Where do we start? Returning to education

Outnumberedbysmallpeople

Hello- first post so be gentle

My husband is looking to return to university to train for his teaching degree, we have 4 small children and wanted some advice on what financial help is out there to enable him to return to education

thanks!

lellie

Well if he wants to go into teaching - does he already have a degree? In which case he could do a PGCE or the Graduate Teacher Programme.. On a PGCE he will get a bursary - depending on which subject he wants to teach depends how much he will get but it will cover his fees and some of his living costs.. He may also be eligible for a student loan depending on your income.

otherwise he could go as an undergrad.. the usual stuff - student loan + possible grant depending on income.

have a look on the tda website for info about teaching.

Oldernotwiser

What qualifications does he have already and what does he want to teach? How old are the children and are you working? Sorry for all the questions but more information needed.

Outnumberedbysmallpeople

Hi- thanks for the replies.

Questions are fine- the more relevant information i can collect the better.

At present he works full time in a factory (we had our first child young and he was pressured by family into any job available to support us so never went on to university). I am at home with the 4 children who are age 9, 4, 3 and 5months. He has a good set of GCSE's and 3 A levels, he'd like to teach either primary or English (which is one of his A levels).

lellie

Well Primary is notoriously difficult to get into these days.. english is easier..

if he doesn't have a degree he will need to do an undergraduate teacher training course or do a degree in something then do a PGCE.. either route is fine.

If he's done a HND or similar he may be eligible to do the RTP http://www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit/thetrainingprocess/typesofcourse/rtp.aspx

http://www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit/thetrainingprocess/youroptionsinfull/trainingproviders.aspx is a list of training providers..

http://www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit/thetrainingprocess/fundinginengland.aspx is funding in england info.

seaweasel

For teaching English his best bet would be to do an English Lit degree, then a PGDE. He'll get funding in some form or another for both. He'll need to have a look at entry requirements for universities he's interested in, however one good thing about being a mature student (over 21 usually) is that the entry requirements are usually less, so he might be able to get into a better university than he would have straight out of school.

Oldernotwiser

If the finances don't work out, don't forget the Open University. It's made this situation feasible for many people who wouldn't have been able to do it any other way.

It's also worth knowing that many English degrees have very few classes to attend so part time work is quite feasible. English is my degree subject and it has the advantage that if you enjoy reading, much of the work isn't work at all! While he's doing his degree, your husband should try to fit in some time in schools; this will help him decide between primary and secondary and improve his chances of getting a job. Whilst primary is harder to get into than secondary, there's a great shortage of men in this sector and this will be advantageous to him if he decides on this direction.

kevinbarry

I am quoting here from my new book, just came out in 2007.

"Finance and the more mature student
Mature students often have financial commitments over and above day-to-
day living expenses; the following are some way of helping to deal with
these.
- If you have dependent children, you can claim benefits from the
state while you are at university.
- If you are paying off a mortgage, think about changing to an
interest-payment-only version for your three years at university, as
this will reduce your monthly outlay.
- Have you a marketable skill that will allow you to earn part-time?
- Can you get a part-time job somewhere you worked before?
- Do you have any relatives or other contacts who can offer you
work?
....

Adjustment for the mature student

Boosting your self-confidence
You may feel insecure and uncertain, surrounded by all these bright eager
youngsters. You might worry that you have been away from school too
long and forgotten how to study. No problem! This book tells you how.
You can get a degree and a good one; all you need is confidence and hard
work – but you might have to keep reminding yourself of that. Age is not
a barrier to learning and, although it is a bit harder to take in new things
at fifty years of age than fifteen, it isn’t that much harder. We know that
people who go to university after they have been away from school score
better than those who go straight from school. And don’t be afraid that
you will be alone. Unless you are very unlucky, there should be plenty of
people around your age – mature students attend university in increasingly
large numbers.
Some older students fear that they will look foolish or lose face by
expressing a wrong opinion. If you have been housebound for years, you
may feel afraid to join in discussions or say what you think in case you are
laughed at. Fight this feeling! You are more likely to find that the younger
students take your word more seriously just because you are older and
more experienced. In fact, they’re often rather frightened of you, but will
rarely admit it. As a mature student you have many strengths – read on
and recognise them.

Maturity
Your greater age and experience of life mean that your attitudes are more
developed and you are likely to make quicker and better decisions than
young people. A sweat shirt I recently saw being worn by a female student
said “next semester I’ll be 35”, so she did not seem to mind no longer
being a teenager. In addition, you are not still in the process of growing
up, or subject to hormonal changes that can produce sudden swings in
emotions and moods, nor are you worried about the changes in your body
and feelings. You might no longer be in the grip of an intense sexual force
driven by the selfish gene and are probably not spending so much time
dreaming about or pursuing those wonderful but elusive sexual partners.

Motivation and the mature student
The determination to succeed is one of your main and sharpest weapons.
You will be a lot more motivated than many youngsters: you really want
to get that degree, you know what you are giving up in the form of
income, and are aware of the costs in family terms. All this means you are
prepared to work harder – and that is often worth more than mere
youthful exuberance.

Experience and skills
You are probably able to notice interlinkages or causes and effects more
easily than the less experienced fry swimming around you. On average,
you will also have better communication skills and be generally more
poised. The vicissitudes of life mean that you have had the rough corners
knocked off, survived office politics or factory humour, and perhaps
coped with the rearing of children. When faced with new ideas and
knowledge, many propositions that can startle an 18-year-old may seem
commonplace to you. A major plus is that the experience and wider
information you possess provide hooks on which you can easily hang new
knowledge and so learn more easily.

Sources of information you may have open to you
You are likely to have more friends and relatives with different
experiences that you can call on for help or with whom you can discuss
issues – and don’t forget your ex-colleagues from work.

A supportive partner
You are also more likely to have an understanding and helpful partner
than the typical 18-year-old, and he or she probably allows you enough
time to study as well as being able to strengthen your will to do so.

Financial security
You will probably be more financially secure than those coming straight
from school, which means that you may not need to take a part-time job
and work to supplement your income. If you have to work, you will
probably earn more per hour and so not have to work as long. You may
also be able to afford to buy all the textbooks and other recommended
material, whereas some of the young students will be forced to go without
or rely on finding those elusive library copies."

There's more, but this posting is too long already! Extract from
Going to University: the Secrets of Success, Kevin Bucknall, Exposure Publishing, April 2007, ISBN 978-1-84685-660-0

And good luck!

Outnumberedbysmallpeople

many thanks for all the advice- he's now considering several options, OU is a big possibility, also looking into several local universities & colleges which offer courses he would be interested in.

Between us I am certain we can suceed in juggling the children, working and his studying to achieve this!

(just a lovely feeling to have him finally motivated to go back and study)

PhatDad

He can definatley do it. I'm in the same boat however my wife works while i look after the children. I am dyslexic and didn't do well at school. I loved school and was there all the time I just didn't do well as I was not diagnosed. These last two years I've spent gaining the GCSE's and Access course to enable me to go to Uni in October.

It's hard work, there's no denying it but it will be worth it.

I'm starting an English with Creative Writing degree which a few years ago I never thought I'd be able to do it.

So if I can do it then your husband can. Oh and if he's doing it, why don't you? It's nice to be able to get away from the children for a few hours a week and spend time with adults talking about other things than what their children are better at than your children.

lindas66

Outnumberedbysmallpeople wrote: »

many thanks for all the advice- he's now considering several options, OU is a big possibility, also looking into several local universities & colleges which offer courses he would be interested in.
study)

I started an OU course in febuary of this year, and as i'm on benefits had all my course fees paid for me as well as a £250 study grant i was also offered £250 towards the cost of a new computer and just last week I had a letter offering to pay my internet fees while i am studying.

What a good incentive to go back and learn!!