One aim of the reforms in nurse education is to produce reflective practitioners. The researcher teaches in a diploma programme and decided to see if there was any evidence that students, one year into a Common Foundation Programme, were developing reflective skills or if they were learning through reflection. Students in this study value reflection as a means of learning and it seems that reflection has led to behaviour change, problem-solving and personal and professional awareness as well as improved patient care. They value debriefing following experience and there is evidence that they would benefit from training in mental previewing techniques prior to embarking on new experience.