Mine were not school age when I started, had a partner a home all night for night shifts and a childminder during the day. I received 85% of my childcare costs through nhs bursary.
It was ok, kids went to bed, I studied. First year was fine and split into four modules. Second year was grim, all the complications of pregnancy and it looked like the course would never ever end! Also became a single parent, bye bye night cover! Uni and clinical practice facilitator were fab in helping me change shifts. But you do need to ask for help, nothing is offered.
Third year flew by in a blink of an eye and all of a sudden I was qualified and I looked back thinking “how in gods name did I actually manage that”
Uni lectures were all uploaded online and you could read them at home and still get the hours (you have to complete a certain amount of combined uni/placement hours to pass the course) however if you failed an assignment and they found you were not turning up then you would be in the shit! However was handy for emergency childcare!
I went to all my kids plays etc when they starte school, I took a year out so took me a year longer when I broke up with ex! Just put a request in on my off duty, I think we were allowed 4 a month! The uni also tried (not always successfully) to match up our holidays with general school holidays.
Worst come to the worst I wouldn’t think twice of pulling a sicky during half term if no childcare (shock horror) but you do what you do to get by!
It’s the hardest but most rewarding thing I’ve ever done, don’t regret a minute of it - it’s a passion though and not for the faint hearted, you’ll know pretty soon into placement if you have made the right decision or not!
Last piece of advice, while waiting for uni applications etc look into volunteering or getting a job as a maternity support worker, it will give you a chance to save a bit of cash while seeing the true demands of the job!