“I completed my Level 3 children's workforce course at Carshalton College several years ago and enjoyed the experience and so chose to continue my education there.
I am the Nursery Manager at a local primary school. I chose this course to further develop my knowledge and career in Early Years Education. I aim to become a qualified Early Years Teacher and to use my knowledge to provide an outstanding early years provision for the children in my care.
I have attended Carshalton College previously and was impressed by the level of support students receive to achieve their goals at the college.
I enjoy attending classes with my tutor and classmates and learning about the historical development of early childhood education. It is very interesting to understand how the early years curriculum has been developed and I have used the pioneers' methods and theories to further improve my own provision.
My tutor has been excellent. Her lessons are engaging and thought provoking and she has been supportive of my academic workload in a difficult time, both personally and due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It has been a challenge to complete the first year of the course around a full-time demanding work role and my family life. I am fortunate to have a supportive partner and teenaged children who help with household chores. As both of my children are also studying presently, they are very supportive of my strict study timetable.
The course has helped me to better understand the theory behind the way early years education has been developed. It has also further developed my understanding of how children learn and potential theories / methods which may improve my provision.
I am about to start the second year of the undergraduate degree and intend to continue to an Early Years Teacher status.
My advice to anyone thinking on enrolling on this course is to devise a realistic timetable and stick to it! Secondly, stay on track and don't leave anything to the last minute. Thirdly, read lots of relevant professional journals and devise a good filing system so you can refer to them for information and quotes as you need them.
I have enjoyed returning to study as it has boosted my self-confidence and pride in my knowledge and abilities. I would recommend the course to anyone wishing to better understand their role in an early year's career.”
