To ask how she can become a pediatric nurse with no GCSE's?

[AuntieNurse85]

Niece 16 who I have fostered for 2 months and will foster for the forseeable. Didn't go to school for past 2 years as mother was neglectful and was more interested in boyfriends and alcohol than driving her to school which she couldn't get to alone. Niece has coped amazingly well with this and is keen to focus on her education despite having no GCSE's. She wants to become a pediatric nurse and is very passionate about it and says it's all she wants to do.

She has a place on an "Entry to Care" foundation course at the local college where she will take English and Math's GCSE alongside studying health and social. Originally we read that she could progress from foundation to Level 1, 2, then 3 and either get an apprenticeship in the subject or that uni's will accept her having completed Level 3. However niece has been looking online (As I said, she is v v passionate about it and I'm so proud of her. I want to make sure she takes the best route into it.) and has said that the vast majority of uni's are demanding 5 GCSE's and at least 2 A Level's. And apprenticeships apparently are scarse and require more and more each year and she's saying she doesn't want to work hard only to be turned away from work in 4/5 years because the requirements have changed.

So, what's the best route through? A friend has suggested scrapping the Health and Social care foundation and instead having her study 5 GCSE's this year. However college only offers GCSE courses to 16-18 students who've already took the exam and failed. She's only being offered English and Maths there. The foundation college course is only 3 days a week as well and me and niece both agree that those other 2 days need to be filled up with studying. I want her to get those 3 other GCSE's (esp a science) but I'm not sure the best way. Is she best of staying on the course for E+M and using the 2 free days a week studying for 3 others? If so how can we sort out the 3 others? Or is it worth scrapping the course (my friend has described it as a dead end course and says college is lying about finishing level 3 being enough for her to get into uni/an apprenticeship when she has no A levels) and having her spend the next year studying 5 GCSE's intensely and then progressing onto A levels? She is v clever and determined so I have no doubt she'll pass. Would like to request nobody replies saying how she shouldn't bother because "the NHS is unstable" or "the pay is shit" as we've both dealth with it in real life and I don't want to hear it. This is her dream job.

Advice much appreciated. As I said earlier, I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can to help her achieve her dream. I don't feel she should have to settle for less. Not sure if relevent but feel someone may ask, I work full time in an office and am also a single parent to a toddler who is in nursery. Finances aren't great but I can scrape together a fair bit for studies.

She needs to write to the NMC and ask.

Or call a University and ask their advice. Admissions to nursing staff would be very helpful I'd imagine and she sounds like she'd be a great nurse.

@endofthelinefinally Nurse and Midwivery council? She's researched a lot on the website but I'll tell her to email them. Good suggestion.

Go to your local college and sit down with an adviser and talk to them. I worked in a sixth form and that rule about only taking resits is just guidance, not a rule. I would ask if she could take 3 this year and 3 next year, given the level of work needed. You must mention the fact she's been in care - that is really important for them to know.

Your niece is lucky to have you and she sounds like a great young lady.

I'm no expert, but if you can find somewhere for her to take a complement of GCSES I would do that. She's really young still and the traditional route still gives her plenty of time. She will need GCSE s when applying for jobs, so better to do then now rather than later.

NMC or call a university admissions for a paediatric course and ask them what she’s need in a few years

As a sixteen year old (first year at College) she will have to study full time hours. This will be Maths and English GCSE plus a vocational course e.g. Health and Social Care (this is how FE works). For Nursing she will need GCSE Maths and English plus level 3 in a subject like Health and Social Care. It is likely to take 3 years from level 1. Science GCSE would be helpful but likely to be an additional evening course.

It’s not the NMC that set entry requirements but individual universities, see this website for more details.

Some universities offer 4 year courses with a Foundation year that will have different entrance requirements.

Does the college not offer GCSEs as evening class options ?

Definitely agree with PPs about contacting the uni. Often their entry requirements are tailored towards school leavers and for mature students/students who haven’t taken the traditional route to university they do vary. For example it could be that after the level three course she would have to take an access course. Unis are always eager to recruit bright and passionate students, see if she can set up a meeting with someone in the midwifery department of your local uni and go from there.

Good luck to her, she sounds like a brilliant young woman.

Yes definitely phone Admissions Teams at universities offering the course she wants to do. Remember that they all have different entry requirements so don't just phone one. Phone a few, explain the situation and you'll start to get a picture of the various paths to university entry. Good luck!

You can do an Access to nursing course at 18 which is a level 3 qualification and will grant you access onto a nursing degree at most universities. It’s designed for people who got poorer qualifications at school.
You can also enter nursing via the HCA route as a nursing apprentice the advantage being you will get paid a HCA wage while you learn. I know a lot of Trusts are looking to recruit nurses via this route rather than from university.

YANBU to ask but you may get better advice from more knowledgeable posters in a different board such as one of the Education, Employment or HCP ones rather that every randomer with an opinion, but possibly no knowledge, that you often come across in AIBU.

OP, is your niece with you as private fostering, or under a care order? Universities will consider students from disadvantaged backgrounds and if she can explain in her personal statement about a family breakdown and moving around at GCSE year she might be granted some flexibility if she has the potential.

There is no apprenticeship access to nursing it is degree only. There are however many unis which offer the course with a foundation year (so 4 years altogether but without the requirement for A levels)

Best idea is to find the course on your nearest unis website and check entry requirements or email them directly.

Yes the NHS is stressful but who has a stress free job?! I'm adult qualified and it is the best thing I did, nursing is so diverse you can do anything from ward work to non clinical/office based work, there is so much chance for progression and further education. I currently work in the private sector however have worked in the NHS previously, you just choose what suits you best!

Hth :)

Looking on the UCAS website the first 3 unis I looked at accepted lots of different qualifications instead of A Levels, including BTEC National Diplomas in Health/ science / social science and access to HE courses.

However some do ask for at least English and maths GCSEs and other ask for 5 GCSEs which must include English, science and either maths GCSE or level 2 functional skills.

I would scrap the care course and focus on the 5 GCSEs this year and then complete an access to HE course. Have you enquired with all the local Colleges and/or the ones further afield and explained the situation as they maybe able to arrange something. Completing the GCSEs will freshen up her study skills ready for more intensive work.

Runningbackwards She's doing a vocational Health and Social care course where Maths and English GCSE's are offered alongside. College insists the course is only 3 days a week. If she finishes this entry level and passes both GCSE's at the end of the academic year am I right in thinking she'll then move up a level? And eventually get on to and complete level 3?

One thing that's certain is that she's going to spend time (ideally the 2 free weekdays but maybe weekend or evenings) studying Biology and I will either find a centre where she can do that or if there is none I will pay for a tutor and organise and exam centre come next June. She will not be missing out on a Biology GCSE.

I have a relative who got onto a nursing course 4 years ago with Health and Social Care - the level you do instead of A levels - so level 3 I think. She had offers from several universities.
Unfortunately it seems to be very difficult to do GCSEs and A levels once you've left school these days....
Good luck to your niece - she sounds inspirational...

There is no apprenticeship access to nursing it is degree only
No longer true. The apprentice route is via the Nursing Associate role is a level 5 apprenticeship which is the equivalent of a degree.

You are both great :)

I guess things are so different now that education at that age is compulsory. Sounds like there’s no way for her to do all GCSEs this year unless somewhere else can offer this?

Remember she doesn’t have to get the GCSE’s first. She could keep doing what she’s doing now and then 1 or 2 GCSEs per year at evening classes / self study, or after her qualification is done she could take a year to take more GCSEs and work part time, some work experience may help her application too?

I'd go the GCSE's and A-level route. I really believe she has a better chance of being accepted on to a good nursing degree course at a good college/University this way. Foundation up to level 3 of the Entry to Care wouldn't be my route at all- especially for a bright student. I know at the end it's classed as equivalent to 2/3 A-levels but I question whether all institutions really regard it as such and I'd be worried she'd be overlooked in favour of applicants with traditional GCSE's and A-levels at University application process.

I'd go the GCSE's and A-level route

But as education at that age is compulsory now, will anyone offer a year 12 child GCSEs from scratch?

Call a couple of university admission teams. They have the best knowledge - I used to work in one and we did accept Heath & Social Care but students needed to have studied certain modules so they did need to know in advance.

My friends dd is on a nursing apprenticeship, she needed 5 GCSEs including maths and English but nothing more. Most universities allow entrance to degrees via a foundation course in lieu of a levels but I think 5 GCSEs remains in place - doing the course this year plus maths and English, then pick up one extra gcse, the following year do the remaining two so she had 5 including maths, English and integrated science (ideally then a humanity is good and something else that interests her)

There is no apprenticeship access to nursing it is degree only.
This isn't strictly true, there is now an apprenticeship program being rolled out in many trusts which will finish with a BSc nursing degree. This is pretty new but it's supposed to plug the hole in the shortage of nurses.