Blog - Page 20 of 33 - Open College

Online Functional Skills – English and Maths

24/05/202124/05/2021Open College

Functional Skills are Level 2 qualifications that are now available to students who don’t hold the more traditional GCSEs in English or Mathematics. Used as a way to fill the gap of the missing qualifications, Functional Skills are great courses to provide students with the ability to confidently use either English or Mathematics in their day to day lives. Widely accepted by universities as a replacement qualification for GCSEs, Functional Skills courses are rapidly becoming the more popular option for mature students looking to further their education on a higher level course. How are Online Functional Skills Courses Studied? With online Functional Skills courses now available, students are free to… Read More

What are the Levels of Qualifications?

19/05/202119/05/2021Open College

Whether you are returning to education or helping your child find their way, it’s important to know the levels of qualifications available and what they require. Levels of qualifications range from Level 1 through to Level 8 and we will explain here what each level relates to on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). Although you may be more used to seeing levels of qualifications relating to Diplomas, they actually also apply to GCSEs and A-Levels too. The level of a qualification actually relates to the difficulty of the course content, rather than it’s type and each level can offer hundreds of different subjects within it. Level 1 Qualification Level 1… Read More

Can I take Courses at two Different Colleges?

18/05/202128/07/2021Open College

There are many reasons why students may be wondering if they can take courses at two different colleges. The main reason tends to be either the college they attend full time doesn’t offer their ideal course or they didn’t get the needed grades to study the subject at their current college. Whatever the reason for considering studying courses at two different colleges, it’s important to know the ins and outs of how you can go about this. The first thing to accept is that you’re not necessarily going to be able to study your additional course at a traditional college. Chances are, the classes for the additional subject will be… Read More

Is it too Late for a Career Change?

14/05/202114/05/2021Open College

Whether you’re bored of your current career or you’re longing to do something more meaningful and rewarding, it’s never too late for a career change. People often think that once you have been in a certain career for 3 years or more, then that’s it! You’re stuck and doomed to spend the rest of your working days doing the same mind numbing things over and over again. The truth though is far more inspiring and optimistic. When thinking about taking the plunge and opting for a career change, chances are, you will actually find it’s yourself or friends and family who are trying to talk you out of it, rather… Read More

Pearson (Edexcel) Awarding Body for A-Levels and GCSEs

07/05/202107/05/2021Open College

Formerly known as just Edexcel, Pearson (Edexcel) Awarding Body for A-Levels and GCSEs has been established and running since 1840, when it was originally a publishing educational company based in London. Now, the Awarding Body is Internationally renowned and highly regarded by both schools and universities. Pearson actually offers a range of qualifications from BTECs through to A-Levels and GCSEs and are constantly working to improve the range of courses and subjects that they can offer to potential students. What A-Levels can I study with Pearson (Edexcel)? Pearson offer well over 40 different subjects at A-Level. They offer both UK based A-Levels as well as International A-Levels and it’s possible… Read More

What if I can’t Complete my A-Levels in One Year?

28/04/202102/01/2022Open College

When enrolling with Open College, you have the option of attempting to complete your A-Levels in one year rather than two. But what happens if you feel unable to complete your courses in this time or if something happens to stop you finishing your studies in one year? Our role as an online college is to help and enable our students to complete their learning goals with as little stress and hassle as possible, so we like to keep things simple. When you enrol with the college, you are given the flexibility to complete your A-Levels either in the usual length of time (two years) or in a shorter time… Read More

How does Online Learning Work?

26/04/202126/04/2021Open College

If you’re considering signing up to online learning, you may be wondering exactly how it all works and what you will get once you have enrolled. Online learning is actually very simple and straight forward and we’ll explain a few of the ins and outs within this blog for you. First things first, it’s important to remember that not all online learning is the same and there are some important differences from course type to course type and also from learning provider to learning provider. With some courses such as A-Levels or GCSEs, you will need to also take external examinations once you complete the course. How Online Learning Works… Read More

How can I Improve my Job Application?

23/04/202123/04/2021Open College

Whether you are just starting out with job applications or you have been applying for a while now, chances are, you are already asking yourself how you can improve your job application and ensure that you stand out from the crowd. With so many people applying for each role, you need to make sure you are at least one of the ones that gets shortlisted for a closer look and hopefully even an interview. But how do you go about doing that? Well, let’s start with the basics, there is absolutely no point at just throwing your CV at any and every role you find that vaguely matches your abilities.… Read More

What does Self Study mean?

21/04/202121/04/2021Open College

When looking at distance learning and online learning, you will see the phrase ‘self study’ mentioned several times, but no one seems to take the time to fully explain what this actually means for the student. Self study is a bit of a vague term and tends to make people think of themselves sat there with just a textbook and maybe a pen making notes as they read aimlessly through trying to make sense of everything. That’s not really the case, that style of learning would be more along the lines of independent study, where a student decides to study a subject, but then doesn’t enrol with any form of… Read More

What Learning Style am I?

19/04/202119/04/2021Open College

When considering taking a course as a distance learner, it’s important to take a moment or two and work out your learning style. Unlike when you’re at school or college, distance learning comes with the added benefit of you being able to tailor your learning according to your learning style. Believe it or not, your learning style, doesn’t actually effect the type of courses you can study, even if you prefer all things visual and not a lot of text, you can still study courses such as GCSEs or A Levels and don’t have to stick with just Diplomas. The key to successful studying is being able to identify how… Read More