Student Stories

Student Stories

Aspiring medic uses distance learning with NEC to prepare for her GCSEs from Ukraine

Sanya had been attending school in Edinburgh before the Covid-19 outbreak; the first five months she spent distance learning were more of an urgent…
Student Stories

Lesley retired and moved to Italy where she took her love of art history online

Lesley took early retirement in April 2020 and moved to Italy. Prior to that she had worked as an engineer for about 30 years…
Student Stories

CMI qualification with NEC supports NHS career development

Rhiannon works for the NHS as a Business Manager and prior to enrolling with NEC was supporting a senior Director of Nursing who was…
Student Stories

Fitting in GCSEs between care shifts

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…
Student Stories

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…
Student Stories

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…
Student Stories

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…
Our Courses, Student Stories

Why study psychology and sociology?

Psychology and sociology are fascinating subjects for anyone interested in human behaviour and how we act within society.  A level Psychology focuses on big…
General, Our Courses, Student Stories

From a career in mental health services to childcare, Karen progressed her childcare career with NEC

Having worked in adult mental health services, Karen wanted to go in a new direction. She now works in childcare and her employer supported…
Student Stories

A level Biology makes career progression hope a reality

At NEC, we aim to help students achieve their goals. We love to help students to advance their careers by gaining the essential qualifications…
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Other articles...

General

Embracing Green Careers: Shaping a Sustainable Future

In an era defined by environmental challenges, the importance of green careers has never been more critical. At National Extension College (NEC), we recognise…
Podcast

ADHD in the Classroom

In this podcast episode, which you can listen to on our Podbean page, the hosts National Extension College’s CEO Esther Chesterman and Samreen Shah…
General, Policy and Campaigns

Connex Education Academy and the National Extension College announce new partnership

Connex Education Academy, who offer a wide range of online learning have announced a new partnership with the National Extension College.  Connex Education Academy…
General

Introducing Issue 1 of our new newsletter NEC News

The National Extension College (NEC) has launched a new newsletter NEC News to keep you up-to-date with developments at NEC.  In the first issue…
Home Schooling

Homeschooling or Home Education; is there a difference?

Homeschooling and home education are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. In this blog post, we…
Policy and Campaigns

Thoughts on OEAS

The National Extension College (NEC) welcomes the decision by the Department for Education (DfE) to introduce an accreditation scheme for online education providers in…
General

The importance of Maths in everyday life and unconventional careers

As an online education organisation that delivers Maths A Levels, GCSEs, and Functional Skills, we are passionate about the importance of mathematical skills in…
Lifelong Learning, Policy and Campaigns

University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education offers tuition fee bursaries for NEC students for 2023-2024

The Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) and NEC  are once again collaborating to offer a 100% tuition fee bursary for the 2023-2024 academic year. …
Podcast

The Importance of Mindfulness in Education

In this podcast, Esther Chesterman and Samreen Shah speak with Dr Helen Maffini, an expert in mindfulness and social-emotional learning, about the importance of…
Study Tips

Motivation to Study

In recent years, online learning has become increasingly popular as technology has advanced and more people have access to the internet. The National Extension…
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