Sheffield Hallam University - Halls

[PassTheGinSheila]

Does anyone have any recent or current experience of SHU accommodation, please? I'm supporting a young man who will be joining SHU as an undergraduate at the Collegiate site later this year and living in Halls as his first experience of living away from home. He doesn't drive or cycle and finances will be tight. I have already twice been advised to avoid The Forge: that 24 hour reception/security isn't available in reality and there have been very concerning recent incidents of break-ins and students being assaulted, with some students seeking to move out? I've looked at the information on the Uni's website but would welcome hearing any personal experience to help him choose. Many thanks in advance.

They will promise all sorts on their website but none of it is delivered.

I loved Sheffield the people are lovely and my son was so happy there . His graduation was very late due to covid not till last November , the uni made an absolutely beautiful job of it .

@Tempnamelady Sheffield is great but Sheffield Hallam uni is awful.

@Runninghat my son had a very happy three years there and got his degree , met lovely people , he’s now working and enjoying life , so I don’t have any complaints . Granted it’s not Russell Group standard that a lot of my social circle ( and some people on here) seem to think is the only uni worth attending , but horses for courses and all that . My son went to one of the best grammar schools in the NW but bombed his A levels . At the time we were all devastated , but as my Irish granny would say ‘ what’s for you won’t go by you ‘ and so to see him gave three happy productive years ( if slightly cut short by covid which was a blow ) was more than I could have asked for . I appreciate that others may have had different experiences .

Have not gave 🙄

Sorry to hear that you have had a bad experience with SHU, @Runninghat - I have bumped your thread for you. Hopefully someone will see it with recent or current SHU Support experience to help you.

PS Not looking at Breton - too far from Collegiate - but thanks for that.

my son was in Domino house for his first year-he wisely decided to go as cheap as possible so he could have more money for doing things. Its dated with shared facilities but low cost and Collegiate was within walking distance.Its set up as flats of 5-6 and having to share the bathroom meant having to talk to each other, which led to a successful house together this year.
So, if the young person you're supporting is willing to forego ensuite and new build it might be worth a look.
He's been well supported on his course, including through Covid- the joy of a small hall was that they were a bubble together in lockdown. He's doing a healthcare course though, so perhaps a greater requirement for staff engagement.....

Thanks very much for your post, @Herecomethedaffodils - that's all really helpful. The Elements is definitely on the list of four. The online reviews on a student website a pp mentioned are good and the young person concerned has heard really good things about it on the grapevine - unlike The Forge! - so your post helps to confirm that.

The only downside is The Elements isn't as close to the campus - Collegiate - as Liv. What did he/you think of the area around The Elements - is it ok, especially after dark? - and how is access to buses and so on?

It's such an important decision, isn't it, where they're going to live for a year and for most it's their first experience living and studying away from home?!

At the moment, the list is:
Liv
The Elements
Probably Westhill Hall?
Another one needed?

And then there's the guarantor insurance to sort out if anyone can help with that?

Thanks also for your post, @Flyingflamingoes - Domino doesn't come up on the list of options on the SHU website so it must be full or not used anymore, or at least not for first year undergrads?

I agree - the accommodation doesn't need to be new or all bells and whistles. It's more about location, a sense of community, that things work and it's clean and safe, with access to good support if things do go wrong. It's reassuring to hear that your son has felt supported at SHU but I take your point that it could vary between courses.

Thanks also for your insightful post @Tempnamelady - that's very reassuring to read and I'm very glad to hear that things turned out well for your son in the end.

I agree, not everyone can go to Oxbridge or Russell Group universities. The 22/23 intake are also the kids who I think have in many cases suffered the most because of the pandemic, and the existing inequality gaps have widened yet further for them, not to mention the impact on mental health. Some kids just won't have done as well in their GCSEs because of this - having lost the opportunity to revise and prove themselves in exams - or in this year's A Level predictions. Many bright kids could under the right circumstances have gone to Oxbridge or Russell Group, but the combination of inequalities works against them. Sometimes life events happen and adjustments have to be made about where they can get a place. Life can be very tough for some of these kids and I think many people just don't realise or care about that, as long as they themselves and their own kids are ok. Smugness and looking down on others is not an attractive quality. I've had some excellent, well-rounded colleagues who went to 'the old Polys' but unfortunately elitism is still alive and well.

I saw a privileged poster on another thread who obviously views kids who can get the maximum maintenance loan as lucky! Lucky that they don't have parents who can afford to support them or have parents at all or are permanently estranged? Lucky that they will exit university with nearly £60k of debt? Lucky that they don't have the 'right' connections or future inheritances to help them pay that off in the future? It beggars belief. I had to restrain myself from commenting.

Sheffield is great but Sheffield Hallam uni is awful
Ds went to Hallam. He’s a journalist on well recognised national media.

Dss went to Hallam. On his PHD Cambridge were begging to work with him.

It’s what you make of it.

If you lot posting about halls could give the areas they are in it would be really helpful, as l live in Sheffield and know all the areas.

The only place name l recognise is Norfolk Park and l wouldn’t be keen on that personally.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow - great name ! Good to hear your kids have done well

I do t get the fuss over Oxbridge and Russell Group.

Employers have to incorporate diversity. Employing a load of Oxbridge/Russel group grads is t going to show that.

It depends what you want to do @ArseInTheCoOpWindow. For law or any of the big company graduate schemes they do tend to favour RG as they are harder to get into and so it ‘helps’ with selection. But other courses are largely done by non Russell group - e,g surveying, nursing, paramedic. So largely depends on what outcome is wanted. But a biology degree from SH is not regarded in the same way as a biology degree from say Manchester uni.

I would say that it evens itself out though. We had 3 went to non Russell Group.

All have really prestigious jobs now .

My son is currently at Hallam - he did a foundation year & stayed at The Exchange Works, it was ok & had en-suite rooms. We booked it through Unite Students, covid intervened and he spent most of last year at home! This year he is in a private house with 6 others and next year he has secured a shared house off Eccleshall Road with 3 others. Like all cities it has good & bad. The social side/clubs and societies seem very friendly.

For law or any of the big company graduate schemes they do tend to favour RG as they are harder to get into and so it ‘helps’ with selection.

The middle class recruiting the middle class and thereby preserving the status quo.

So we had a good look round many of the SHU halls last summer. DS shortlisted Beton House, Westhill Hall and The Elements. Decided on Westhill in the end as the location is fantastic - and he is loving it there. He would have been happy in all three though. Beton House has 8-bed townhouses which are super spacious btw.

Ooops - just seen this thread is a year old!

Assuming that none of those halls has closed down for the coming year, the information will surely be useful to someone.

Dd has made the last minute decision to go to Uni - Sheffield Hallam. I don't know Sheffield at all, but went for a little walk around today. Loved how close the Uni is the train station, cinemas etc. Walked to a couple of the Hall's of residence to see how she would walk there, I am a self confessed helicopter mum! Breton Hall, I was worried about the walk across the tramline and up the hill on a dark night on her own, likewise, The Forge having to go through the subways. Am I overeacting???Anyone have any advice for Sept '23 start please?

Endcliffe halls are the nicest. Quiet studenty established leafy area between Broomhill and Ranmoor. Both old Victorian elegant suburbs. Super safe.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow they aren't Sheffield Hallam Halls... they are uni of.

@DdgoingtoUni I went to Sheffield Hallam 8 years ago, at the end of most nights out there's always people around or you get a taxi. The forge was always very popular when I was there, I think Breton hall is new but I would also think would be okay. I stayed in Devonshire courtyard and loved it there, very central. Hope this helps x

@DdgoingtoUni DS is going to SHU and his halls are at The Gate. We went to look around and spoke to some students who live there, and they really like it. It's very central, 5 mins walk from city campus and the city centre. It's the high rise building, fairly new I think. There's a roof top bar and garden and a gym etc inside.
The Gate team have been really helpful and good with communication too.