Learners studying on our BA (Hons) Early Years Education degree and BA (Hons) Education, Society and Childhood degree enjoyed a wonderful event, showcasing their end of year projects to friends and family. The displays were impressive, featuring many elements of what each student had learned while at UCW. Each display was personal and unique to the learner showing it off. One student created a tree with their …
Students, staff and partners gathered this week to celebrate achievement and excellence at the University Centre Weston (UCW) Awards 2026, marking both an outstanding year of success and ten years of higher education at UCW. The annual awards recognised exceptional academic performance, personal resilience and outstanding contributions to the UCW community, alongside national accolades achieved by UCW students over the past year. …
Today we’re catching up with BA Education, Society and Childhood student Marc for a Q&A all about his time here at UCW, and how this degree has helped him in the workplace and set him up for an amazing future! What inspired you to choose the Education, Society and Childhood degree? I was unsure about the path that I wanted to follow and …
Today we’re highlighting our third-year BA Early Years Education students! These students have been diving deep into their Creative Reflective Practitioner module. This module focusses on exploring and celebrating their experiential learning from across all three years of the degree. To maximise their learning in this module, the learners have had a trip and a guest lecture! The lecture was from UCW Art and Design & Graphic Design lecturer Ronnie Houselander-Cook who led a …
Interested in studying one of our Education and Early Years courses? We caught up with student Anna, currently studying BA (Hons) Early Years Education, for a Q&A about her time at UCW. What inspired you to choose an Early Years and Education degree? I had been contemplating a career change. I had previously worked with adults with learning disabilities. I started by enrolling onto …
We are delighted to announce that our BA (Hons) course in SEND and Inclusive Practice has achieved 100% Employability from our graduates on the course! All of these former students have gone on to be working in the sector of study, which is a great result for our students and shows how this course can prepare you for working in SEND and Inclusive practice. One …
This week, UCW students and industry professionals gathered for an inspiring evening with early years specialist and author Kerry Murphy, who delivered a thought-provoking talk on neurodiversity-affirming practice and inclusive approaches to child development. The event invited attendees to explore fresh perspectives on how children grow and learn, encouraging a move away from traditional approaches in favour of practices that recognise and celebrate …
We are delighted to celebrate the outstanding achievement of Darcey Robbins, one of our Early Years Education learners, who has been nominated for Best Innovation/Practice with Babies of the Year at the prestigious Early Childhood Studies Degree Network (ECSDN) Awards, taking place on 23 January. The ECSDN Awards champion excellence across early childhood education in the UK, recognising individuals who …
UCW’s Education, Society and Childhood students enjoyed an engaging and thought-provoking guest lecture this week delivered by Montessori Global Education CEO Karen Chetwynd and Director of Programs Preeti Patel. The session was highly interactive from the outset, with Karen and Preeti asking students to reflect on why they chose to enter the field of education. This started a discussion exploring the enduring …
Students on our BA (Hons) SEND and Inclusive Practice course learned more about the experiences of living with autism from guest lecturer Claire, who told her personal story about the challenges she faced. During Claire’s talk, she described the early signs of anxiety that began affecting her time at school, leading to overwhelming physical symptoms and feelings of isolation. …
This past week Bath Spa University welcomed senior figures from longtime educational partner University Centre Weston (UCW). BSU’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Georgina Andrews and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Educational Partnerships Professor Simon Haslett joined colleagues as they celebrated their long-standing Educational Partnership with UCW. Vice-Chancellor of BSU, Georgina Andrews, said of the occasion: “We are delighted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the …
University Centre Weston (UCW) held its 2025 graduation ceremony on Saturday the 20th of September. Students, staff, friends and family all came together to celebrate everyone’s hard work and achievements! After getting into their robes and donning their caps, graduands lined up for a procession through the Italian Gardens to the Winter Gardens Ballroom. Here they heard speeches from our …
Rosie’s journey in higher education is a testament to resilience, dedication, and a deep commitment to supporting others. Studying for a BA (Hons) in Education, Society and Childhood, Rosie balances her studies with raising four children and volunteering for Next Link, a domestic abuse support service. Her work involves supporting survivors, helping them access programmes like the Freedom Programme, which …
The results are in, and UCW has received brilliant feedback in the National Student Survey for 2025! UCW is now above the national average in all nine areas of the survey! This is a reflection of the incredible amount of work put in by our academic and support staff. UCW’s academic support continues to stand out as a key highlight …
Last week, learners on our BA (Hons) Early Years Education degree and BA (Hons) Education, Society and Childhood degree invited parents and carers to join them for an impressive showcase of their end of year projects! Students showed off impressive displays showcasing what they had learned across their time at UCW. These pieces combined personal reflection with academic theory. …
Joseph Marcal Ham’s journey at University Centre Weston is a testament to his determination, resilience, and passion for early years education. As one of the few men in the sector, where male practitioners make up less than 2% of the workforce, Joseph is already breaking barriers. His enthusiasm and drive make him a role model for others who may be …
This Thursday (1st of May) was a night for celebration at the UCW Awards! Hosted at the Winter Gardens, it was a chance to look back on and celebrate the amazing achievements of our students, staff and partners! The evening began with a speech from our Vice Principal for Higher Education, Sadie Skellon, welcoming everyone to the evening and celebrating …
UCW is very proud to launch our brand-new prospectus for 2026! Our prospectus is the best place to find out about our courses, with sections for all of our subject areas including Art, Media and Design, Business and Professional Services, Computing and Digital Technologies, Counselling and Healthcare, Education, Inclusive Practice and Criminology, Engineering and Construction, Performance and Production Arts and …
Our Education and Early Years learners are off to Budapest, Hungary for an exciting residential trip! Learners will be staying near the impressive Great Market Hall and close to the River Danube, an ideal location to access the city centre and explore the beauty and culture of the city. Trips have been set up to local kindergartens so that students …
UCW recently welcomed award-winning speaker and author Ben Kingston-Hughes for an insightful and entertaining guest lecture on the vital role of play in children’s development and well-being. Ben is the Managing Director of Inspired Children, an organisation known for delivering expert training services to nurseries, schools, local authorities, and others. Ben emphasised how play is not only essential for developing a …
UCW is thrilled to announce a special evening event featuring Ben Kingston-Hughes, the acclaimed international speaker, author, and advocate for children’s well-being. Taking place as part of UCW’s new Lecture Series, this talk will be an inspiring exploration of the vital role of play in childhood development and education. An award-winner with over 35 years of hands-on experience working with …
Kiera Elston is in her second year of the Education, Society and Childhood Degree at UCW. She was shortlisted for Counselling, Education & Healthcare Student of the Year, a recognition of her dedication to her studies and her impactful work in education. Looking back on her decision to study at UCW, Kiera says, “I liked the sound of the smaller …
Former UCW student Chelsea has been making strides in the education sector since completing her Early Years Education degree. Chelsea, who specialised in Primary and Early Years Education, is currently engaged in teaching supply work through Education People Agency while eagerly anticipating the right permanent teaching position. Reflecting on her journey, Chelsea acknowledges the pivotal role UCW played in shaping …
Early Years and Education students recently had the opportunity to go to Berlin! Students immersed themselves in new educational settings and cultural experiences. The trip was an exciting adventure filled with new friendships, personal growth, and profound insights into alternative educational approaches. The trip offered students the opportunity to explore early years and primary settings vastly different from their own, visiting …
We are very pleased to announce that we have launched four brand new FREE short courses for individuals in employment! These fantastic short courses give you a taste of what a full degree is like for those that are unsure if higher education is for them – they can also be used as part of your continued professional development. …
Educators and employers in the education industry enjoyed a fascinating lecture from acclaimed author Greg Bottrill. As a former early years lead and assistant headteacher, Greg has many years of experience in the early years sector. Attendees were gripped as the significance of play-based learning and the pivotal role it plays in a child’s cognitive and emotional development was spoken …
Interested in expanding your professional development with SEND (Special educational needs and disability) and Inclusive Practice? Or perhaps you would like a taster of studying a full degree? At University Centre Weston, we have developed a series of short courses to give you insight into what a full degree is like, perfect for those who are not too sure if …
On Wednesday the 1st of March, eleven Education and Early Years degree students from UCW travelled up to London for a few days of sight-seeing, educational visits and a West End production of Matilda. Susie, Early Years Curriculum Coordinator, gave us the low down: Staying at the ‘Wombat’s Hostel’ on Dock Street gave us a perfect location for getting …
Last week our BA (Hons) Early Years Education students got the opportunity to listen to an amazing talk from industry-professional guest lecturer, Dr Helen Bradford. Dr Helen Bradford is an independent early years consultant. According to the British Association for Early Childhood Education, “she has garnered extensive experience through her roles as an early years teacher, early years teacher trainer, …
Early Years Education BA (Hons) OverviewCourse DetailCareer ProspectsMeet the TeamPartnersStudent SpotlightApplyEarly Years Education BA (Hons) Title goes hereEarly Years Education BA (Hons) Title goes hereEarly Years Education BA (Hons) Early Years Education BA (Hons)OverviewCourse DetailCareer ProspectsMeet the TeamPartnersStudent SpotlightApplyOverviewCourse DetailCareer ProspectsMeet the TeamPartnersApplyIt’s still not too late to join us this year!Need Help Applying? Apply today and join us in …
SEND and Inclusive Practice BA (Hons) OverviewCourse DetailCareer ProspectsMeet the TeamPartnersStudent SpotlightApplySEND and Inclusive Practice BA (Hons) Title goes hereSEND and Inclusive Practice BA (Hons) Title goes hereSEND and Inclusive Practice BA (Hons) SEND and Inclusive Practice BA (Hons)OverviewCourse DetailCareer ProspectsMeet the TeamPartnersStudent SpotlightApplyOverviewCourse DetailMeet the TeamPartnersApplyIt’s still not too late to join us this year!Need Help Applying? Apply today …
Education, Society and Childhood, BA (Hons) OverviewCourse DetailCareer ProspectsMeet the TeamPartnersStudent SpotlightApplyEducation, Society and Childhood, BA (Hons) Title goes hereEducation, Society and Childhood, BA (Hons) Title goes hereEducation, Society and Childhood, BA (Hons) Education, Society and Childhood, BA (Hons)OverviewCourse DetailCareer ProspectsMeet the TeamPartnersStudent SpotlightApplyOverviewCourse DetailMeet the TeamPartnersApplyIt’s still not too late to join us this year!Need Help Applying? Apply today …
Now is an exceptional time to get your Early Years Education degree. With successive Governments attempting to improve standards in the Early Years sector, as well as huge demands for new teachers and school/nursery staff, it’s a perfect time to begin your career in this industry! At UCW we offer both BA (Hons) Early Years Education and BA (Hons) …
Here at UCW, we deeply understand the importance and significance of inclusivity as a fundamental practice in everything we do. So much so that we offer a degree programme in BA (Hons) SEND and Inclusive Practice as well as several short courses to let you upskill and give you a taste of what a full degree is like. This full-time …
With the summer holidays well underway, students with offers from universities are eagerly awaiting those all important college exam results. The question we always get over the summer break though is… “Is it too late to apply”?! To that we say: Not at all! We can consider applications throughout the summer for most of our courses through the process called …
Hearing from our graduates and learning about their exciting journeys never fails to make us smile here at UCW! We recently caught up with Early Years and Education alumni Josh Shapland. Since graduating in 2018, started working as a Senior Education Worker for IntoUniversity. Centred around increasing education opportunities, IntoUniversity centres offer a welcoming home-from-home for young people: a safe space …
This week welcomed some familiar faces back to UCW! We love speaking with past students. Hearing about their amazing achievements and progression since graduating really brings home the amazing successes higher education enables. UCW alumni Mari Kerrigan, Dan Swan, Jack Kimmins and Josh Shapland visited The Winter Gardens Campus to pass on their words of wisdom to Weston College Sixth …
Students studying our Early Years, BA (Hons) degree were treated to a guest lecturer from author and Early Years consultant Tamsin Grimmer. Having worked as a teacher, EYFS adviser, Area SENCo, Childminder, Assessor and mentor for EYPS/EYTs Tamsin is now a self-employed Early Years consultant. Her evident wealth of knowledge is demonstrated further in her four published books with a …
Early Years and Early Childhood Studies degree students and graduates from University Centre Weston (UCW) have been praised for contributing to the country’s response to the Covid-19 crisis by caring for the children of other key workers. Many of the students have continued to work in nurseries, preschools and schools and as childminders throughout lockdown, looking after and educating the …
