A look at the DfES Childcare Workforce Surveys 2001 quickly dispels the notion that childcarers are poorly qualified and very young. The picture that emerges is one of a mature workforce studying hard to upgrade their qualifications. One-third of nursery staff are aged 24 to 39 with another fifth aged 40 or over, while a quarter of nursery managers, one-third of supervisors and two-thirds of other nursery staff are currently studying to improve their qualifications. Mature students, part-time and full-time, come from a wide variety of backgrounds, undertake a broad range of qualifications and return to studying as a route back into work or to enhance their employment prospects.
How easy is it to become a mature student? And how do you cope?
Becoming a student is hard and can be all the harder when you have been away from study for some time. However, if you are considering becoming a mature student, it is important to remember:
* mature students are normally given every support to ensure they finish the course and enjoy it.
* the course should be worth the effort - an expanding childcare sector is offering new employment opportunities and routes into other professions such as teaching and social work.
Home life
Start by assessing how the course will affect your home life, particularly if you have a family. A supportive partner and an understanding family are vital if you are to make the most of your course. Children can sometimes be threatened by the idea of Mum or Dad going off to college, and partners may also need to be reassured.
Talk through how your studying will affect your and family members'
finances, commitments, time and energy. Colleges often ease the problems of juggling commitments by running courses over shorter days to tie in with the school day.
If you need to organise childcare, check if your college has a creche, if you will get a place, the costs involved and if it's the best option for you and your child.
Recognise that juggling the demands of home and family, college and study and sometimes work as well, will be hard. Schedule in some time to be with your partner and some time for yourself when you can relax.
If you do find the juggling too difficult to cope with, remember there will always be the chance to defer some of your course - never an easy option, but sometimes the only solution. You will have to negotiate with your college if the need arises.
Confidence
Many mature students return to college only to suffer a loss of confidence, particularly in the first few weeks when they begin to appreciate the demands of the course and the sheer volume of work involved.
This crisis in confidence can be all the greater for students whose memories of school are of academic and sometimes personal failure. You can be reassured, however, that a loss of confidence is a common problem and don't be deterred. Your confidence will grow.
Support systems
Nowadays, colleges have a whole range of support systems in place for students, and some provide specialist help for mature students.
Course groups are usually assigned a tutor, who will be aware of potential problems for mature students and on hand to discuss any difficulties, so make every effort to meet with your tutor and develop a good relationship.
Make full use of the support available. No-one will think any the worse of you if you are not computer literate or need help with literacy or numeracy. Be honest about areas where you need support, and ask for help.
Be realistic
Many mature students set themselves unrealistically high standards and worry if they are anything less than 'A' grade. It's good to aim high but equally important to be realistic - getting a lower grade is not a sign of personal failure. Try your best, but don't be depressed or anxious if you don't always achieve what you want.
Study skills
Mature students often have the skills needed to make a success of their course, principally good time management and organisational skills. Their experience of juggling various commitments makes them more disciplined and may give them a head start over younger students. However:
* make sure you are clear at the outset about every aspect of your course
* find out early on about deadlines for assignments and the timing of assessments, then decide how to plan your time and organise your work
* schedule time for study and writing up your work
* plan each day carefully, whether you are in college, work or a placement, and pack your bag the night before
* don't leave everything to the last minute!
Part 2: How to prepare for the course and develop successful study skills
