute bus ride from the school. There is also a Travel Lodge by Wollaton Park which is also a short bus ride away from the setting.
Glenbrook Primary School and Nursery is situated on Wigman in the Bilborough area of the City, next to the Harvey Hadden Sports Complex. The two main buses that pass by the school are the Y28 and the 28 (Pink Line).
If you have the Nottingham Trent bus pass on your student card then the Pink Line 28 will accept this. It runs from outside Victoria Centre (by John Lewis) and Upper Parliament Street (Opposite Starbucks) in the city centre to right outside the school (Graylands Road).
The Y28 runs to and from the same stops but will cost you £1 each way with your student card.
If you are driving then there is a small car park in front of the school office however as the setting is located in the city centre, it is subject to the parking levy and as such there is a small charge to park here. There are numerous spaces on the roads around the school to park if you wish to do so.
Social life
Within Nottingham City Centre there are a large number of pubs, bars, restaurants and clubs. I'd recommend a visit to the Ye Olde Tripe Jerusalem as this pub has an amazing atmosphere that you'd be hard pushed to find anywhere else.
There are also 2 cinemas, bowling, ice skating, the Capital FM arena, the Theatre Royal and the Royal Concert Hall. There is also a large selection of shops including the Victoria and Broadmarsh Shopping Centres.
I'd recommend that during your time in Nottingham you visit the Victoria Indoor Market (located within the Victoria Shopping Centre), the Old Market Square, and the Lace Market areas of the City. Other areas of interest include the Nottingham Caves, the Galleries of Justice, the Castle and the Arboretum.
Things to do, things not to do
Things to do:
- Make sure you book a meeting prior to the beginning of your placement so that you are aware of the setting, the journey, and the possible directions for your work.
- Discuss the purpose of your placement with the staff during this meeting.
- Make sure you take your coat, you never know when you will be going outside with the children, in the playground or on trips.
- Take a packed lunch as there is often only a short amount of time for lunch.
- Be prepared!
- Don't be afraid to ask questions (to staff and children), the answers you get may be very useful.
- Inform the setting if you are unable to attend the setting at any point.
- Dress appropriately! - smartly but make sure that you are comfortable!
- Be polite and respectful of all children and staff within the setting, you do not know their background.
- Try and have an idea of the child/children (and the country!) you wish to have work with you on your research for any assignments.
- Arrive early each day unless previously arranged.
Do not:
- Arrive late.
- Be rude or disrespectful to anyone.
- Be lazy! - Make the best of the setting that you can, it will be over before you know it and you will realise you have missed out on some amazing opportunities!
- Be afraid to ask questions or if you can be involved in something.
- Don't forget to ask permission for photoraphs to be taken.
- Do not forget to ask permission when carrying out research or other activities with the children (research must adhere to the ethical guidelines as set out by BERA, 2011)
The placement coordinator at the School is Victoria Cairns and she would be the best person to speak to if you wish to arrange a placement at the school.
Her email is: v.cairns@glenbrook.nottingham.sch.uk
The School Office telephone number is: 0115 9155717
Alternatively, the head teacher, Anna Grant-Thomas or the staff in the office will be happy to help you.
The office email in: admin@glenbrook.nottingham.sch.uk
Before you go I would definitely recommend that you arrange a meeting with Victoria and Anna to discuss what is needed by you for the placement that you are undertaking. This will prove to be invaluable to you as you will be able to practice your journey, meet the other staff, have a look around the school and meet some of the children, definitely something that helped me to decide where it would be most beneficial for me to be placed in order to complete any assignments as well as personal experiences.
At the meeting I would advise you to ask the staff for their recommendations as to countries that are represented within the different classes at the school. If you explain the reasoning behind the placement then the staff will be able to help you fulfill the work that you need to do whilst ensuring that you get the full experience of working in the school. This will also enable you to make a decision as to the country you are going to focus on prior to beginning the placement. I would also emphasize the importance of asking the staff if there are any children whose parents do not speak English to a level that will be accessible to you as primary evidence is key.
A placement at this school also offers useful experiences for other modules within the BA Childhood Studies at Nottingham Trent University, however I am aware that the course has been re-validated and as such I am not 100% sure what modules have changed. If you are doing the Different Childhoods module then this school provides a wide insight into the issues of inclusion and disability within schools which can be applied to the second assignment. If you are doing the Early Foundations of Learning module then as this setting is a primary setting it also has an early years setting so can provide you with an insight into the assignment too.
All of the staff and pupils are very friendly and easy to approach, as are the parents, so if you have anything you want to ask then don't be afraid to.
The shops are not too far away, however I would recommend that you take a packed lunch with you. There is a microwave and a fridge in the staff room however if you wish to use the tea, coffee and milk then there is a small charge towards replenishing the supplies.
Overall this school is a lovely place to spend your placement, you will experience lots of different things, including trips and working with a wide range of children with disabilities as well as furthering your experience in a typical British primary school. All I would say, is make sure you plan what you need to do before you go and don't be afraid to ask to get involved in things. Most of all, have fun! :)
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