learndirect Blog

A career in primary school teaching is the opportunity to support children through their learning from the age of four to eleven. You will get to help teach them about the world, their society, science, English, maths and more. This means planning lessons to make them as engaging as possible, while balancing different education needs and aptitudes. You will also provide pastoral care, making sure the children are happy, healthy and that school is a positive experience. If...

GCSE maths is an essential qualification to have. It’s a benchmark qualification for further education and a host of employment opportunities. A GCSE in maths can boost your confidence in using numbers in everyday situations too. So, if you left school without your GCSE maths or the grade you needed to progress your career, you may be looking for the best way of achieving it.  For many, retaking GCSEs means returning to a classroom environment, which may not appeal. But there...

A career in nursing can be a very rewarding role for caring individuals that wish to help others. Of course nursing requires you to have deep understanding of healthcare but you’ll also be a support system for patients as well. You’ll be in charge of making sure patients are comfortable and at ease throughout the treatment. Not to mention helping families understand and adapt to any changes that a patient’s stay in the hospital brings. The NHS are currently seeking to fill...

Thousands  of students opt for online courses every year as a flexible alternative to traditional study. For anyone with a busy life, it allows you to learn around your other commitments and move through modules at your own pace. Not only is there more leeway when it comes to how you structure your studies but there are also more course options. Online learning providers aren’t restricted by what they can offer because they need to fill a classroom to make it worthwhile. This...

There are many great things about being a teaching assistant. From helping pupils reach their potential to supporting them with any issues they have, it’s an incredibly rewarding role to have.  Yet, however satisfied you are with your job, it’s natural to want to progress your career. Whether you’ve been a TA for years and want a change or have exhausted the avenues for progression in your role, becoming a teacher is the logical next step.  Making the leap from...

If you want a rewarding career in adult social care, you’ve probably scoured the internet to find out how to get started. With so many courses available, finding the perfect programme to help you start your career can be a minefield. However, there’s one qualification that will help set you up for a successful career: Level 3 Adult Social Care.  This qualification has been carefully designed to equip you with the skills to work in a range of adult care...

Teachers play a major role in shaping the minds of our children. Not only do they pass on knowledge, but they also inspire their class to realise their academic and professional ambitions. As well as teaching being a very rewarding career, there also happens to be a high demand for them. With the government struggling to meet their recruitment targets for the seventh consecutive year. So, there is no shortage of job opportunities with the possibility to earn more once you’ve gained...

In modern-day society there are millions of different businesses and services out there. Every time you put money into the economy whether buying groceries or treating yourself to a Blu-ray, you’re are impacting a whole host of businesses. From the shop, to the manufacturers or farmers. Even the companies that make the shrink wrap and the sticky labels. We are all part of a huge and highly complex machine we loosely call ‘business’. Therefore, having knowledge and...

If you’re contemplating going to university, you will no doubt be looking at your options to make it a reality. If – for whatever reason – you left school without A-levels it may appear that your options are painfully few. A-levels have been the benchmark qualification since the 1950s, so not having any can make it seem like your educational prospects are limited. However, there are two key things to consider before you abandon your aspirations of an undergraduate degree. The...

A career in social work is one in which you have to balance diplomacy, advocacy and the law to support and protect vulnerable groups in our society. It can be a very challenging role that will sometimes mean letting people down as conflicting requirements can make it difficult to meet needs. You may even have to cope with clients passing away while in your care, depending on the field you specialise. Your role will see you navigate relationships between hospitals and doctors,...

Early years teachers work with children between birth and the age of 5. They not only enable parents to work but perform a vital role in children’s early development. Research suggests that by learning through play, and socialising in an early years setting develops stronger cognitive and social abilities in children, compared to those who don’t.  For the child it is an opportunity to develop, learn and grow through playing with children of their own age. By choosing to...

Distance education has helped students from all walks of life achieve their personal and professional ambitions. By allowing students the option of studying at home, it empowers those who can’t attend physical classes to gain qualifications. Although this can help anyone working full-time or juggling a busy home life, it can also help the differently abled. For anyone with physical disabilities, where getting to a class would be a challenge, distance education is very...

Thousands of people embark on nursing degrees every year with the ambition of becoming a fully qualified nurse. Nursing as a profession is a broad field with opportunities to specialise in different forms of care. You could become a nurse practitioner, supporting your local community. Or support individuals with mental health issues. Or work in a hospital setting, caring for people on wards or triaging patients in A&E. This range of opportunities makes nurses both a vital part of...

Teaching assistants perform an essential role within a classroom setting. They help the teacher deliver lessons, giving the teacher more time to teach or plan. They work one-to-one with children who have learning difficulties or require additional support. Teaching assistants help to prepare resources and create displays. Part of the role is to also support children with the emotional and social development, making them invaluable to the pupils too. If you are thinking about...

One of the great things about distance learning is the ability to study while holding down a full-time job. It overcomes the logistical headaches that come with college courses that require attend classes during the day or in the evening. Between work and family life, that can put a real strain on you and your relationships. Especially as you’ll also need to squeeze in hours of study between classes too. This is especially problematic if you have children who are too young to be...