“Coming to college was definitely the right option for me,” says 17-year-old Sophie Shaw who is half-way through the first year of a two year Level 3 early years educator certificate.
Sophie said: “Because my GCSE grades were so good I was able to go straight on to the Level 3 course, unlike at some other local colleges where I’d have had to start at Level 1 and work my way up. It felt great to be able to do that and it means that when I finish my course next year I’ll be able to go straight into a job.
“Being at college is completely different to school – the tutors treat you like an adult and are very supportive, and you are able to be more independent and responsible for your own learning.
“And having the opportunity to do work placements is a great way of getting experience in a range of settings such as nurseries and primary schools and helps you to decide which age group you’d like to work with in the future.”
