Student Stories

Home Schooling, Student Stories

Many students leave school due to ill health. Is distance learning the answer?

Many students who have had to drop out of school due to illness find that distance learning works for them as a flexible alternative…
Student Stories

Deepening an interest in history through A level History of Art

NEC student Sarah has always loved studying and education, having taken 3 A levels at school and gone on to study history at University…
Student Stories

Top marks in GCSE Geography and GCSE Astronomy for retiree

David decided to study GCSE Geography and GCSE Astronomy with NEC during the pandemic as a result of the extra time he had at…
General, Student Stories

How did distance learning students do in A levels and GCSEs compared to those in schools?

NEC students achieved a high overall pass rate of 98.5% in both GCSEs and A levels. Background 2021 saw another year of exam cancellations…
Student Stories

GCSE French leads to a love for the language and an AS level!

Sarah decided to study GCSE French with NEC at the same time that her son was also taking his GCSEs at school. She wanted…
Student Stories

Three A levels alongside full time work allows NEC student to return to university for second degree

NEC students study with us for a variety of reasons, including choosing to take qualifications that will allow them to change career direction.  Yue…
Student Stories

A level French leads to career progression and a second chance at languages!

NEC student Edda’s story gives insight into the importance of lifelong learning and not letting criticism get you down. Having been told in Year…
Lifelong Learning, Student Stories

Is it possible to balance work and study?

You don’t have to have a career in mind to pursue your interests. Nikki was working full-time and had already achieved 10 GCSEs, 4…
Student Stories

A levels alongside full-time performing arts college leads to nursing at University of Southampton

With a part-time job and studying full-time at her local performing arts college, Kayleigh found that distance learning with NEC fit around her other…
Student Stories, Study Tips

How can studying improve your teaching?

As Head of Art at an academy in South East London, Aasha understands how difficult it has been for teachers to adapt to a…
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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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