Education and course to take

The bottom line is that you have been told that you will have to get TA experience in secondary if you want to move into adult learning and support. There's no shortcut on offer. You don't have the right qualifications or background to get straight into your chosen field, so you'll have to work your way through some initial stages in order to get there. You would certainly need more qualificatons and/or professional experience to get into a Masters.

It's like any other career - you usually need to do a series of jobs you don't necessarily want, in order to end up at your ultimate goal. If you're not willing to do that, then you don't want it badly enough - and it sounds like you do

I have thought of BA Hons in Education but I don't know how I would fund it as I have a degree in Applied Information Technology.

I understand what your saying about gaining work in secondary school, its just that im used to working with post 16 students. I have worked with 16 -18 years in my support role in a charity.

With a degree, you could do a funded PGCE. You don't need to do another undergrad degree in order to get into education.


If that's what you have to do to achieve your ultimate goal, then you need to consider just doing it anyway. There's no magic answer to your situation.

Have you looked at NHS routes into the type of field you're looking at? Drama therapy and music therapy are specialisms and it's possible that there are no opportunities for the type of work you want to do beyond what you've already done (temporary funding/unpaid volunteer) without some pretty heavyweight training. Info here:
*https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals/dramatherapist/entry-requirements-and-training
*

I have applied at my local university and college and they rejected me but I have found two more unis further afield by train that offer pgce in FE, pre service I will apply for. Theres other possibilities, but I only have one year of funding left.

The other posibility is to study another A level, like English and retake my maths to gain a C and then reapply to the other unis

I just noticed that the Universities want 2:1 or above, I have 2:2, I could have had a 2:1 but I had a few problems in Second year and went part time. I have just emailed one of the Universities but I don't think I will hear from them till September.

Is there any chance I could get in with 2:2 or shall I focus on something else entirely for a master's.

A 2:1 is a standard requirement at Masters level, but some will accept a 2:2. It might also be worth looking into starting out on a PGDip, which usually requre a 2:2 or higher. It's the first two taught terms at Masters level. Some will permit you to progress to the final term and a full Masters if you get good resuts for the PGDip.


From what I've seen of education-based Masters courses, your main problem may be that they are generally seen as professonal development qualifications. They are aimed at those already working in education

If you have a firm idea of what you want to do, I wouldn't squander your one Masters opportunity on a subject which won't help with that.

I think your next move should be to contact some of the organisations that you might want to work for. Exlain your current experience and qualifications and ask them what they recommend that you do in order to make you a good candidate for a job with them.

Can you pin point me information about PGdip, I shall ask organisations and offer to volunteer untill I get meself sorted.

Thanks