What are Wrexham and Derby Uni's like?

[Serin]

DS has chosen to study adult nursing next year.

He has picked his Uni choices but feels he should put somewhere with lower entry requirements as insurance just in case he does not get his predicted grades (A, B, C).

He likes the look of Wrexham but we have no idea of what it is like, either from an academic point of view or from a social/town point of view. Also from what we can see there are 2 Uni campuses there, Glyndwr and Bangor?

The other option would be Derby?

If anyone has any experience they would be willing to share we would be very grateful.

Hi Op. Just bumping your post for you!
I don't have experience of either university, but Derby Royal Hospital is great and I assume some of his training would be there? It is a teaching hospital and associated to the University of Nottingham too (I think)

‘How good is the uni?’ Is irrelevant for courses like nursing - it isn’t about the academics, it’s completely about the support and relationships between the uni and the placement hospitals, and the vocational content etc. I am a midwife, and we are a placement trust for 2 Universities - 1 classic redbrick, well respected university with a high standard reputation amongst academics, and 1 former ‘poly’. From mentoring both sets of students, I would say the clinical ability of the ‘poly’ students is better and they are more well prepared and better supported, and generally a little less stressed than those from the ‘classic’ uni, of which their course is more heavily focused on academics and less so the realities of the job.

Hope that helps a little bit!

Just a thought, I think possibly the placements from Derby cover a huge wide range - possibly bordering into Cheshire and? Yorkshire, as well as over to Nottingham so ability to travel and transport may need to be a consideration.
And that not all placements will be big major hospitals, some may well be smaller, community based etc, further out in the sticks such as GPS surgeries, hospices, nursing homes and district nursing.

The maelor has a bad reputation at the moment. Wrexham itself is a bit out in the sticks and not very good public travel wise. I suggest looking at Manchester or Liverpool . Bigger teaching hospitals etc. I did my RGN training at Leighton crewe 100 yrs ago but if I was doing it again I would look at the above.

Hi Thanks everyone for your replies. I also trained at Leighton a hundred years ago (well 1990) PutYourShirtOnMartin but not in nursing!

He isn't really a city lad, very outdoorsy, his first choice is Bangor (on the actual Bangor campus) as he loved the feel of the place when he looked around. Derby appeals because its close to the peak district but still has things going on.

He has a motorbike so getting around isn't too bad.

Bangor has a very good reputation for nursing training ....despite it not being a huge teaching hospital- there's plenty of opportunities and it's in a beautiful part of the country too, especially if your son is keen on the outdoors...many hospital staff choose it for this very reason!
Cost of living is very cheap too and being a student in Bangor is very safe!

How much time is spent on a campus when it’s a nursing degree? My friends DD is spending a lot of time in hospitals on her nursing degree - she is at Bournemouth. Loves the city but not much time spent doing academics according to her mum who is also a nurse.

Derby hospital is used by Nottingham Uni for its graduate medics and also its undergrads in placements. Mine doing hers there shortly. So must be good for teaching as they do a lot of it !

I wouldn't assume that training is better in a larger hospital. When I was training we were more of a novelty at smaller hospitals and got more attention.
Sorry can't help on specific places listed.

Meant it's a training hospital not that it's big - have no clue on size as never been to Derby. Staff are v used to having trainee medical staff there and teaching them which must be a good thing.

Serin our paths would've crossed 🤣

Thanks everyone. You have all been so helpful. He has put Derby as his insurance place.