“Reflection is one of the most underused yet powerful tools for success.” – Richard Carlson
Many of us have fresh goals and ambitious plans as we step into the new year. However, before we race ahead, there is immense value in pausing to look back. Reflection isn’t just about remembering what happened. It’s about understanding what those experiences taught us and how they shape the way forward.
Our first blog of 2026 is written by Eve Middleton, who is our Apprenticeship Progress Manager in Policing at UWE. Eve has worked at UWE since 2014 in various different roles, but always linked to the support of our frontline vocational programmes including: teaching, nursing and now policing – since 2020.
In this blog Eve considers why reflection is such an important part of policing and life. Over to you Eve…
Why reflection matters…
I recently spoke with a student officer who, during their first year, couldn’t see the point of reflections. It felt like a box-ticking exercise that took time away from the real action in the station.
By their second year, their perspective had shifted. Revisiting earlier reflections, they saw clear evidence of how far they’d come — from feeling uncertain and easily flustered on patrol to attending complex incidents with confidence. Seeing their own progress written down made a real impact.
I’ll admit, I whooped (and tried hard not to say I told you so). They’d captured one of the most valuable parts of reflection. It’s not just about analysing mistakes or spotting weaknesses. Sometimes, it’s simply about taking a moment to recognise growth.
“We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” -John Dewey
The College of Policing describes reflective practice as a key part of professional learning. In simple terms, it’s about making sense of your experiences. Understanding what went well, and what didn’t, and how you can use those lessons next time. Policing isn’t a static job; every day brings something new. Officers who can think critically about their actions, learn from mistakes, and adapt is what keeps them, their colleagues, and the public safe.
Reflective practice also helps you meet apprenticeship funding requirements. Every apprentice has to evidence a set amount of off-the-job training. This is new learning linked to the required knowledge, skills, and behaviours (or KSBs for short) that underpin the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA). Reflective writing counts towards KSBs and it also builds valuable evidence for student officers’ apprenticeship portfolios. It is also great preparation for professional discussion assessments, where you’ll be expected to explain what you’ve learned and how it links to the KSBs.
Beyond Pen and Paper
Not everyone connects with traditional written reflection. Some people think best out loud, which is why we’ve introduced the option for UWE PCDA Apprentices to record audio or video reflections instead. This way, you can reflect in whatever format works best for you.
This approach also mirrors what happens in real-life policing. Think about those informal debriefs after an incident, maybe on the drive back to the station or over a quick coffee with a colleague. You talk about what happened, what worked, and what you’d do differently next time. That’s reflection in action. We all do it! We’re all constantly processing, learning, and improving.
Dear Diary…
If the word “reflection” sounds a bit intimidating (or even a bit dull), try thinking of it as professional journaling. Journaling has well-known mental health benefits; it can reduce stress, improve emotional regulation, and help you make sense of tough experiences.
In policing, where officers regularly face high-pressure situations, reflective writing or recording can be a powerful way to build resilience. It helps you process what’s happened, spot patterns in your thinking, and strengthen your confidence and judgement. Over time, this kind of reflection can help you feel more grounded and capable, even in challenging situations.
Continuous Professional Development
Of course, all of this talk about reflections doesn’t just apply to your time as an apprentice. As you progress in your career, the reflective skills you have developed will be used again and again. Reflection for the purposes of continuous professional development (CPD) is something that will be expected from you throughout your career.
An example of this can be found in the College of Policing (2025) Resources for Reflective Practice where you are encouraged to use the reflective models of Gibbs (1988) and Kolb (1984) to reflect on the impact of your learning. In fact, if you search the web for ‘reflective practice in policing’ you will see that it is a value that is threaded throughout all career branches. Reflective practice is also supported and promoted by the IOPC and the Police Federation to foster a solution-based approach to complaint resolution.
A Little Nudge
I couldn’t resist the temptation to use this opportunity to provide a gentle reminder from your tripartite team, PDU assessors, and tutors to upload your monthly reflections! Nothing inspires ‘professional growth’ like a friendly nudge (or three)! It might feel like nagging, but we promise it’s for a good reason. We want you to succeed and fly through your assessments to reach a point where critical thinking becomes intuitive. So, upload those reflections and let your future self thank you later!
For more information and resources on reflective practice for UWE Apprentices, check your programme Blackboard site, chat with your PDU Assessor, or drop the PCDA tripartite team a line at hss.policing@uwe.ac.uk
About the Author
Eve immigrated to the UK from New Zealand in 2004 and found her way to the South West in 2007 after 3 years in London. She has had a varied working background including recruitment, film, TV, theatre, hospitality and childcare, to name a few! She currently lives in a beach town with her partner, dog and two cats and likes to spend much of her spare time pottering in the garden and learning new skills with power tools.
References
College of Policing (2025) Resources for Reflective Practice. Available from: Reflective-practice-resources-for-policing.docx [Accessed 15/01/2026].
Gibbs G. (1988). Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic.
Kolb DA. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall
Editorial Team
Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer) and Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).
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