As a B.Ed student in my third year of a four-year course at Sunderland University, I was horrified to read that they are thinking of axing the degree (“Universities warn of plan to axe B.Ed”, February 27).
There are a number of mature students on my course including myself (I spent six years in retail management). If the B.Ed hadn’t been available, I feel this valuable cohort of students would have found it extremely difficult to train as teachers.
I agree the level of entry for applicants should be raised. But how many PGCE teachers are there who never wanted to be teachers, and just chose the profession because they could not get a job in their qualified area? We B.Ed students want to be teachers. Nothing else, just teachers.
Heidi Taylor, Trainee primary teacher, Sunderland University.