Joe

Guest article: “An A level in art history can open up many possibilities”

Guest article: “An A level in art history can open up many possibilities”

No-one ever told me that there was a subject called ‘art history’ when I was at my school in Yorkshire, I had to wait until I discovered it at University. I changed my degree choice from English to the subject that I have had the joy of teaching and researching for the last 25 years […]

Adult education is on its knees: ‘Let’s hope when the dust settles on the General Election, policy makers will take heed’

Adult education is on its knees: ‘Let’s hope when the dust settles on the General Election, policy makers will take heed’

No one can doubt that times are tough for adult learners. Since 2003 there are 2 million fewer adults in publicly funded further education, and more than half the part-timers have gone from higher education, with devastating consequences for the Open University in particular.  At the same time British firms, unlike their European colleagues, have […]

The future is digital for A level History of Art

The future is digital for A level History of Art

Yesterday (12th November), I attended the official launch event of our online A level History of Art course, held at The Grammar School at Leeds, one of the project’s academic partners. Griselda Pollock (pictured above), Professor of Social and Critical Histories of Art at the University of Leeds, delivered a lecture to students from schools […]

How has the Brexit referendum affected A level Politics intake?

How has the Brexit referendum affected A level Politics intake?

Academics at several universities confirmed “the Brexit effect” was driving a boom in applications for both politics and international relations degrees.* It is no surprise that since the 2016 Brexit referendum, and no doubt Donald Trump’s election in the US, there has been a general increase in people’s political awareness. In terms of education, this […]

World Mental Health Day 2019

World Mental Health Day 2019

World Mental Health Day is a day to show support for better mental health and to raise awareness of the importance of looking after your own wellbeing. Mental health is just as important as physical health. Worry and stress can lead to mental health problems such as anxiety or depression. Likewise, having a mental health […]

NEC launches new IGCSE Double Science🚀

NEC launches new IGCSE Double Science🚀

“I have found studying by distance learning a rewarding yet challenging experience. Studying in this way lets you choose your own hours to study and go through the course at your own time. I have enjoyed being in control of my learning” – Emma, NEC science student. In response to student demand, the National Extension […]

From GCSEs with NEC to a Psychology Access to Higher Education Course 

From GCSEs with NEC to a Psychology Access to Higher Education Course 

School was always a struggle for me. I (as well as my twin sister) was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease when I was around 12 and, as a result, I suffered with depression and anxiety. I never got to sit my GCSEs during school because my attendance was so low. After a few years of getting […]

GCSE Results of NEC students released today

GCSE Results of NEC students released today

“Self-study made me realise that learning never stops. It’s not a race, not a sprint, not even a marathon, but it’s a lifelong journey.” – Natalia (who took her GCSEs with NEC this summer). Among the 5.2 million (Ofqual, 2019) GCSE entries this year are thousands of adult and young learners who enter their examinations […]

Learning never stops. It’s not a race, not a sprint, not even a marathon, but a lifelong journey

Learning never stops. It’s not a race, not a sprint, not even a marathon, but a lifelong journey

I first started homeschooling because I found my grades and morale slipping in mainstream school. This, however, did not mean I hated learning. On the contrary, I loved learning and the extra curricular school activities such as debate and choir, but the school environment and people in it really put me off learning. I was […]