UWS Ayr Campus

HoneyButterfly

Hi,
Has anyone gone to university in the Ayr campus of University of West of Scotland (formerly Uni of Paisley)? I am starting a PGDE Primary Teaching there this Aug and would love to hear from anyone who's been.
Would be a bonus if you've stayed on Campus Accom, I can't find any pictures (which can't be a good thing right?!). Although saying that, I've stayed in Alloway halls in Abertay Uni so....couldn't be worse than that surely
Love to hear about anyone's experience in this Uni as I don't know anyone thats been there.
Thanks.

foddy

hi Honeybutterfly
went for an interview in ayr last week just found out i got it
sorry im no help to u on state of the accomadation but could i ask u how u went about gettin it???
do u know are there many irish on the course????

HoneyButterfly

Hi,
Oh its good to hear of someone else going. Don't know anyone yet, I'd say there'll be a good few Irish,I got my undergrad in Dundee and it was full of Irish there. For the accomodation I sent an email to this add rosemarie.haughey@paisley.ac.uk The lady was very helpful and she said that they give Irish students from the Republic and other non nationals first preference. Saying that, theres only one flat assigned to Postgrads, so only 10 places, on a first come first served basis I'd say. She said she'd let me know by the 18th if I got a place. Really hope I do, as I don't know anyone heading over! How did you find Ayr? I stayed in the Hotel by the train station, wasn't great now! Ayr didn't seem great either but it has a gorgeous beach so I'm happy!

foddy

i just sent that rosemarie lady an email twould be great to get something sorted. I literally was doing accountancy until may than finally gave it up and decided to go for the teaching i had my interview the week before last it all happened awful quickly i found out on monday id the interview on thursday so got flew over that morning and back in the evening didnt get to see much of the place had never ever heard of it!!! would love to find out more about the course have u found anything??like when we'll be finished etc???!!!! sorry about all the questions its great to find someone else in the same boat though!!

daniel88

Hi, I was at UWS Ayr Campus, and stayed in the halls last uni year 2007/2008, and am returning this year, the halls are great craic, the year just past there was only one southerner, he was called James, from Dublin he was. Myself I'm from Belfast, there was plently of Northerners there, the halls are basic, they were built in the 1960's, and little improvements have been made since then, as they are due to be replaced with new halls in the coming years. Each room is equiped with a sink, single bed, desk, desk lamp, dirty washing box, and a wardrobe, females are in what is known as the flats A-F, apart from E-Flat, which is boys, that's where I lived. Each flat has two small corridors with five rooms in each corridor and a toilet in each corridor, one end of the flat has a shower and a bath, the other end has only a bath, this is shared between eveyone in your flat, there is a shared kitchen and living space, in each flat. Boys are in an area known as the annex, which consists of two long corridors each containing around 20 rooms, there is one small kicthen, in each corridor, a shower room containing, between 3/5 toilets and about the same amount of showers, these rooms are slightly smaller, the common room for the annex, is on the left as you enter through the main door, this room contains two vending machines and a living space for annex members, although anyone can use it, and you will often find a number of people opting to use this common room over the one in their flat, this is what I done. There are two washing machines and two dyers for the whole of the halls, there is also a study area, which is equiped with 2 PCs. Daytimes, there are two mature ladies who run the halls, Rose and Caroline, at night a Warden takes over and is there to help you in whatever way you need, this are students who are residents in the halls, so you'll be very friendly with them any ways. Any more information needed, or any questions email me on djelliott2@hotmail.co.uk. PS, I have pictures off the halls, but am unsure of how to attach.

HoneyButterfly

Hi Daniel,
Thanks a million, thats a brilliant description thanks for taking the time to write it. Is it mainly first years in Halls? I'm a postgrad and will have a tough year ahead, so I'm hoping its not all maddness and drama all the time. Been there done that
How did you find Ayr itself? The accomodation is on the actual campus isn't it? I remember from the taxi journey from the town centre that the campus is quite far out. Was there regular buses in and out? I'm debating whether to bring my car over.

HoneyButterfly

foddy wrote: »

would love to find out more about the course have u found anything??like when we'll be finished etc???!!!! sorry about all the questions its great to find someone else in the same boat though!!

Hi,
Well as far as I know, its 18 weeks lectures, 18 weeks teaching practice. I think how it works is the course starts in 25 Aug, so we have 6 weeks lectures on the lower ages, from about 4-8 then 6 weeks teaching them, then 6 weeks lectures on the middle age and 6 weeks teaching, then the older ones (as far as about 14 I think) then 6 weeks teaching.

HoneyButterfly

Hi Foddy,
Have you heard anything about your accomodation yet?

Grainne Murphy

Quick question....Is this the same as the Agricultural college in Ayr?
Cheers

HoneyButterfly

Hi Grainne, couldn't honestly tell you if its the same. Is your college called the agricultural college or University of West of Scotland. I do know that Ayr have a University and a college, and they're not the same thing in the UK. College would be more of an IT/cert courses

BelfastTeacher

Hi HoneyButterfly and Foddy. I'm heading to UWS too later this month, for the secondary PGDE. Was sent a form for uni accommodation but most likely won't be applying for it - no guarantee of a sufficiently noise-free environment...
Am looking for private rented accom in and around Ayr, though will be in touch with Rosemary Haughey soon too. Ayr town can be a bit rough I think at the weekends at night but the surrounding area (and Arran) is beautiful. All the best with your preparations.

HoneyButterfly

Yeah you're right Ayr is pretty rough, I've lived in Scotland for 4 years (Dundee) and know for certain that Ayr is kinda rough. But Prestwick practically the same town, the two almost join up, so accomodation there could be worth looking into.
I'm not too worried about the noise level, I'm used to it from previous students halls. I'll be doing most of my studying in the library anyway.

SethMeehan

snip

Hollowboy

I know this is kinda dated,

but would anyone be able to refer me to somewhere that I might be able to find accommodation for this year at the Ayr campus?

I'm struggling to find somewhere just now.