I just found your post and I hope my answer is still relevant.
I work in university admissions, so I get asked this a lot. There isn’t one best route. It depends mostly on what you want to study.
1. Access to HE Diploma (usually 1 year at a local college)
The safest option if you’re aiming for nursing, midwifery, psychology, law or anything competitive, because many universities ask for it for those courses. It also gets you back into studying, writing essays and meeting deadlines before the degree starts. The downside is that it adds a year. Check the funding with the college too, as the loan system is changing.
2. Degree with a foundation year (a 4-year degree)
You apply straight to the university, and Student Finance covers the foundation year as part of the degree. It’s good if you’re sure about the subject and don’t want a separate college year first.
3. Direct entry based on your experience
More universities than people realise accept mature applicants without A-levels for subjects like Business, Computing, Health & Social Care or Marketing. They usually look at your work and life experience, and you may have an interview, a short written task or an English/maths check. It’s the quickest route, but it only works for some courses and providers.
Why it matters which one you pick: if your course wants an Access Diploma, the other two routes won’t get you in. If it doesn’t, an Access year can just be an extra year. So decide on the subject first, then check the entry requirements for mature students on the course page (or email admissions and ask directly; they’re used to it).
Also worth knowing as a parent: you may be able to get the Childcare Grant and the Parents’ Learning Allowance as well as the maintenance loan, and neither has to be paid back.
What are you thinking of studying? I can point you in the right direction.