Awards of Achievement

Maja Kostrzewa

As a mature student with small children, I was reluctant to start studying again. I had plenty of excuses and procrastinated for years. Now I wish I had done it sooner!

I was initially skeptical about the quality of the online education but how wrong was I! The DistanceLearningCentre.com course has been a truly transformative experience. The course structure and materials were logically laid out and units built upon and progressed smoothly into one another. I loved working at my own pace, around my work and family commitments.

I have really enjoyed learning and gained confidence in my academic abilities. The Access course has been immensely enjoyable and beneficial. It had a fresh, modern feel to it with tutors always there to hold my hand and help me along the way. I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

I have gained a place on my chosen Midwifery course at the University of Northampton and I can't wait to start. (Jul 2019)

Charlotte Weaver

Before enrolling with DistanceLearningCentre.com I was working full time as an Apprentice Nursery Nurse. My A-Levels were disrupted by illness which led me to not complete them. I had heard of people going to college to gain an Access to Higher Education Diploma but I needed to be in full-time work to pay for my expenses. When I heard about DistanceLearningCentre.com and the option to study and work at the same time, I knew this was what I needed to do.

I was quite anxious and apprehensive to start the Access to Nursing (Nursing and Midwifery) course and at times I felt that I would never be able to complete all the assessments in just over 7 months. However, after receiving positive and constructive feedback from each assessment submitted, my confidence and skills base grew. With the guidance from my tutors I had throughout my studies I managed to achieve every unit at a Distinction.

DistanceLearningCentre.com has helped me achieve my dream of going to University to studying Nursing and made me into a more focused and resilient learner. I have an offer to study Children's Nursing at the University of Southampton this September and I couldn't be more excited!

None of my success or the bright future ahead of me would have been possible if I didn't enrol with DistanceLearningCentre.com - I would recommend them to anyone who is motivated as they will help you to reach your goals and potential. (Jul 2019)

Robert Volker

Having left school to enter the workforce at 17, I was about ready to return to academia by the age of 20. After working in catering and spending a period of time handling 999 calls, I discovered DistanceLearningCentre.com and felt that it would be the perfect platform to help facilitate my return to education.

I started my diploma in December, with the intention of finishing at the end of May. The assignments came in thick and fast, but thanks to the amazing support offered to me by both of my tutors I never felt overwhelmed and was always excited to see what challenges the next module would bring. While challenging, I found every assignment set to be interesting and all of them have helped prepare me for university life.

I am happy to say that I finished my Access Diploma in May and will be starting at UCL in September, a course I never expected to even receive an offer for. I am extremely lucky to have studied at DistanceLearningCentre.com under such excellent tutors, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking to take the leap and return to education. (Jul 2019)

Melissa Porter

It has been my dream to become a midwife for many years, however returning to college to complete an access course hasn't ever been an option for me. I discovered DistanceLearningCentre.com through a Facebook group for aspiring midwives where they were highly recommended by several previous students. I signed up to complete the Access to Allied Health Professions (Midwifery) course, as it gave me the higher amount of biology credits my chosen university required.

As a mum of four young children, one of whom is autistic, I knew that the course would be challenging, especially as I had been out of education for 15 years. It felt like a huge step to take and I was terrified. I was quickly reassured by the organisation of DistanceLearningCentre.com and my tutor helped me to settle into studying quickly. I loved the convenience of being able to work at my own pace around my children and husband. The course suited our busy lives so well that my husband is now also a DistanceLearningCentre.com student studying Access to Science to train as a radiographer. The assignments were all interesting covering a large amount of material and I thoroughly enjoyed each one. I thrived on the independent studying and have gained a wide range of skills which have prepared me so well for university.

Academically I have always struggled with my confidence but with the kindness, support and encouragement my tutors continuously gave my confidence grew tremendously. My tutors not only provided academic support but also offered reassurance. I really felt that my tutors were as invested in my success as I was and I quickly built a good relationship with both my psychology and biology tutors. For me this was such an important aspect of the course because with distance learning you are expected to work independently and that can feel very isolating and daunting, so knowing you have a tutor who wants you to succeed really does help you make good progress.

I completed the course with 45 distinctions, received 2/2 offers from universities and am about to start Midwifery at my first choice university. I gave the course everything I had and I couldn't be prouder of myself.

I will be forever grateful to my tutors and to DistanceLearningCentre.com for changing my life and enabling me to open a door which was closed for too long. I highly recommend them to anyone as they are friendly, supportive, flexible and offer a wide range of courses to enable people like me to achieve their dreams. (Jul 2019)

Jo Stocks

I am 34 years old and have worked with Disabled children for the last 11 years, during which time I have always wanted to progress my career and become a qualified Occupational Therapist.

The time never seemed to be the right time until I decided to attend night school to restudy my GCSE Maths qualification. Life was busy with working as well as looking after 2 small children but I decided to study Biology and Psychology at DistanceLearningCentre.com and it was the best decision I have made. From day one the tutors were very approachable and on hand to give guidance, encouragement and feedback throughout.

Shortly after starting the course I found out I was expecting our third child, at times studying during the evenings when our children had gone to bed was very tiring throughout pregnancy but with the constant support and praise from my tutors I was eager to see the course through to the end. I became very proud of myself when I achieved better than expected grades which gave me the confidence to feel that I have the ability to manage my time, meet deadlines and achieve high grades which will stand me in good stead for university study.

I would highly recommend DistanceLearningCentre.com to anyone wishing to advance their learning and career with the support of highly knowledgeable tutors. (Jul 2019)

Sarah Street

For the last 3 years I have worked as a 1:1 learning support assistant in a primary school aiding a young lad with cerebral palsy. One of my many duties is assisting him in his daily physio practice, which two years ago, sparked a dream of training to become a qualified physiotherapist. As a single mum of two daughters, then aged 25 and 10, it had been 35 years since I had pursued any type of academic qualification, but undeterred, I set about my goal one step at a time!

Firstly, through help from my school, I embarked on attaining a GCSE in Maths (which I was extremely delighted to pass last August, gaining Grade 6) then, through advice from the University of Southampton, I contacted DistanceLearningCentre.com with the aim of completing the Access to Higher Education (Allied Health Professions) which would enable me to gain entry to study BSc Physiotherapy as an undergraduate.

With the daunting goal of having to achieve a minimum of 39 credits at distinction and 6 credits at merit, I was very relieved and extremely impressed by the ease of enrolment, the professionalism of my tutors, the structure of the course and the fantastic support offered. I was guided through every stage and module in both the psychology and biology elements of the course by my tutors, who promptly (and patiently!) advised, encouraged and answered all my questions regarding the assessments and examinations. My confidence grew as I received my results for each assessment, together with the encouraging and constructive feedback from my tutors. I had chosen Option 2 of my course, which began with study skills assessments, which were invaluable as they allowed time to learn the processes involved in essay writing - researching, note-taking, structuring etc. - so that I didn't feel too 'thrown in at the deep-end' when it came to the graded assessments. I managed to fit study around work hours and looking after my youngest daughter and was even able to encourage her to do her homework, as I had far more to do than she did!

Exceeding all my expectations, I was absolutely thrilled to achieve 45 credits at distinction (after completing my course in just 10 months), resulting in my securing a place at the University of Southampton to study a 3 year degree course in physiotherapy, starting in two weeks time!

Without doubt, the study skills and subject knowledge I have gained through DistanceLearningCentre.com have provided me with a solid base to proceed into university life, and the confidence to succeed in this next stage of my learning. (Jul 2019)

Courage Nhambure

In January 2018 I decided to challenge the seemingly 'fake news' gym newsletter that pointed to 1 in 4 people dying from cardiovascular related conditions. It became clear that I ticked all the boxes (black, in the North-West and middle aged). I decided to go beyond just joining the gym actually study towards a Healthcare Science course in order to make an impactful contribution to my community. But then, I was in full-time employment and a family man. Besides, the last time I held a science book was in 1994. Luckily, DistanceLearningCentre.com was a right fit for my circumstances.

The course afforded me a balanced schedule but my studies were slowed down by a clinical diagnosis of a genetic eye condition, a major blow in this digital age of electronic learning resources. I am grateful to my Tutors and to Henshaws for support and tips on navigating computer interfaces with limited visual acuity.

In many ways the structure of the Access to Science course mirrored my personal journey. At first, I was looking inwards as a single-celled prokaryote in Biology until finally considering the wider community in Psychology conducting a research on workplace stress. Similarly, I joined the gym to better myself but it became a journey towards a career as a Healthcare Scientist for the betterment of the community. (Jul 2019)

Kelly Rogers

I have really loved studying at DistanceLearningCentre.com. I started my qualification with Level 2 Maths (15 credits) and then completed Level 2 Science (12 credits), before continuing with the Access to Higher Education Diploma for Allied Health Professions, studying Biology and Psychology, where I was proud to achieve 45 credits at distinction. This would never have been possible without the support from my dedicated and knowledgeable tutors. When I began my studies, I had three children and during this time, my fourth new baby arrived. Although it was a challenge to balance the workload, whilst taking care of my young family, I managed to keep on track thanks to lots of encouragement, motivation and flexibility from my tutors.

The content of the online study materials is interesting, engaging and thought provoking. Complex concepts are introduced within the materials, but help was always at hand to explain anything which I did not understand. Initially I was apprehensive about the prospect of an online exam, but there was lots of guidance on how to tackle the questions and prepare for exam success. Assignment feedback was detailed and constructive, allowing me to continuously improve my work.

I have just successfully completed my first year of study at the Open University, achieving a distinction grade for my BSc Health Science. I am so grateful to DistanceLearningCentre.com for the invaluable experience and for providing me with the opportunity to gain essential preparation and a strong foundation of knowledge required, in order to achieve high standards in my degree. I would highly recommend them for anyone else looking to take that brave first step! (Jul 2019)

Claire Oxford

I stumbled across DistanceLearningCentre.com whilst I was researching ways to make my midwifery dreams a reality and was instantly attracted to the style of being able to learn at my own pace and the flexible payment options available. The signing up process was simple, and the student services team were very helpful. I was able to start immediately and the communication from all my tutors throughout the course was excellent.

I really enjoyed being able to work at my own pace and found that once I started I didn't want to stop. I committed myself to it 100% and was able to complete the course in only a few short months. Equally, I have made friends through study groups that have taken advantage of the extension options to spend longer on the course.

I found some of the units very difficult but also very enjoyable and it really helped me get back into the swing of learning after 18 years out of education. I really believe it has given me a great foundation for when I start university.

I was lucky enough to get a university place after my very first interview but was a few credits short of the entry requirements. DistanceLearningCentre.com were able to offer me the opportunity to complete extra credits to top up my diploma, with the support of my university, and thanks to that I am now holding an unconditional offer and cannot wait for my midwifery career to begin.

I would definitely recommend DistanceLearningCentre.com to anyone looking to do an access course, they are great all round. Non-judgmental of individual learning styles, flexible, helpful and great value for money. You are never too old to start education or follow your dreams. (Jul 2019)

Dorota Strzelecka-Chwedczyk

After having my baby, I realised, that life is short and time is precious. And that I did not want nor need to spend another year stuck in a job that wasn't fulfilling or offering many opportunities for self-progression. I had had a dream, a thought at the back of my mind for a long time, a calling if you like - I knew I wanted to be a midwife and help women in my care in their most vulnerable time. All I needed was skills and knowledge, recognised in a form of official qualification, to be even considered by universities. Having had a previous degree in an unrelated subject, in another language, from a foreign country, I knew I was miles away from where I wanted to be, I didn't know a lot about NHS or social care, my biological knowledge was rusty at best, my academic writing in English needed a lot of work. I knew I would have to work hard and that I needed guidance.

Then I found DistanceLearningCentre.com. The course I did was very comprehensive, including a selection of subjects that really gave an insight into a wide variety of social, psychological and scientific issues and helped me understand the population I would be working with, historical context of many changes happening in British society currently, as well as refreshed my skills in finding relevant information and recognizing reliable sources. I learned a lot about scientific research and statistics, which was completely new to me and quite difficult, however the course materials are written in a very accessible way, explaining every complicated issue step by step, using a simple language. With every assessment I was doing, I practiced academic writing, including referencing, which prepares for future academic work. I refreshed level 3 biology, which I previously learned at school 15 years prior, learning a lot of vocabulary. I actually understood the information better than before at school. Knowing I would need good grades to get a place on a highly competitive course, I was happy to see all grade descriptions were laid out clearly and I knew exactly what was expected of me to achieve distinctions.

The distance learning aspect of the course is something I liked especially. It meant that I could happily work on my own and didn't have to travel to a college, which takes time and money. I could fit it in with my busy life and work more on some days and less on others. I felt comfortable doing independent study, however when I needed help, help was available. I could make a phone call appointment with my tutors, I could write to them and they were able to walk me through issues that needed clarification in a timely and friendly manner. There were no questions too silly, no issues too small. Even when I found it difficult to work through certain subject due to my personal history, I received kindness, support and understanding, I could not ask for more.

Overall, I couldn't recommend DistanceLearningCentre.com training more. The content of the course, the support from tutors, the overall attitude towards students, were second to none. Thanks to them I received three unconditional offers and I am starting my midwifery training in two weeks. They helped me fulfil my dream giving me skills and knowledge. I am very grateful. (Nov 2018)