Don't Know Which Course To Do !

[Guest]

Hi everyone, would like some advice please.

 

I have decided i would like to further my knowledge in early years after recently being promoted to deputy at my Pre-school.

 

I currently hold my NVQ Level 3 in early years care and education and want to do further training. I have looked at lots and lots of information, but there are so many courses and qualifications that i dont know what to do :blink: !!

 

I am prepared to study hard, but as a single parent working 3 days a week i am struggling to find any courses to access on my days off and cant do evenings because of my children.

 

I have looked at the open University course, but again, i am lost in all the choices on offer.

 

Can anyone suggest a route i should be taking ? What sort of qualifications are other people doing ?

 

Hope to hear from someone with some hopeful words of wisdom ! :rolleyes:

[AnonyMouse_1027]

I would say Foundation Degree

[Guest cathy m]

I agree with hali, also with OU it's possible to do a level 4 which will then count towards the foundation degree

http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/e100.htm

[AnonyMouse_29641]

I enrolled on the foundation degree with the Open University. The beauty of it is that the first module stands alone as a level 4 certificate in early years. I have decided to leave it at that and concentrate on something else. There's choice there, flexibility and you don't have to travel - but there are some local tutorials (six I think). I childmind (three days a week term-time and all the extra that goes with it) and just about managed. So as Hali says, foundation degree (but drop out at Cert in EY if you change your mind).

 

Best of luck,

 

Honey

[Guest]

I too did the FD and then topped it up to BA (Hons). I started it with 1 child and then I had 2 children during my degree, one at the end of the second year and one at the end of the third and managed to fit it all in. However, it was very, very hard work, but very much worth it.

 

I had to go to college though because I know I wouldn't have been able to focus if left to my own devices! If you can organise some sort of childcare (easier said than done, I know) then I would really recommend going to college and doing it. You also get to meet lots of amazing people, most of whom I am still close to now.

 

Good luck in your decision!

Edited June 21, 2012 by Clare

[Guest]

I did my foundation degree one day a week and then topped (up also one day per week) and then did my EYPS.

 

I did the foundation deree at college but actually enjoyed the BA modules better at university. I felt at uni they were more interested in what you thought, your arguments and you didn't have to write in the prescriptive way college wanted. I got much better grades when I moved to uni!!

 

It took up alot of time but I learnt such alot and think it has been an amazing experience.

[AnonyMouse_14268]

Is it really expensive to do the course until just the level 4?

[Helen]

I think it's £2500 for the 60 credit course (which is what the E100 is, ie the level 4)

[AnonyMouse_29641]

I think it's £2500 for the 60 credit course (which is what the E100 is, ie the level 4)

 

Ahhh! Has it gone up that much? It was £700 for me last year. If it's going to be that much I'll be bailing out.

 

H

[Helen]

I got this from the OU site;

Key facts

• Our tuition fees for 2012/13 are £5000 for 120 credits of study, which is equivalent to a year’s full-time study at a campus-based university.
  
• What you pay is proportionate to what you study; most OU students will study 60 credits a year, half the rate of a full-time student, and will pay just £2500.
  

Maybe I've missed another paragraph somewhere. Surely it couldn't have gone up that much from £700?

[AnonyMouse_1999]

I am stunned!!!! I studied with the OU part time course by course ( a couple overlapped at times) and did the Cert EY, Foundation Degree, BA(Hons) a total of 360 credits. I paid course by course and in total I reckon my degree cost me about £4000 and I finished in December 2009.

 

To go to BA (Hons) now under the new pricing arrangement will seemingly cost £15000!!!!!!!!!!! :o :o :( based on £5000 for 120 credits.

 

Sadly Helen I think you are right, I can't see any other paragraph on fees

 

It seems that the OU are now in line with brick Unis but I think this is such a shame. I haven't looked to see if they have dropped their 10 credit courses - some of those were really good.

 

Gosh I really am saddened to see this has happened and now I understand why I had an email from the OU recently. They had some deal for past/current students to book courses before the pricing structure changed - I didn't read it in detail as I am not looking to study with them at the moment.

 

I am gutted because I did plan to go back to them at some time but don't think that will happen now. :(

[AnonyMouse_1999]

Ahhh! Has it gone up that much? It was £700 for me last year. If it's going to be that much I'll be bailing out.

 

H

 

This is much more reasonable. When I started out in 2004 I did E123 and E124 for the Cert in EY. From memory they were around £200-£250 each so total around £500. To be £700 in 2011 I think is reasonable but this huge hike is just awful. If you are a registered student Honeypancakes didn't you get an email about registering for courses before pricing changed?

[AnonyMouse_29641]

This is much more reasonable. When I started out in 2004 I did E123 and E124 for the Cert in EY. From memory they were around £200-£250 each so total around £500. To be £700 in 2011 I think is reasonable but this huge hike is just awful. If you are a registered student Honeypancakes didn't you get an email about registering for courses before pricing changed?

 

Oh yes, I got the email - chose to ignore it as was busy writing assignments. lalalalala I'm not listening... it won't hurt me.

[AnonyMouse_14268]

Blooming heck!!! Will stick with my level 3 then. It's a shame as I was just plucking up the courage to consider trying to study for a higher level. It's been a really long time since I was at college and did my level 3!!!

[Guest]

Thank you so much to everyone for taking the time to reply to my post :rolleyes: .

 

Oh i was so excited about returning to education, but OMG..........i cant possibly afford that sort of money :blink: !

 

Will have to look in depth at course fee's and see if there is any help out there ! Wish i had done my EYP training 5 years ago when there was funding avaiable :huh:

[AnonyMouse_8466]

Many Local Authorities are still offering bursaries so it is worth asking them if they have funds available.

 

Also, it is worth considering funding it via a student loan. It isn't means tested, and you'll only pay it back once your salary goes over the £22,000 threshhold, and then only on the amount of your salary over the threshhold.

 

Personally I'll never earn that much so I'll never have to pay back any of mine.

 

I think the figures are right, but I've recalled this from memory and not from looking at the notes I made at a meeting on Wednesday. :blink:

[AnonyMouse_3735]

yes all uni fees have increased and gone up,drastically, a huge hike-

 

but you should be able to get a student loan to cover them and as Maz said pay it back once you hit the earning threshold.. if you never reach it there is a time where it gets written off, but cannot remember when offhand.. That is the idea behind the fees that you pay it off once you earn enough, and meantime unis get extra money.

 

Student loan company with your local authority may help more on that -

[AnonyMouse_8466]

if you never reach it there is a time where it gets written off, but cannot remember when offhand..

30 years! That bit I remember!

[Guest]

Thanks guys, never even thought about a student loan :rolleyes: ! going to get the kiddies settled and tucked in, then do a bit of internet research about loans and things

[AnonyMouse_11653]

I have just finished year 1 of my foundation degree at college, our college are keeping the 2nd year the same price for students already enrolled, I pay £2000 per year.

Definetly worth looking at student finance, it's not just loans but also grants (which you dont pay back!!).

 

Kris

[AnonyMouse_30128]

I have two ladies doing Foundation this year...one is in her second year and had her fees capped last year but this years new student's fees are just under £4,000 , both have been funded through LEA grant funding.