Lucy Arman is British Education Awards finalist

Lucy Arman training young female cricketers

Last month, we reported here on the Hub that Lucy Arman, BA (Hons) in Physical Education and Physical Activity 2019, had been nominated for a British Education Award (BEA) in recognition of her outstanding courage and resilience whilst a student here at Christ Church

We are delighted now to be able to announce that Lucy has been shortlisted as BEA Finalist.

Run by Excellence Media, the BEAs are one of the most prestigious education award events in the country.  They seek to promote excellence in British Education and its importance as the foundation to a good quality of life and for the future success of our nation, by recognising outstanding individual achievement.

Those of you who know Lucy will understand that she has had to overcome more than most to achieve her place in these finals.  Prior to starting her Foundation Degree in PEPA, and while she was Captain of the Kent Girls Cricket squad, Lucy was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation – a condition where the brain is pushed downwards against the spine. This caused pain, weakness and mobility issues, meaning Lucy had to give up her personal sporting dreams. However, despite this setback, sport – and passing on her own experience and enthusiasm to children – was still top priority.

 “I have always had a passion in sport and physical education and this course enabled me to work within a school environment, as well as attending university days to enhance my subject knowledge within practical and theory elements,“ Lucy says.

In the words of CCCU Physical Education and Physical Activity (PEPA) Foundation Degree programme director, Alison Carney: “Lucy Arman was a first-class student who, by following her dreams and remaining resilient despite extreme personal adversity, achieved much more than just her degree classification. Having to interrupt her University study twice for brain surgery, didn’t deter Lucy from wanting to become a qualified teacher of Physical Education.”

As if dealing with health complications wasn’t enough, Lucy undertook her foundation and top-up degrees whilst in position as the Head of PE at a local primary school. Ever the entrepreneur, she has since become the Under 13 girls squad coach with Kent Community Cricket, part of Kent County Cricket Club.

The embodiment of the notion that hard work pays off, Lucy not only completed her foundation degree with Distinction, but has this year gained first class honours in her BA PEPA top-up degree. The entire teaching team can’t speak highly enough of her achievement.  Lucy also took on in extra-curricular activities such as acting as a ‘buddy mentor’ to students from other year groups, leading talks on personal wellbeing, acting as a group representative for staff-student liaison and attending open days to pass on her enthusiasm to future Canterbury Christ Church University students.

Lucy, her family and a member of the Faculty of Education will be heading up to Manchester on January 30th for the British Education Awards ceremony where winners will be announced. The following day she will be at Canterbury Cathedral, picking up her degree certificate.

Whether she wins or not (and we’re obviously keeping everything crossed), Lucy has a positive message for anyone facing similar adversity: “They say that university is like a roller-coaster; you will have those up and down days and the days when you just want to scream. But you will also find the time to smile, laugh and by the end be proud of what you have achieved. Christ Church made me realise that no matter what you go through in life, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.”