In this graduate case study, Rebecca Dayman shares how her determination to enhance her professional qualifications led her to study the FdA Early Years (0-8 years) and grow as professional.
For the 12 years prior to my studies, I worked as a nursery practitioner, deputy manager and an unqualified teacher in Early Years, in two different types of pre-schools. When working as an unqualified teacher – nursery lead, I was carrying out the role of a teacher and year group leader without the qualification, which pushed me into exploring options of study alongside my job. This is when I came across the course at The University of Worcester, the flexible and distributed learning route for the FdA Early Years (0-8 years), which fit perfectly in with my full-time job. Although, I had not been in education myself for 14 years, the prospect of university made me feel very nervous and excited at the same time!
During my studies, I have been through challenging spells at work, moved house, and been unwell, all which have taken a toll on me mentally. This impacted on my time to spend on reading, assignments and overall, my motivation. However, support from my Personal Academic Tutor, module tutors, my family and work friends helped me to push through and my professional partner at my setting was amazing! I am currently moving on to do my top up degree in Integrated Working with Children and Families and will then complete a teacher training programme through my work setting, to achieve my goal of being a primary school teacher.
Throughout the course, I gained a wealth of knowledge, through course materials, reading, lecturers, my own research and through networking with my peers in lectures and at the Early Years Conference which is organised by the Department for Children and Families every year as part of our course. This had such a positive impact on my professional development. As my job role is nursery lead, I have had more freedom to implement new practices, share knowledge with my team, and both challenge and share practice with my work colleagues at a senior level, these small steps of change have had a positive impact on my setting, the children I work with and their families.
I have loved every aspect of this course, the lecturers are so knowledgeable, supportive, and friendly, and so passionate about the modules they lead. The course content was exciting, relevant, and challenged the knowledge I already held, making me question and develop my own professional identity. The most valuable lesson I learnt whilst completing this course was that there are so many aspects that contribute to being a successful early years educator, and that holds huge power to make a difference , you can be that voice for the children you will care for in the future.
If you are thinking of embarking on this course and are still unsure if you have what it takes … believe me you do!!!
Three things which are I think are important are firstly, be organised, I always aim to submit my work the Sunday before it’s due in, it lifts a weight. Secondly, ask for help if you need it, that is what lecturers are there for, they have marked a thousand assignments, they teach the content, and no question is a silly question. And finally, believe you can do it, I had major imposter syndrome after receiving my first grade, but I had to tell myself you did that, your work was worth that grade and you can do it…you did do it!
If you’re interested in either of the courses that Rebecca has mentioned, get in touch to begin your journey through Higher Education at the University of Worcester.
FdA Early Years (0-8 years) (HTQ), contact Course Leader, Samantha Sutton-Tsang: s.sutton-tsang@worc.ac.uk
BA(Hons) Integrated Working with Children and Families Top Up degree, contact Course Leader, Angela Hodgkins: a.hodgkins@worc.ac.uk