Author: Open College

Studying at home can be a great and really effective, provided you don’t let yourself get distracted or de-motivated. You wouldn’t be the first distance learning student who finds it hard to keep on track and get through your course materials, but with our helpful hints and tips, you should find it much easier to achieve your qualification. Create a Timetable Now this suggestion sounds really obvious, but you would be surprised how many distance learning students don’t bother doing this. We know the whole point of you being a distance learning student is so you can study when you want, but even so, you need to know when those… Read More

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Unlike the more general Level 3 Award in Health and Social Care, the Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care is tailored specifically towards caring for adults. Classed as an entry level qualification, the entry requirements for the course are not overly demanding, but the rewards of completion are. Once qualified with a Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care, you can progress your career into a range of care roles that include: Lead Adult Care Worker Lead Personal Carer Domiciliary Care Worker Senior Care Worker Support Worker Key Worker Holding the qualification will demonstrate to potential employers  that you have the correct levels of knowledge and skills to undertake senior carer… Read More

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There are numerous reasons for leaving the armed forces, from injury to retirement or health reasons to redundancy, what ever the reason you need to ensure you are ready and prepared for life after the armed forces as best you can be. It’s no secret that holding a career in the armed forces is a specialist field and your options when you leave tend to be in the security sector or policing, but what if you don’t want to go into those fields? Is there a way you can prepare yourself for an alternate career before you leave? An obvious solution to this would be to study part time on… Read More

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Believe it or not, it really is possible for you to study while working. If you’re anything like most of the adult population, life probably feels like a non stop blur and cycle of work, home and other commitments. And what’s more, you probably spend many of your hours at work daydreaming about changing jobs or getting a promotion while you’re working. It’s no secret that the best way to change career or get a promotion is to improve your skillset or qualifications. To do that, you need to pay course fees, which means you need to be working, at which point you might start to think you’re stuck in… Read More

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GCSE Combined Science is a great subject to consider when you’re looking at your GCSE options, whether you are looking at gaining GCSEs for A-levels or to get an offer for a science based degree course, the Combined Science GCSE is the subject for you. This course lets you study all three of the sciences, but together, so instead of having your mind boggled with three different subjects (Biology, Chemistry and Physics), you can study them altogether. Which means if your skills in Physics aren’t as strong as your skills in Biology, you have a better chance of gaining a better grade. What does Single Award and Double Award mean?… Read More

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Edexcel BTEC courses are a great alternative to A-Levels and have been available for quite some time now. BTEC stands for the Business and Technology Education Council. The courses themselves are specialist work-related qualifications, that allow students to gain practical experience before they decide what sector they want to work within. There are currently over 2000 different subjects in which you can take this qualification, with learning of the subjects being a mix between practical experience and theory. Unlike A-Levels, the courses are more flexible in nature and give the student a chance to apply their learning as they progress. Some of the fields of study include: applied science art… Read More

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When looking to go to university, it won’t take you long to notice that it’s a very popular A-Level subject requirement for many degree courses. The reason for this is that studying A-Level Mathematics helps students develop a logical approach to problem-solving, as well as their mathematical knowledge and skills. Even outside of the academic world, A-Level Mathematics is a brilliant subject to hold under your belt. It shows potential employers your capabilities at being logical and methodical when it comes to problems and issues, which really is a valuable talent to hold. Although one of the harder A-Level subjects, Mathematics doesn’t need to be something to be feared. Provided you work carefully… Read More

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When it comes to studying A-Levels outside of traditional school or college, the choices in subjects and awarding bodies is large and can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming. In this blog we’re going to look at the main and most important differences between the four main awarding bodies for A-Levels. First, it’s important to highlight that although all the materials and syllabus focus may vary from awarding body to awarding body, the actual value and weight of any A-Level is the same, graded on an A* – E system with the application of UCAS points, if a student holds an A on an AQA course that is viewed the same… Read More

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When you think of studying GCSEs it’s no surprise you think you have to study them at school. But we’re looking at doing GCSEs from home and how it’s perfectly possible for you to study them without the restraints of traditional school or college. GCSEs are one of those qualifications that are often overlooked or neglected. People think that it’s all about A-Levels and degrees, but actually, GCSEs can prove to be very useful and a vital qualification to hold, especially if you’re looking to study Medicine or become a Teacher. What subjects are available? Subjects in GCSEs are wide ranging, even if you’re studying them online. You have the… Read More

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Regardless of what profession you are in, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is vital for keeping your skills up to date and relevant in your working environment. In some professions, CPD is viewed as so important, that it’s actually a requirement to undertake a certain amount of hours of Continuing Professional Development each year. Continuing Professional Development refers to the process of tracking and documenting the skills, knowledge and experience that you gain both formally and informally as you work. Although done as part of your working career, the CPD that you choose to undertake doesn’t have to directly relate to your profession. So for example, if you are a Caregiver,… Read More

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