Ann-Louise's story

Ann-Louise became a parent volunteer at her daughter’s school helping children with reading and spelling – and loved it.  She wanted to take it further and become a teacher, but as a single mum, holding down a job and looking after her father could not commit to attending a brick university to get a degree.

The Open University offered the flexibility she needed and in 2012 enrolled to do a BA (Hons) Childhood and Youth Development – even though at 42 some of her friends laughed and said she was too old!

Here's what Ann-Louise has to say about her OU journey

I left school 30 years ago with some O and A levels and wanted to go on and study but then it was all about getting a job.  My parents were working class and no one in our family had gone to university. In my generation it seemed as if you had to be rich or privileged to go, so I went out to work and didn’t begrudge it, I enjoyed the money and the freedom.

I am now a claims handler for Admiral Insurance working part time and about five years ago I started helping at my daughter’s school, a small local primary.  It had a Special Educational Needs unit and I worked with the SEN teacher supporting pupils’ progress and achieving their goals. 

I found children just needed someone to listen to them and I explained learning objectives and bonded with those earmarked as troublemakers or quite possibly they just couldn’t do the work – but they were successful.

I have already achieved the Certificate in Supporting Learning in Primary Schools which meant I could get a job as a Teaching Assistant.  My initial goal was to be a teacher but now, in my fourth year I want to go into pastoral care, supporting children with problems at home or in their life that prevents them from learning.

Why did I turn to The Open University?  It is a more flexible way to learn and suited my life as a single mum, working, and caring for my 70-year-old father who lives with us and is poorly.  I couldn’t attend lectures at 9 am at a brick university but I can do them at 9pm after I have done all my other jobs.  And while I felt being able to control and monitor my own learning is important I also love the OU for the support I get from it.  I am not treated like a child, but a grown woman.

My tutors have been flexible and in the main have been very understanding and know that sometimes ‘life’ gets in the way.  I think in four years I have only had to have two extensions and if you need extra support it is there.

This year I have not been able to go to as many tutorials as many have been on a Saturday and I am generally at work – but if they are held early I have attended and then done a late shift at work.  I can still get all the notes the tutor produced and I can then ask questions afterwards as if I had been there.

My studying has impacted on my work at Admiral – but in a good way.  They are impressed that I am doing a degree and if I stay there, there is a graduate scheme and my colleagues are impressed too, knowing about everything else I have to do.And I have found that what I am learning about communicating with children has helped me at work.  Children, and adults i.e. our customers, need to know that they are being listened to, that you show respect to them and show them empathy.

Studying with the OU has also changed the way I parent.  If you talk to a child and say ‘don’t do that, it’s silly’, then calling that child silly will have a negative effect.  What I say and what I do affects children and I will now amend the words in my head before I talk to my daughter.  She is 14 and we have an excellent relationship, she is now a teenager and not gone off the rails.

She gets a lot of my time but reciprocates giving me the space for my studies.  When she comes in she will make me a cuppa, ask if I need anything and then go and watch TV and doesn’t disturb me.  My dad, if he knows I am studying won’t ask about ironing, or what’s for dinner.

I am fortunate that, as a single parent, my course fees are paid. Apart from some books and stationery I need to buy it costs me nothing more than my time.  I definitely support the Welsh Government in supporting people like me.

And if you can get organised you can do everything, the ironing, cleaning the garden and study – though sometimes I am not sure which one I am doing!

My aim is to use my degree and get a full time job in a local school and I think that is achievable. By doing that I can give back to my daughter, my community and society. Education is the foundation of everything.

I think my family were quite shocked when I said I was studying for a degree and my friends laughed and said I was too old.  But I say, you are never too old to learn and in my head I am 25 years old.  When I get my degree it will be a huge achievement for me, but anyone can do it.