Student Stories

Student Stories

Tina enrolled with NEC to pursue a teaching career. She enrolled her teenage son for GCSEs.

Tina chose to enrol with NEC in 2016 in order to gain the qualifications needed to access a career in teaching. “I wanted to…
Student Stories

Vita gained an offer from the University of Oxford after gaining an A level online with NEC

Motivated by her desire to study chemistry at undergraduate level, Vita realised that she would need to take A level Maths, particularly if she…
Lifelong Learning, Student Stories

Try something new this year!

Throughout NEC’s history, many retired people have chosen to spend some of their new-found leisure time studying a subject that they’ve always been passionate…
Student Stories

Reaching for the stars with flexible online learning

Holly took the decision to leave mainstream education in Year 10 after struggling to cope in school. She has autism and suffered from anxiety…
Student Stories

Online A levels with NEC leads to BSc Political Science at University of Amsterdam

Mina started the International Baccalaureate but found that it didn’t afford her a lot of subject choice. Fitting the study schedule around her social…
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…
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Other articles...

General, Our Courses, SFT, Student Stories, Uncategorized

Balancing an A level with My Passion for Dance

In this third instalment of her learning story, Izzy brings us up-to-date with how studying for an A level alongside her full-time musical theatre…
General, Lifelong Learning, Policy and Campaigns

A Pathway to Success Beyond A levels: Why Level 4 and Level 5 Qualifications Matter

At the National Extension College (NEC), we’re dedicated to supporting learners as they take the next steps in their education and careers. For many…
Home Schooling, Lifelong Learning

Benefits of Homeschooling: Is Home Education Right for Your Family?

Over the years, homeschooling and home education has grown in popularity and is now a more accepted form of successful education. More and more…
General, Policy and Campaigns

Schools and Academies Show 2024: Insights for School Leaders

The Schools and Academies Show takes place twice a year, attracting 6,000 attendees. The event is committed to fostering innovation, inspiration and learning in…
General, Lifelong Learning, Our Courses

How NEC’s Inclusive Approach to Learning Design is Redefining Independent Learning

Hello, I’m Helen Davies. As the Online Learning Manager at the National Extension College (NEC), I’ve had the privilege of leading a project focused…
General, Our Courses

NEC’s Learning Design: A Pathway to Success for Independent Learners

If you’re considering studying for a GCSE or A level with the National Extension College (NEC), you may be wondering: how will NEC help…
General, working at NEC

Meet NEC’s Board of Trustees

Trustees play an essential role in leading and governing charities, offering their time and commitment to helping these organisations succeed. There are around one…
General

Chemistry Week 2024

Did you know that chemistry is at the heart of everything around us? It’s essential to everything we touch, wear, and use, from tackling…
General, Guest Blogs, Our Courses, SFT, Student Stories

Passion and Academics: How Izzy Balances Full-time Musical Theatre Studies with Studying A level Physics

Earlier this year we introduced Izzy who was embarking on a journey to fast-track her A level Physics studies with NEC. In the second…
General, Our Courses

Why Study Psychology? – Key Benefits, Careers and What You’ll Need to Study Psychology at University

Psychology is a fascinating and valuable field that offers insights into human behaviour, thought processes, and emotions. Whether you’re considering a career in psychology…
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