To be clueless on such an essential subject

[Littlemuster]

My DM and DF did not attend secondary school. DM has been on benefits her entire life. DF worked very hard for many years in a labour heavy night time job, fell ill and has been on benefits ever since.
My older sibling dropped out of school around 14, had a brief job and claimed benefits ever since.
My DM took me out of school at 12 years old although I wanted to attend. She told the LA authority she was home educating me although really she bought some textbooks and gave them to me to read.
I've tried really hard to teach myself enough to fit in socially and actually think I would have done incredibly well in education.
I'm now early 30's - was pregnant with my eldest at 15 - have been on benefits for 15 years but really want a different life. Desperate for it.
Where do I even start? No education, no experience.

You write so well and are clearly very intelligent.

Hats off to you for your drive, and for all you have done so far. Your children should be immensely proud of you.

I have no practical advice about the educational ladder, but for a possible career, how do feel about staying in the area you show promise in - the photography? Art schools offer all sorts of avenues into interesting work, like graphic design, photography, theatre (costumes, props, etc).

I have a cousin who is a police crime photographer - not pleasant work for the most part and not at all artistic but it pays for her flat and car, and she does more arty work in her own time. She will have a police pension in the heel of the hunt. She had A levels in art, physics and English iirc.

Set your sights high.
Do English, maths and science GCSEs and take it from there. You might well be able to get all the way to obstetrics. You could also consider midwifery, and progress to a senior role in that profession. There are also allied healthcare roles like occupational therapy or physical therapy, or speech/language therapy.

Don't be afraid to pick up the phone and talk to admissions staff in colleges or universities about where you want to go and how to get there, even questions about financing it all. Colleges or universities might offer aptitude testing or direct you to reputable places that offer it.

I second the advice from a PP not to attempt coursework on your own. Do classes. You will benefit from the academic guidance of teachers and from the camaraderie of fellow students.

I think the best thing to do is probably to attend your local further education college and take courses in Maths, Science and English; probably starting with GCSE courses.

From there you can apply for a one-year 'Access to Higher Education' course in a subject area that you are interested in. For this you can apply for a government funded 'Advanced Learner Loan' to cover the entire course cost. If you then go on to University you will not have to pay back that loan.

During your Access course you apply to University through UCAS.
Again you can apply for Student Finance England or SAAS (if in Scotland) funding for the entire cost of your course and you will only have to pay it back if you earn over £25,000 a year and even then only in small monthly payments.

It will be really inspirational for your daughter to see you breaking the mould and following your chosen career path. Also you are still young and will still have 30+ years of career progression after graduating and before retirement.

Absolutely investigate GCSE courses. I also think you should share your story with your DC. Be a great role model and normalise hard work, sacrifice and commitment to improving a situation through your determination and putting yourself out there.

My mum didn't finish secondary. She never had any desire to do anything about it and found excuse after excuse about why she couldn't possibly take the risk of trying to learn.

The very best of luck to you!

Which benefits are you on? Have you a work coach? I would have thought they would have access to some training opportunities. Good luck!

I did my gcse maths and English in my early 40s free at my local adult education centre. Because of this, I have a much better job. Go for it, you can start in September.

Read.
Read read read - anything and everything.

As you have no qualifications you will be able to do Level 2 / GCSE maths and English with no fees.

I doubt you could get to be an obstetrician, not impossible but unlikely.

Would you be interested in being a midwife?

If so have a look for an access course, Access to Nursing and Midwifery is a Level 3 qualification, you will have to take out a student loan but you might get help with childcare and at the moment I think you can still stay on benefits while you study - although that is subject to change.

Some access courses you can do GCSE English, maths and science at the same time. It is one year full time study or two years part time. It is designed for mature learners to get them into university.

www.derby-college.ac.uk/careers-courses/course-search?controller=courses&task=details&cid=---%20All%20---&courseType=Part-time%20adult&courseid=13575&searchKeyword=&ItemId=1315&currarea=1

If you started in September you could be in uni the following October.

Your local FE college will have people who can advise you. Maybe look at doing GCSEs this coming academic year and then see how you want to go.

And good luck

Lots of GCSE evening classes are free if you haven't already got a grade C in that subject. Have a look for evening classes at your local adult education centre.

Just wanted to recommend the Khan academy website as a possible starting point for maths (although they do a few other courses too). It has tutorial videos and you work through levels of each subject area at your own pace: www.khanacademy.org/
Good luck - you sound amazing!

You found great op! :)

Sound

I'm sorry you were so let down by your family and the 'system' that missed that you were not being educated.

You do write and spell very well. You are clearly articulate. And young. I'm ten years older than you and (although I have the advantage of education) have had a fair few career changes in my time. Smooth linear paths are becoming increasingly uncommon, I think.

Good advice about adult ed and access courses above. Nursing would be a good route if you are interested in becoming an HCP. I think midwifery is very competitive, but there's no reason why you shouldn't give it a shot.

I've taught at a higher education institution and the mature students (and those who had done vocational training before going on to study) were invariably among the brightest, most focused and ultimately most successful - the ones who really stuck out with their attitude and the results they achieved.

All the very best to you.

In my area, there are children's centres which have a family learning team. They help parents who are in your situation to get back into education, and will get you the point of GCSEs in Maths and English, and give you advice about what the best option for higher legend of education would be. I don't know what's available these days, but when I was at university the were several people I one who hadn't done A levels but had done a university access course instead. One of them went on to do a PhD at Oxford.

I admire your drive, determination & willingness to do whatever it takes. I’m sorry you were deprived of a good education when you were younger, but I’m very impressed that you’re determined to break the cycle for your children. Don’t be ashamed of who you are though, there’s no reason they shouldn’t know that you were taken out of education so young, but that you are making up for that now by studying. That doesn’t ‘normalise’ it, it just shows them you have drive & ambition.

I think you should find out what you’d need to do, in your situation, to be an obstetrician. You’re only early 30’s (at the most), I don’t think you’ve gone past the point of no return with that yet.

Early 30’s should in no way be on the shelf for a serious career. Science A levels, a medical degree and a two year foundation course. It’s possible! Big fucking ask - you must like a challenge - but it could be done!

Sorry for all the optimists but going from no qualifications, in your 30s to obstetrician is really not going to happen.

You would need to get to A grade A levels for starters, plus sit med school admission test - and currently OP as at no GSCEs with no study skills.

You are then looking at 5 years med school, 2 years Foundation year training, then a minimum of 7 years of specialty training.

So OP would be qualifying as an obstetrician at best at the age, most were planning to retire.

Sorry to be a massive party pooper. I agree with suggestions to start out with Maths and English, get a taste of studying, see what's out there and then go for it. Maybe qualifications in photography to build on your natural talent?

I was an unconventional medical student, I think you can get in up to age 41 or 42.

Medical training to consultant level is shorter than it was in the past, 2 years foundation training, then 6 years speciality training. You have to decide whether this would be worth it for you.

Adam Kay recently wrote a book, "This is going to hurt" about what it is like to train to be an obstetrician, it would be worth reading it to decide if this would really be for you. To be honest, it would be a hard slog.

It might be though that you would be eligible for some bursaries along the way.

If you would rather go down a less demanding but still very interesting route, Ruskin College Oxford is specially for people with few or no qualifications to start with, and I think would be an awesome experience.

Most people don’t retire in their 50’s!

I work in a college and I know if you called them and explained you weren’t sure what courses there were or what you needed to do or how to get on to them, they’d arrange for you to come in to see someone from admissions who could talk through all the options in a friendly environment and not judge you one little bit or ask questions about your past. In case that’s daunting for you. I’ve done a little bit of admissions before and I can say categorically that everyone is really committed to getting students on the best course for them, and even school leavers often come with no real idea of what courses they want to do.

I did science A levels in 1 year to get in for medicine, but then had had quite an academic experience in other subjects first.

If you were able to do GCSEs in 1-2 years and then A levels in 1 -2 years, that would take you to ?? around 35.

You could be medically qualified by 40-41 and a consultant by your late 40s, if all went well. Colleagues just starting out expect to work till late 60s, so this would be 20 years of well paid professional work (very very well paid if you did any private work).

Going back to your post about needing qualifications to be a photographer, OP. You don’t. You could set up and run a business as a wedding/christening/family photographer and make a good living from it while setting a great example to your kids. Some college courses in maths/business management alongside that, and you’d be set!

As PPs have said, try Jobcentre and local college for GCSEs, but what I want to say is keep telling everyone you come into contact with about your story. They will bend over backwards to help you, because it is so unfair you were denied your education. You will get great guidance (you will also probably hit a few bumps, but please don't give up). You may be able to see a careers adviser to try to make sure that whatever path you take, you waste as little time as possible.
My mum was forced to leave school and get a job by her family at 16, as was normal for people of their class. In her thirties with three kids she managed to do O Levels, A Levels and get her degree. It took her ten years, but she ended up in a job she loved and was really suited to. Wishing you lots of luck

The OU is brilliant but I don't think its for the OP at this stage.
That might be hard for people to understand if they have had a decent level of education.

I had never written an essay or taken notes. I didn't know anything about referencing.
I didn't know how to read a text book.
I finished secondary school, just.
If the op was removed at 12 she is going to need a foundation before she starts a degree.
Or the first year will be pretty much working out what goes where.

That will be very stressful.

Much better IMO to start off with GCSEs or some sort of access course if possible.
I think the extra year or two will be worth it in the long run.

Good luck OP.

I'm sorry you had a difficult childhood and think it's fab that you are so driven. I used to work in adult education and saw manually people with similar stories turn their lives around, and I have huge respect for them. It sounds like you have creative talent and it might be possible to develop this if you had dome business skills along side. E.G. Freelance wedding photographer. However, this is quite risky and it sounds like financial security is a high priority. It's good you live in a big city, I think you need to talk with someone who can give you some suggestions. A vocational course might be good as they have a clearer path to employment. If you have a Workers Educational Association they are excellent as a starting point. IME mature students are valued as they tend to be highly motivated. Once you have some ideas you can start down a path and just keep going. I wish you all the luck in the world.

I can promise you nobody in medicine is planning to work until their late 60s. Everybody has a get out early plan.

People in their early 20s might be. Those in their 40s are definitely not. The pace is not sustainable.

I am not in Obs and Gyne, but certainly have consultant colleagues full time in their 60s. Most looking to retire earlier do not retire completely but keep their hand in doing some sort of private/ specialist work. There is a system where you can get a pension but also come back to work a few days a week, and the NHS is desperate for specialist HCPs so these skills are much in demand.

The medical pensions have changed (big topic) and early retirement is much more difficult for people just coming into the profession. People in their 40s who have been in the system for decades might look to retire early, but anyone just starting out would struggle to do that.