Amy had been working shifts in the care sector and wanted to apply for a degree in medicine. She didn’t leave school with quite the right qualifications for her dream course, and needed to gain some extra GCSEs. Her decision to enrol with NEC as a provider was based on the flexibility it offered to […]
Joe
NEC’s top courses for classics connoisseurs
The crowdfunded return of Time Team proves support for our interest in hidden histories. Although there has always been an interest in ancient history, the 2011 publication of The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and Mary Beard’s international bestseller SPQR in 2015 solidified an uptick of literature retelling the mythology of ancient Greece and […]
Changing keys: from jazz guitar at a conservatoire to an engineering degree at the University of Sheffield
Toby left school with a string of A*s at GCSE, but the experience of suffering a bereavement during his exams led him to abandon academic study in favour of music. After achieving a qualification in sound engineering at sixth form, Toby auditioned for a conservatoire and gained entry playing jazz guitar. He soon realised, however, […]
National Work Life Week 2021: finding time for professional development
National Work Life Week, established by the not-for-profit Working Families, takes place every year between the 11th and 15th of October. It is a chance to highlight wellbeing at work and the importance of achieving a work-life balance, this year gaining particular salience as a result of a new law that codifies the right to […]
NEC moves house: bigger premises and a brighter future
The National Extension College (NEC) is delighted to announce its expansion and relocation to new premises in the village of Sawston, Cambridgeshire. Since its foundation in 1963 by educationalists Michael Young and Brian Jackson, the college has occupied a number of offices in Cambridge, ranging from a humble “wooden hut” to a 19th-century Gothic building […]
National Poetry Day 2021: a whistle-stop tour through NEC English tutor Colin’s favourite poets and poems
Thursday, 7 October is National Poetry Day. To celebrate, we challenged NEC English tutor Colin to pick a favourite poem… Phew! This is the sort of thing one signs up to, only to find it’s rather complex! Favourite poem? I have lots. Favourite poet might be easier, but there’s still more than one. Perhaps it […]
The STEM home educator’s guide to navigating Biology Week and World Space Week
STEM educational weeks are only marginally better than buses: you wait for one and then suddenly it’s both Biology Week and World Space Week jostling for space in a seven-day overlap. If you’re anxiously scratching your head and wondering how best to combine these two extracurricular programmes in your child’s busy homeschooling timetable, you’ve come […]
Rediscovering self-belief through A level History of Art
When NEC student Rosa decided to give herself a second chance at further education, it was not for lack of success the first time round. She had achieved 11 GCSEs and 3 A levels with good grades, “so from an objective data point of view, it was positive”. At the same time, however, she hadn’t […]
Why study A level Economics?
In March 2016, we published a blog post outlining the benefits of studying Economics or Business at A level. The points we made remain relevant, but Economics is a dynamic subject and changes with the times. Five-and-a-half years and one pandemic later, why should you be looking to enrol on an A level Economics course in […]
Common misperceptions of distance learning
One common misperception is that distance learning students teach themselves, simply watching videos online. However, our courses, whilst flexible in the time that you can study them in, include assignments and tutor feedback on all work. This means that students do not simply teach themselves but are guided throughout their courses. “My daughter recently completed […]