Lauren graduated from the FdA Early Years (0-8 years), studying on the Flexible and Distributed Learning pathway. Her, she shares her experiences and advice for new students…
“Before joining the FdA Early Years (0-8 years), I completed a Teaching Assistants course as an apprentice and since then have been working as a TA for 6 years. It was from this that I realised I wanted to progress in my career and become an early years/KS1 teacher. After completing the Foundation Degree, I’ll be progressing onto the BA(hons) Integrated Working with Children and Families Top up course in order to gain a full degree. From this, I hope to then complete the Schools Direct route into teaching.
I really enjoyed how flexible the course was as it made it easier to complete alongside working full time. The online learning activities were really informative and the reading lists provided were super helpful when completing the tasks.
All of the face to face sessions are well taught and contained so much valuable information. Even though most of the course is distance learning, all of the tutors are on hand to provide extra support should you need it. I have made some great friends over the last two years who have shared some of the same experiences as me. This has also made me look at my work from perhaps a different perspective. I found the small-scale research module (FDEY2004/5) so helpful and have loved researching into a topic which I have a passion for.
My advice for new students would be to read. Read a lot and enjoy it! Also, not to be afraid to ask for help from tutors or your peers. Your peers understand what you are going through so lean on them if you need to.”