If Not Fd Then What Next?

[kristina]

I have been seriously looking into the Foundation Degree and have a conditional offer on the table! However I have been along to the college for an informal chat and now really not sure if it's for me!

I own my Pre-School and I am in the ratio 4 days a week (1 day paperwork), the college have said that I would need to attend 2 days a week plus meet up with my group outside of college plus study time of about 15 hours a week!! Taking into account I would need to put additional staff in place (extra money to pay out!) plus find the time to study/meet up with group/pre-school paperwork I just cant see how it is possible

So if not the degree than what next? I have my NVQ3 and my A1 Award so maybe my NVQ4?

If not maybe someone who is done/doing the FD can suggest ways they have overcome some of the problems mentioned above, main one being finances and paying for extra staffing!

 

Kris

[Bigsue]

Hi

I am in the same position as you,(own group 5 days and all the hours at home etc etc etc) so I did mine FD the OU route coming to the end now.( i haven't enjoyed this last moduel its not what I thought it would be but has got me thinking and I have learnt a lot more than I first thought)

 

I was a transfer student so only did one year as I got credits from other qualifications. I am glad I am coming to the end its REALLY hard to juggle time needed, work, staff, and family but I believe if you want it go for it. BUT for YOU!!! not through pressure. You will need a supportive family and people on this forum are full of knowledge and do help.

I do take time out to study (today is one of them and Im on here) this however is costly and I need to budget it well. I know personally we won't have the income we currently have now in Sept, so its worked well for me and I can get it in budget. Local Authorities may still have money in their budgets for you to study it might be worth looking into?

 

My deputy did NVQ 4 and found it a challenge but loved it, she would do FD but family comitments do not allow, also I don't have the money to pay her the wage she would then deserve.

 

Good luck in what you decide

 

Sue

[Guest]

I have just finished my FD and it was one day a week in college and then study time.

 

I cannot honestly say I used 15 hours per week to study.

 

I worked full time too and I just read and wrote when I could.

 

I think its manageable but maybe the place you applied to isn't very flexible?

The sector endorsed early years degree I did was only for people already working in a setting/ with children.

 

Good luck with your decision!

[HoneyPancakes]

I'm looking at doing Certificate in Early Years Practice through Open University. The reason I've chosen this route is that I can do individual units and put them together at the end to make a degree. In the meantime I'll have some bits of paper in hand.

 

Have also discovered that a previous degree I have worked on, but not completed, may give me some credit, so might (but prob not) consider finishing an Open or General Degree and doing a Post Grad something afterward.

 

On the staffing issue, have you considered offering 'work experience' to other students on your course?

 

All the very best of luck with whatever you do,

 

Honey

[HappyMaz]

On the staffing issue, have you considered offering 'work experience' to other students on your course

But won't they be in college at the same time as kristina?

 

The OU would sound like it offers a good solution - you'd still need to put the hours in but without the regular college attendance. There are lots and lots of experienced OU-ers on here who can offer sound advice, but I'm afraid I'm not one of them.

 

When I did my Foundation Degree I attended college in the afternoon and evening after work (I'm a sessional group) and then when I did the top up I was lucky that I had really good practitioners who could run the setting on my college days. It was a good opportunity for them to 'step up' and for me to 'let go'. Mind you I'm still working on the last bit!

 

Good luck with whatever route you take!

[HoneyPancakes]

But won't they be in college at the same time as kristina?

 

Years above? Then Years below?

 

H

[HappyMaz]

Years above? Then Years below?

Sometimes I can be very dense!

[kristina]

Thanks for all the responses, I have considered the OU route but the reception teacher where my Pre-School is based done her first year of the degree with the OU and then swapped to college for the second year. She felt that it took a lot longer to do as when you finished 1 module you then needed to wait for the start date on the second module and also that she felt very alone doing it through the OU.

Hopefully someone who has gonde down the OU route will come along and prove me/her wrong!!

 

Kris

[Guest]

Hi

I am nearing the end of my FD with the OU.

Have learnt loads but you need to be quite organised and self disciplined to juggle study time, home and work. I like to be able to choose when to study etc.

Depending on the tutor you get can make or break a course though.

I liked the flexibility of the OU, and yes it has taken me much longer than going to college to do it. But I have never felt isolated at all. I have a great bunch of OU friends made at the tutorials and through the OU forums, those who live a distance from me remain good email buddies to this day.

The tutorials can be variable - some are fantastic some are not helpful at all, (again dependent on your tutor) but with the OU you can attend different tutorials to the one you are allocated.

There is loads of fantastic OU support on this site too - those of you know who you are, and I am forever grateful for their continued support.

Hope this helps

[kristina]

Ok still don't know which way to go!!

I really want to do my FD but cant decide between college or ou route!

I do have commitments as mentioned previously as I own and run my own setting so with college I am concerned about missing classes due to either staff shortages/problems/dreaded Mrs O etc etc. So the OU looks better from that point of view, however looking on the OU website it looks like there are 4 units to complete in total, each one lasting 9 months and not running back to back! So I assume it will take 4 years instead of 2 to complete the FD through OU? But from a financial point of view it looks like it will be cheaper to complete through the OU than at college, my college are asking £4000 for the 2 years.

There are pros and cons to both routes, also the college I have applied to aren't sending interview letters out until May, and if I want to apply for funding that needs to be sent in before!!

So many questions and so confused!!

I am really hoping someone who has studied through the OU will come along and tell me it doesn't take as long as it looks!!

Although I want to do this for purely selfish reasons, so there isn't a timescale involved!!

 

HEEELP!!

 

Kris

[Guest]

Friends on here will know that I am a massive fan of the Liverpool Hope University degree BA(Hons) Early Years Management. It's all done via distance learning, going up to Liverpool for 1 day a year during it. You can do FD first and then top up to a BA(Hons). I did my degree this way, as did others on this fab site, it is a management degree rather than a specific early years degree.

 

Give it a Google; I honestly can't recommend it enough (I should be on a commission!!!)

[kristina]

Thanks Janny1960 that's another one to think about and add to the mix!!

[kristina]

Hi Janny1960

 

Just wanted to let you know that the Liverpool Hope University are no longer running the Fda management in childcare provision, apparently this is due to lack of funds!! Have googled and cant find anyone else offering it let alone as a distance learning course!

Thanks anyway.

 

Kris

[hali]

my friend really struggled with the OU route - felt very isolated and i was shocked that she could only use OU books for reference

[SueJ]

Hi Kris

 

I too own my own group - term time only and am just coming up the the halfway point in my BA Hons Top Up having finished the FdA last year. I took the college route as I enjoy studying with others rather than solo - I have a friend doing OU now and another student on the Hons Top Up who did OU FdA. Both have said that the OU route requires considerable self discipline and motivation and you don't have the benefit of peer support like you do attending a regular college/uni course.

 

There's no getting away from the fact that it's hard work - I have spent the last four years catching up on setting paperwork over weekends and evenings in an effort to juggle work load.

 

Agree with Maz about staff stepping up to the plate when you are away from the setting - it has done them all good and my deputy has flourished without me being there all the time.

 

Just to add another line of thought for you - as the owner/manager of my setting I don't like the idea of being reliant on an EYP who may not be quite as committed to the setting as they don't share the same vested interest. In my local authority area our new provider contracts state that it is compulsory to have an EYP working in the setting. This puts any potential EYP employee in a position of having a bit of a hold over the setting especially if they were to leave (for whatever reason) as you have to find another one PDQ !!

[Guest]

my friend really struggled with the OU route - felt very isolated and i was shocked that she could only use OU books for reference

 

Hi,

 

I'm sorry your friend didn't get on with the OU, I guess different routes suit different people.

I am currently doing the OU Certificate (course E100) and I am very happy with the OU materials and support. Yes, you do have to be self-disciplined, and yes, it is HARD work (that's why I'm procrastinating here instead )

What I like best about the OU is their attitude; I find the materials quite progressive (esp. compared to my DPP). I don't know why your friend thought you could only use OU books for reference, that is certainly not the case for my course. Maybe some kind of mis-understanding?

 

Kristina, I hope you will find a way to continue your studies which will suit you.

 

x Titania

[Guest]

Kristina; that's such a shame that Liverpool Hope are no longer running the course; damn cutbacks and no funding! It really was a superb course!!

Very sad! Hope you manage to find something just as good!

[Guest]

Hi am doing the ou route.. I aslo have got credit transfer so an currently studying the E105. I wish I had not bothered it is such a boring and tedious coure with the course matetials and the TMAs that dont make sense. You can only referance form the course materials and course readers they recommend . So far me even though I have to carry on this way I hate it.

 

I miss having group discussions and resarching in the libary plus getting to know other students instead of through a forum.

 

Sorry rant over

Blue

[Cait]

have you looked to see if there's a facebook group for your course - I know it's aonly a forum, but you are away from the moderators and can chat a bit more freely and have a moan! My last course with OU had a good facebook group and I actually found that a lot more helpful than the OU group. YOu can get to know each other 'virtually' as much or as little as you are comfortable with

[Guest]

'I don't know why your friend thought you could only use OU books for reference, that is certainly not the case for my course. Maybe some kind of mis-understanding?'

 

I am currently doing my FD with OU, I am currently doing my 4th module and there I have only been able to refer to outside sources for two of the courses. It really depends on your tutor, the OU prefer you to only reference their own material, however some tutors are happy for you to use other sources. At one time I was doing 2 courses at the same time and on one course could refer to outside materials and on the other couldn't use anything that wasn't in the course materials so things got VERY confusing!

 

My husband is in the forces so the OU option was the only way for me as we have moved twice, but my studies have not been interupted, but if I had an option I would have done it through a college where I could have got some peer support and completed it in half the time!

Edited April 11, 2011 by Guest

[kristina]

Hi Footychick

Can I ask how long it has taken you to complete (or almost!) through the OU, I'm still in two minds what to do so I am thinking of sighning up for the E100 and at least this is a relevant level 4 if I decide to go no further!

 

Kris

[Guest]

Hi Kris

 

It has taken me quite a while, but I have been doing other courses in between (the advantage of doing it with the OU) I did E123 & E124 together which has now been replaced by E100, I then did my level 2 optional course, currently doing E105 with E210 left to do. I know some people have managed to do their E105 and their level 2 course at the same time which would reduce the time it takes to complete, but that is a serious amount of work if you are working full time.

 

Had I not taken any breaks it would hae taken 4 years doing one course per year. The flexibility has been great for me, however I would have loved to have done the course at college and had people to bounce ideas off in a classroom. You do have tutor sessions and forums (and facebook forums which I find great) but given the choice it would have been college route for me.

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I managed my own pre school setting for 8 years and like you was torn between the NVQ4 and Fd. I had places on both courses and in the end I felt it would be more beneficial for me to do the Fd. I was working 4 days a week and the 5th day was at college and spent a lot of my weekends writing assignments. Please don't let that put you off as the course changed my life. I have since completed my BA Hons in Early Years Studies and yesterday graduated from my year long PGCE in Primary with Early Years. Today I am on my way to meed my new class of 30 little darlings at my new school as their teacher.

 

When I began my journey I was just looking to being better qualified for my management position and now I am a fully qualified teacher all in the matter of 6 years.

 

If you want to continue in management then I would suggest the NVQ 4 is the way to go. If you want something more in a different direction then the Fd is the way to go.

 

Net