student graduation with parents/carers

Once They’re Here

Once they’re here

You’ve dropped them off, helped them unpack and said your goodbyes. Rest assured, we’ll be doing a lot in the first few weeks, and beyond, to help your son or daughter settle into university life and get the most from their experience at BNU.

 

We run lots of events for new students, so they can get to know one another and start getting their bearings around campus. Freshers’ Fortnight is packed with activities, and it’s a good opportunity to find out about all the clubs, societies and events on offer.

If they’re feeling homesick, one of the best ways to tackle it is to sign up for an activity or event that interests them – and start meeting like-minded people.

 

Not knowing anyone can feel a bit daunting. But everyone’s in the same boat. As well as getting involved with activities, they’re likely to make friends in their accommodation. Encourage them to get to know their flatmates. Prop their door open and put some music on as they unpack – anyone passing is bound to say hello. And once they start their course, they’ll be meeting lots more people with similar interests.

 

Some students worry about coping with degree-level study and whether they’re going to be ‘clever enough’. If your son or daughter is concerned about that, reassure them that we’ll be easing them in gently and will be there to support them every step of the way. We’ve got some great academic support services available if they need some extra help. Our Learning Development Unit even offers workshops and short courses to help them get a head start with uni before they start.

 

You’ll want to know your child is in safe hands at university. And their wellbeing is something we take very seriously.  If they need some extra support:

 

How will you know how your child is doing academically? In short, the only real way is to ask them yourself. Because of data protection rules, we’re not allowed to give out information about academic progress, attendance or anything else to a third party without the student’s consent – and that includes parents.

But don’t worry: we’ll be looking out for them and will guide them towards support services if we think they need help in any area. They’ll also have a personal tutor they can talk to about academic or personal issues one-to-one.

 

A degree is a great starting point for a career. But it’s the additional skills, qualities and experience that will increase your son or daughter’s chances of getting a good job when they graduate. We’ll be doing a lot to help them get as ready as possible for work while they’re with us. Our courses are all developed with strong industry input, and our unique Big Deal package means they’ll have access to a huge amount outside of their course, too – from free skills workshops, to societies and sports – all great for enhancing their CV, as well as being great fun.

As for careers advice, your son or daughter will have access to plenty of that during their whole time at BNU, and for two years after they graduate, to support them as they progress in their career. Read more about our Careers and Employability Service.