been told my 12 GCSEs and 3 A levels are 'historical' since I sat them in 1988 and 1990 so count for NOWT!

[izzysauntyclaire]

Having decided to go back to college and do a teaching assistant course, with a view to eventually gaining a teaching qualification, I was told I couldn't do the level 3 course because it was 20 years ago that I sat my English and Maths GCSEs so they are not recognised. I would have to do the level 2 course instead then resit my english and Maths, followed by the level 3 course.
I was a bit gutted actually about it cos I feel like I totally wasted my time getting these qualifications.
I would like to get into teaching but am unsure of which path to go down. I thought starting with the teaching assistant thing might be a good place to start followed by a foundation degree then a full time year at University. Anyone have any better ideas? I can study part time at the moment but could probably step it up in years to come if needs be.

I am not qualified to answer this but my gut reaction would be a) exams were a lot harder back then so surely still valid but even if not b) not sure their comments would stack up under the age discrimination legislation. Try posting a link to this thread under employment issues and legal and see if someone with HR/legal training can advise.

that is terrible

can't you get any credits for accredited prior learning or something instead?

all the targets at colleges are now for level 2 not level 3. this could well be a sneaky way of boosting level 2 numbers [cynical, moi?]. sounds like a case of age discrimination (sorry, that sounds awful). see what happens when you mention that

also you could try googling qca and see if there is anything on their guidelines about this. and maybe phone another college to see. if they do not have it as a standard clause, even more reason to challenge it

you might also get free advice from your household insurance if you took out the legal helpline option

Feckin ridiculous - you could apply for a degree with those qualifications (a B.Ed if you wanted).

Someone somewhere is trying to make a fast buck off you, I think.

A couple of years ago I got accepted onto a PGCE course with ancient O levels.

That doesn't sound right to me either.

And anyway, aren't there courses for people with 'life experience' who want to get in to teaching?

My SIL is about to start one at Crewe (is on hols atm so can't tell you any more.

Who told you this?

It is quite common to ask people to do an Access course before undertaking a degree, if it has been a while since they last studied.

Do you have a C or above in English and Maths GCSE?

Ridiculous. I went back to college with my 20 year old O-levels and there wasn't a problem. Agree with wessexgirl - a uni would take you with those qualifications.

Apparently, its a brand new course this year and the woman who runs the course at my local college, the course leader I think she called herself, when i looked at her in horror, she said, "I know love, I've had people this week who've got degrees who want to get on this course but they have to start at level 2 cos it's more than 5 years since they passed their O levels"
After I got over the initial disappointment though, I got a bit cross about it and thought I better do some investigating.....

That's outrageous - since when did they expire?

lol at this if it wasnt serious

i am sure she is wrong

This sounds familiar to me. I did NVQ2 Teaching Assistants last year and I had to re-take GCSE Literacy and Maths to prove that I could still work at that level. I too have 20-year old 'O' levels including Maths and English (actually, English at 'A' level) but was told that they were not relevant unless they had been taken within the last 3 years! Nice to know all that work was for nothing.

On the plus side I went to Learndirect and did a 3-hour refresher course in both subjects and took the Level 2 exams and passed! I have to say that the GCSE Maths this time around was a lot easier than the 'O' level I took when I was at school. Most of the really tricky stuff (Calculus etc) has been omitted from the current exam. Therefore, if you find you have to take Literacy and Maths again, it may not be as hard as you think!

BTW, if your eventual aim is to be a teacher, the TA NVQ route is not the quickest way. May be better to just move straight onto the teaching course.

I got A for English Lang and A for English Lit and C for Maths...so actually, thought I would be ok...it seems not though!

but its ludicrous

taken to logical conclusion then everyone would be retaking exams evry time they changed jobs if not before

If you think you still know now what you knew then, then you will sail through level 2.

My friend with a degree was told this too

It has to be wrong/unfair

sounds like age discrimination to me

i went to look at university language courses this yr... apparently i have to start pretty darm low as i dont have a' levels or equiv. even tho, when i did do equiv (a btec nat dip in business and finance SNORE) for 1st yr was top student in year and got distinctions for most of my work.
sigh.

and to be a midwife, i have to do a degree, but first i have to do a foundation degree before which i have to do a gcse in maths amongst other things because ive been out of education for 'so long' gcse's obtained in 1992, subsequent unfinished things count for nought, predictably.

Whats a PGDE then? Could you do it part time?

Do you have to pay for the resits?

Fairly transparent money-making exercise if so.

i cant believe what a daft concept this is

it surely casnt be true