Open university

[thatguiltyfeeling]

I'm considering doing open University and was wondering if anybody had any experience of this they'd be willing to share as I don't want to get into debt but the courses be really hard to follow so I'm more likely to mess up. I've found the course I want to do ( Diploma of Higher Education in Childhood and Youth Studies) because I have no qualifications past a level 2 childcare and so I want to try to get myself back into study and self learning before I try a proper degree

This is 4 years part time so you are delaying a degree by quite a long period. It’s 2 years full time. I assume you have the required work setting for the course. No qualifications are needed but there are other requirements.

If you haven't studied beyond Level 2, you will be advised to start with an Access module - that will give you a good idea whether you can follow the courses via distance learning.

The open university is good, but I would say although it's set up for people to have different entry points, nothing above vocational level 2 would be quite a jump.

Years ago they did entry level modules but I'm not sure if they do them now. If not, an access course might be a good starting point

The course I've named above is a kind of access course, it teaches one general topic and then you choose another in a more specified area that you want to develop. This would give me the UCAS points to then either continue with open University or possibly go to an actual uni.
Thank you everyone for your replies 😊

The course the op mentions does not require qualifications above level 2. However I think the jump is quite big so a study skills course could be beneficial.

Most OU undergraduate courses don't require any prior qualifications. (That's one off the OU's USPs :) )

However if you've not studied for a while, it's recommended that you start with an Access module (which is at a lower level that the modules in the qualification OP has highlighted). It would be worth looking at www.open.ac.uk/courses/do-it/ready-for-success for more guidance.

That's the sort of thing I was thinking of redsky. It's a long time since I looked at studying with them. I'm glad they still offer something like that.

The DipHE is the first two years of a degree, you wouldn't do that and then start a 'proper' degree, as you'd already be two thirds of the way there.

I'd second the advice on access courses above. Use it as an opportunity to get back into a study pattern, and to develop academic writing skills.

I finished my level 2 July 2018 so not ages and ages ago but long enough that I'm probably going to take a little while to get back into the routine of self study.
I'll look into study courses first, I can't start that course until October next year anyway so I might as well make use of my time getting myself ready for it.
Thanks everyone

The course you've said in your OP isn't a type of access course and won't give you UCAS points. It's two thirds of a normal degree and will use up your loan entitlement.

Look for Access to HE courses at your local college.

The Diploma of Higher Education is the first 2/3 of the degree course. You would be eligible for a student loan if you haven't studied at degree level before which you haven't. In some circumstances, the access course can be funded too. Your best bet is to talk to student support who are very helpful (just started my course in October).

Ohh I didn't realise all of this! Good thing I asked 🤦‍♀️
I've ordered a prospectus so I'll look through all of that, try and work my way through the website a bit and see if I can find an access course