Open College, Author at Open College

What is the Difference Between a GCSE and an International GCSE?

29/09/202129/09/2021Open College

When looking at studying GCSEs as a Private Candidate, you will often see the option of GCSE or International GCSE, but what is the difference? Historically, the differences were in the content of the courses and the requirements. A student studying traditional GCSEs would have the need to be in a class environment with a lot of emphasis and work put on coursework and exploratory work to do with the subject. Whereas with International GCSEs, as these were created and designed originally for International students, there was less focus on coursework and fieldwork and more focus placed on learning the subject and preparing for examination. Now, with the development of… Read More

Are Online Courses Recognised?

08/09/202108/09/2021Open College

When considering online courses, one of the first things you might want to know or check is whether online courses are recognised by either employers or universities. Online learning offers a wide range of courses for students, you can enrol and study anything from GCSEs and A-Levels through to Diplomas and Short Courses. But how do you know which of these online courses are recognised and useful to have? Let’s start with the more traditional qualifications of GCSEs and A-Levels, up until a few years ago, the only way to study these courses was through a traditional school or college. Opting to do the qualifications online just wasn’t an option,… Read More

Can you take GCSEs at any age?

06/09/202106/09/2021Open College

There are many reasons for why a student may be thinking of taking GCSEs, reasons range from they didn’t get the right grades, to they weren’t happy with their grades or they never had the opportunity to take them and now have a need for them. Whatever the reason is, the great news is that GCSEs can be taken at any age! So if you’re super talented and ahead of the learning curve at school and you want to achieve your qualifications sooner, then you can go ahead and study GCSEs. Or, if you’re a mature student who wants another go at taking the qualification, you can do that too.… Read More

What do my Course Fees Cover?

03/09/202103/09/2021Open College

Online learning will usually involve some form of course fees that you will need to pay in order to access course materials and begin your studies. With so many different courses, such as GCSEs, A-Levels, Diplomas and Short Courses, it can get tricky to know and understand exactly what is covered by your course fees. As a general rule, the price you pay for access to your chosen course will cover you being able to log into a learning platform to access course materials and also, in some cases, a personal tutor. From there you are able to start studying and work your way through the syllabus with the aims… Read More

Which GCSEs do Universities Prefer?

30/08/202130/08/2021Open College

When applying for a place on a Degree course, you can be forgiven for not being one hundred percent sure which GCSEs universities prefer or if they even matter if you have A-Levels. The truth is they do matter and you do need to have some GCSEs to support your UCAS application. When looking at your application Universities will be looking to see that you at least hold the core GCSE subjects, so English, Maths and ( in some cases) the Sciences. This includes applications from mature students who have been out of education for some time. Why do Universities Except you to have GCSEs? Holding the GCSEs that Universities… Read More

What is a Level 3 Award?

25/08/202125/08/2021Open College

If you’re considering changing job or career, but you’re not sure where to start, then Level 3 Award courses are ideal for you. Level 3 Awards are courses that are designed to give students an insight into any given topic or sector and to equip them with the knowledge needed to then go on and study the subject at a higher level (such as Certificate or Diploma). Level 3 Awards are also a useful way for students to gain additional UCAS points in a hurry if they need them for progressing onto to Uni. Level 3 Awards are available from many different awarding bodies including Edexcel BTEC, ncfe, cache and… Read More

Continuing Education for Adults Online

23/08/202123/08/2021Open College

Continuing education for adults online is a great way for adults to improve their skillsets easily without having to take time off work. The nature of the courses available for study are often wide ranging and reaching, meaning that there is a course for everyone looking to improve their CV or change their career direction. Whether you want to retake your GCSEs or A-Levels or just add to your professional qualifications with a Diploma, there is a course out there ready and waiting for you. Thanks to the internet and developments with online learning, it’s now very simple for an adult who wishes to continue their learning to sign up… Read More

Time for the Next Steps in Your Career?

17/08/202117/08/2021Open College

Bored, uninspired, unchallenged. If any of those words resonate with you when you think about your job, then maybe it’s time for the next steps in your career. Everyone has to work to live, we all know that, unless of course you’re one of those lucky superstars! But as you’re reading this, think it’s safe to say you’re just like all the rest of us. Everyone has a point (or many) in their career where they feel their skills aren’t being used to their full potential and this is where it’s time to think about the next steps in your career. The key to career progression is knowing where you… Read More

What is the Main Role of Education?

16/08/202116/08/2021Open College

Contrary to popular belief, the main role of education is to equip young people with the skills and abilities that they need to function and develop well within society. So rather than it just being a case of putting students through the mill and spitting them out the other side with the required qualifications, education is all encompassing and should always include other aspects of learning outside of the traditional GCSE and A-Levels. In years gone by, studying A-Levels always came with the assumption that the next step was going to be University and a Degree, but these days, that’s not the case. Many students will study up to A-Levels… Read More

5 Reasons why Online Learning is Great

14/08/202114/08/2021Open College

Although it has been around for many years now, online learning is one of those things that people still don’t fully understand or feel comfortable trying. Whether you are considering studying A-Levels, GCSEs or more vocational qualifications such as BTECs or Diplomas, there are endless reasons why online learning could benefit you, but to list them all would be impossible. So, we have brainstormed reasons why online learning is great to try and help potential students understand the true benefits of online learning. In no particular order here are our top 5 reasons why online learning is great. Range of Courses One of the greatest things about online courses is… Read More