UAS Endorsements

Here is what our supporters have to say about UAS…

PROFESSIONAL BODIES

INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS

“The Undergraduate Ambassadors Scheme provides an invaluable educational experience to students as well as improving their communication skills. It is also a useful way for students to explore whether they wish to pursue a career in teaching. The Institute wholeheartedly endorses this initiative.”

ROYAL SOCIETY OF CHEMISTRY

“The scheme offers excellent opportunities for undergraduates to gain key transferable skills through their work in the classroom. School pupils also benefit from having access to bright, enthusiastic role models to support their learning of chemistry.”

LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY

“The importance of UAS is in the value it offers for both HEIs and schools. It provides excellent opportunities for undergraduates and school teachers to exchange knowledge and learning. LMS is very glad to promote this scheme to its members and encourage them to get involved with this initiative.”

THE INSTITUTION OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS

“We recognise that this scheme offers excellent opportunities for undergraduates to gain key transferable skills through their work in the classroom, providing role models to pupils and enthusing and extending their knowledge of Structural Engineering. We therefore encourage any Higher Education Institution considering the scheme to take it up.”

THE ROYAL SOCIETY

“UAS is a commendable attempt to address issues of science teacher recruitment and I would encourage all university science departments to consider the benefits of enabling students to participate in the scheme.”

ENGINEERING ACCREDITATION BOARD (EAB)

“…members were pleased to note the contribution the scheme is making to engineering and technology.”

Other professional bodies supporting UAS include:

THE INSTITUTE OF MATERIALS, MINERALS AND MINING

THE INSTITUTE OF MARINE ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE INSTITUTE OF MATHEMATICS AND ITS APPLICATIONS

THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

ROYAL AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY

THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION

ACADEMIC STAFF

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON

“The most impressive attribute of this unit is the transformational effect it has on many of our students. In the space of just one semester, they blossom into articulate, reflective, enthusiastic individuals. I would put personal confidence at the top of the positive outcomes of taking part.”
Professor Ray d’Inverno, Associate Dean (Education), Faculty of Engineering Science and Maths

UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS

“This module offers something really different for both students and academic staff. The students have a chance to see what teaching is really about. They gain a whole host of transferable skills and improve their self-confidence greatly. The school kids really like meeting a ‘real live’ student and realising that in a few years they too could be at University.”
Dr Alison Voice, Department of Physics and Astronomy

UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

“We have considered our first involvement with the UAS scheme to be a great success. The students involved have had a terrific time, have enjoyed the course’s distinctive nature and have not minded that the course was somewhat more time-consuming than others. It has fostered good relations between the department and local schools – the teachers involved have been impressed by our students, have felt their own students have benefitted greatly and are keen to be involved again next year. Some of the students have freely volunteered their time to return to their schools in future terms. We are planning to expand the scheme for next year with more schools and students involved.”
Dr Richard Earl, Department of Mathematics

KING’S COLLEGE LONDON

“Running this scheme is certainly not for those who want a relaxing time, but it has been more rewarding (and more fun) than almost anything else I have been involved in during my professional life. The scheme deserves our full support: it is one of those rare situations where everyone involved gains from it, and its importance cannot be over-emphasised.”
Dr John Silvester, Department of Mathematics

SCHOOLS

“Long may it continue. A valuable experience for the student and an invaluable extra pair of hands on deck in the classroom.”
King’s College working with the University of Surrey’s Maths department

“All of the undergraduates were great role models. It was great to have enthusiastic students working with our higher groups. They built up excellent relationships with the pupils, and were able to help with after school SATs revision sessions. This was a big help. It was great to see their confidence grow over time.”
Hugh Evans, Assistant Head Teacher, Sholing Technology College

UNDERGRADUATES

“This scheme is fantastic for students. It is good for anyone hoping to get a job – not just those who are looking to go into teaching. Believe me when I say you will never have an interview as tough as one of the lessons you teach to a group of 30 pupils. It makes you organised and methodical, and helps you to think around subjects – you have to think how to rephrase something that they may not have understood even though you have said it six times already. It gives you massive amounts of condfidence in public speaking and enables you to communicate with people from all walks of life.”
Charlotte Lacey, Physics graduate from Royal Holloway, University of London. Now a qualified teacher.

“I found the experience of the UAS module really useful. I was wondering whether to choose teaching as a profession, and I felt that this sort of module would either let me know that I wanted to do it, or would put me off for life! It was fantastic interacting with the pupils I was with and doing a module that wasn’t just a load of information thrown at you was excellent. You can get buried under a pile of Physics info and this module was an enjoyable break! It also meant that I could try to help children with the knowledge I was acquiring at uni, and what I had studied at school.

I feel that the module helped me gain a PGCE place, because I had already obtained some experience of being in a school with teaching experience. This meant I did not have to arrange any other experience before starting the course. It helped me prepare because I knew what teaching was about and I had spoken to NQTs in the programme. It was great also because I had to write an assignment about it and present everything I had done to the whole Physics department. I did not have much experience with presentation skills but standing in front of a class gave me essential skills to prepare me!”
Elizabeth Kennedy, Physics graduate from the University of Surrey. Now a qualified teacher.