Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 11:46 am Post subject:

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I've posted this on the FD site but would be interested to hear if anybody looked into this and chose to go down the OU route instead.

'I'ld be interested to know more about this degree(FD in Learning Support). I'm currently living in Scotland but will be returning to the Yorkshire area soon. I've been studying with the OU (E111 supporting learning is primary schools) and would like to take this further but feel that the Early Years FD is not suitable for me.

Has anybody taken the E111, or for that matter any OU course and been able to credit to the FD?

How long has the course in general been running?

Any info would be greatfully received ie workload, tutor help, college attendance, school's involvement (pay(HA!) , time off) etc'


Would anybody have been interested in this FD had it been offered by the OU?

Any comments please.

Yes I looked at doing this before the OU. My local college has been offering it for the past 5 years, but have never had more than 4 enquiries in all that time so have never actually run the course, they offer the early years instead, but as I work in KS2, that was not much of an option. This year they have changed the title of the course to Foundation degree in young persons or something similar and it deals with children 0-16. I believe you can do it 2 days a week for two years or 1 day a week for 3 years. I would check your local college as they seem to be different in different areas.
Good luck with what you choose.
PS I have chosen to do an OU open degree

Hi tnewrad,

I'm in a similar situation as you. I've just completed the OU E111 course but find that the OU FD is not for me either.

Let me explain. In 2007 I completed the first year of a three year Foundation Degree for Teaching Assistants but had to quit as I moved from Staffordshire to North Wales.
The FDTA was brilliant and I would recommend it to anyone, I also regret that I did not stay to finish it. The course had been running for around 3-4 years, roughly, and the college tutors were adjusting it to suit the students.
When I moved to North Wales I inquired about continuing the course but, unfortunately, they were only running the FD for Early Years, which is birth to 16 years. I've never worked with children under the age of 5 and over the age of 7 so this was not what I wanted. Instead I applied for the E111 course from OU. The trouble is where do I go from here? Any suggestions appreciated.

Cazzie

Hi Cazzie, I'm still in a bit of a limbo because the move down to Yorkshire did not happen, however that's not to say that I won't be moving somewhere else. I know that Roger Hancock, the E111 course moderator, thinks that a FD in Learning Support may be offered in the future, it won't be for a few years. So reluctantly I am moving down the FD in early years route, altho depending on how I cope with a level two course I may just go straight ahead into the a BSc.

I'm probably going to do part 1 of the early years certificate and E243 Inclusion, Roger did say it would be a good idea to start storing courses in preparation for the FD coming in but he wouldn't commit himself as to what courses may be involved! However I decided that inclusion was a key point in schools at the moment and can only look good on a CV, likewise the course Maths, Science and Literacy, sorry can't remember the exact title but it is an option in the FD Early years.

Cazzie your no connected to the Military network Staffs and Nth Wales sound very familiar to me!

I also found that the OU doesn't offer exactly what i want. I have done E111 and am in the process of completing E243 Inclusive education. What I have opted for is a fully online, work-based degree with Anglia Ruskin. I have applied for E111 to be transfered and am completing a portfolio to have 60 experiential credits included too. If all goes well I shall be starting at year 2. Unfortunately E243 doesn't finish in time to have these credits transfered but they would have allowed this too. The thing that attracted me to this degree is that it is full-time so will only be another 2 years to complete and all the modules are work based so I can study whatever I want, and am interested in. It works on the principles of action enquiry so you are looking at something in your work place you can develop and improve upon. As most of the work is work based there is only approximately 12 hours a week study needed which is far less than I would need to do with the OU.

Perhaps this is an alternative option? Buttercup.

Hi guys,

To answer your question tnewrad, no I'm not connected to the military even though I originate from Stafford (Newcastle-under-Lyme to be exact). Sorry to hear that you haven't been able to move to Yorkshire. FD in learning support sounds good but like everything by the time you've waited something always crops up. I would like to finish the FDTA while everything is still fresh, as my brain doesn't retain info like it used to do. But thanks for the information, tnewrad.
I must admit that I am interested in what you are doing Buttercup. I did contact A. Ruskin when I moved to North Wales and they sent me the information through for the FDTA. At the time I felt I needed to settle down before taking on the course, I'd only just managed to land a temporary contract, working 15hrs per week in KS2. The pay was lowsy so I couldn't afford to pay for the course and by May I was searching for another job. I'm still unemployed, unfortunately, but hopefully this Thursday my luck will change. I've been asked if I would be interested in working one-to-one with a little girl who has speach problems. So fingers crossed etc I maybe able to get back on track with my personal development.

Anyway, thank you for the info.
Oh, by the way. Where do you get those spooting pic's everyone seems to have attached to their messages. I'd love to be able to have one on mine.

Cazzie

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Thanks dancingqueen I'll have a go at that.