22, college drop out, with kids... Don't know where to start?

[hopelesslyadrift]

Evening everyone,

I'm a 22 year old single mum to two under 3. I am surviving off state support. I want to turn my life around. I come from a broken family with no support system. I have always had dreams of becoming a primary school teacher. I don't know where to start. I dropped out of sixth form college. I was—still am—incredibly studious. I miss it. I am disappointed with my life choices. I wish I could go back; I would if I could.

Can anyone please advise where I can start? Could I possibly study from home? I feel broken. I want to set a good example to my children. I want to do that for them, the very least.

Thank you all ever so much.

You could do an access to HE course at local FE they will have a nursery there. If you are on benefits the course should not cost you anything . Uni Will Also have a nursery
Good luck

The National Careers Service is a good place to start looking at options.

And, although it might seem premature, if you start browsing the UCAS website as well, you’ll soon have a much better picture of the hows and whys and where nexts.

What are interested in studying? (Academically, rather than vocationally? Doesn’t matter if you don’t know yet, but study is always easier if you want the journey as much as the destination.)

(‘What are you interested in …’)

@LiterallyKnowsBest Child language acquisition and linguistics. I excelled in it and very much enjoyed it!

@Loveisthere Thank you!

Seems straightforward to me (on paper)

You either need QTS or a PGCE (involves university)

With QTS, you could eventually get it after teaching in a school if you already have a degree

If you don’t have a degree it may be worth just going straight for the PGCE. Open university course seems to be 2 years, you may need an access course but it’s all distance learning

www.open.ac.uk/courses/getattachment/courses/Careers-new/Teaching/OU-Becoming-a-teacher-england-nation-guide-2021_22-Final.pdf.aspx?lang=en-GB

www.open.ac.uk/courses/careers/teaching

This is the access course which you may need

www.open.ac.uk/courses/modules/y032#entry-requirements

Technically you could enrol on that course today and start next month if you wanted to

Easy! (The process that it, it's still hard work!)

Access course as others have suggested - OU do online version. Won't cost you anything. Maths and English and Science GCSEs required - do you have these?

At the same time try and get some experience in a primary school, even an hour a week.

Then apply to uni to either do a 3 year degree - you'll get maintenance loans and will keep some of your UC as you have children. Nursery costs will be mostly covered. Then a one year PGCE funded in the same way. Or do a school based PGCE if you can find a school to take you on.

Alternatively do the degree with the OU but you won't get maintenance support. Or at least not as much. But you can study flexibly.

Good luck!

Hi Op- you are still very young and I know technically you are a mature student but in reality there are still lots of options available to you.

Can I ask where you live? As there are organisations and charities around that support people returning to education and you sound like you would be someone they would like to help. So it is possible for you to go to university rather than a home learning route. As I think at 22 face to face interaction with your peers is crucial - you may not be able to live on campus but you could still experience the full benefits of a university education not just the academic side. If you don't mind saying where you live or direct message me - I am happy to look around for you as I have done this for other young people in a similar but not exact situation as yourself. It is possible to find good childcare and study around your children's needs.

Have you thought about being a speech and language therapist? You're only 22, loads of time to turn your life around.