Student satisfaction soars for education and sport at the University of Bedfordshire

Fri 29 August, 2014

86% of Education and Sports students were satisfied with their studies at the University of Bedfordshire, a huge rise of 9% on last year, according to an independent national survey.

The Bedford-based faculty offers a combination of Education, Sport and English Language courses to around 3000 students. Drawing on over 100 years of experience offering higher education in sport and in education, the faculty is in the top quarter for all its discipline areas in the latest National Student Survey (NSS).

The NSS asks final year undergraduates to provide honest feedback on what it has been like to study at their institution.

The 2014 graduates pointed out several key improvements, with a percentage rise in satisfaction for teaching levels, assessment and feedback, as well as organisation and management.

One course in the faculty, English Language Studies with Teaching English as a Foreign Language, saw 100% of students say they were overall satisfied with their studies.

Other courses including Education Studies (98%), Childhood and Youth Studies (94%), and Sport Exercise Science (93%) were among the best courses in the country for student satisfaction.

The NSS found Education Studies courses at the University are among the very best in the country. Students' satisfaction on the courses ranked them 24th in the country.

The poll also found that Bedfordshire students ranked the University's Initial Teacher Education courses as within the top 20 in the country.

Faculty of Education and Sport (ES) students' satisfaction rating with the learning resources on offer to them has soared with some 89% of the 2014 graduates being impressed with the facilities during their studies at Bedford – where a £25m student enhancement redevelopment project has been well underway.

The £4m redevelopment and extension of the sports hall at the University of Bedfordshire seems to have proven a hit with the first batch of Physical Education students to use the facility, according to the Study too.

The sports hall is now a 300 seater indoor stadium, home to many Bedfordshire Bulls sports matches, including basketball, netball, dodgeball and lacrosse, up to five days per week during term time.
In addition the sports hall, there has been a freshen up of the campus and the creation of a new student bar – Pub in the Hub.

Dr Sally Bentley, Executive Dean of Education and Sport at the University of Bedfordshire said: "This year more students than ever at Bedfordshire took part in the survey, so the results are a true representation of the view of our students and their experience during their three years as part of our University community.

"Young people who are considering a course within the University's Education and Sport faculty can be certain we are committed to ensuring they will have the best possible student experience, backed by high quality teaching, outstanding facilities and great support."

Not only did the University of Bedfordshire get a student satisfaction rating of 84 per cent it was also rated as a leading university for improving career prospects by the National Student Survey.

92 per cent of Bedfordshire graduates were in work and/or further study within six months of completing their studies (according to Destination of Leavers from Higher Education 2013).

The University has main campuses in Luton, Bedford and Milton Keynes and has more than 24,000 students from all backgrounds including a significant proportion of mature students.