Student Spotlight

National Numeracy Week was a runaway success, with 135 students and 12 staff completed quizzes for the honour of winning an Adult Education Wolverhampton bag packed with goodies. What about the sweets? 55 staff and students had a go at guessing the number in the jar. It was wonderful hearing teachers' stories of how students responded to the quiz and how it was used as a starter activity in some classes.  One teacher reported how her students decided to work as a team to find answers to each question.  Students split themselves into small groups, with each group taking responsibility for finding answers to specific questions.  They used their ICT skills to find answers, even locating the Self-Assessment Report to find the total number of students who attended classes in 2017/18. One student explained the patterns in the number sequence question to the whole group with great clarity so that everyone could work out the next two numbers for themselves. Thanks to everyone wh...

Charlotte's story The staff at AEW gave me opportunities and support at a difficult time in my life and helped me to find my sense of purpose and confidence again by Charlotte Davies I first came to Adult Education Wolverhampton (AEW) to study CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from October 2015 to March 2016. After completing the course, I went on to an Erasmus Plus project, starting 7 weeks of Italian lessons in March 2016 and going out to work in Brescia, Italy for 5 weeks in May 2016. I chose to study CELTA because I was at a crossroads in my life.I had recently recovered from a long and serious illness and I didn't want to go back to work in Public Relations (which I'd worked in previously for 8 year).I had always been interested in languages and travelling, and I wanted to do a job which would help people.CELTA seemed like the perfect qualification to help me along a new career path.When the opportunity to study Italian and work in Italy, I jum...

Alison's story  I would encourage anyone else who is missing an essential qualification, as I was, to enrol with Adult Education Wolverhampton by Alison Jones A mum was inspired to go back into the classroom by her children – and finally passed her GCSE maths almost 25 years after first trying. Alison Jones wanted to retrain as a teaching assistant but needed GCSE maths to do so. Now, a quarter of a century after leaving school and spurred on by her children, she has made the grade with the Ofsted Outstanding-rated Adult Education Wolverhampton. The 41-year-old said: "I have to say maths was probably one of the biggest hurdles in my life. I really struggled with it throughout school and failed my GCSE in 1993. "After leaving school, I worked for the council for 18 years before being made redundant. I really wanted to retrain and become a teaching assistant and perhaps eventually a teacher, and for this only maths as a GCSE was acceptable." To complete her CV, Alison enrolled onto ...

Mary's story I often recommend Adult Education to my neighbours, friends and colleagues. by Mary Murphy My name is Mary Murphy, I came to Adult Education Wolverhampton in September 2017 to study Functional Skills Maths at Level 2. Prior to starting my Maths qualification I was a disillusioned teacher working in secondary education. I loved teaching but was concerned with the number of children suffering mental health issues and the lack of help that was in place to support them. At the age of 45, in what I call my second phase of life I felt I needed to stop complaining and make a change in my own life to help make a difference to others. My plan was to re-train and work as a nurse in mental health, but in order to do so I had to conquer one of my biggest fears…Maths. As a child I had a strict upbringing and education was a priority, so when I made mistakes I was scolded, which consequently made me develop a mental block and fear for Maths. As soon as I came to Adult Education I was ma...

Baljeet's story  Adult Education has given me the opportunity to grow and expand my capabilities by Baljeet Bhogal My name is Baljeet Bhogal I am a student on Life Skills classes. I have attended classes at Adult Education for a number of years, and can honestly say that learning has helped me a great deal with my social and practical skills. Since attending classes my confidence has grown, I have learnt many new things and feel much more able to participate with all activities that I encounter every day. Attending classes has opened up many opportunities. I have made many new friends which in turn introduced me to the Special Olympics. I started to play table tennis as a hobby which soon turned into a passion. I now play table tennis for the Wolverhampton Special Olympic team and have done so for many years. In 2017 I took part in the Special Olympics in Sheffield where I won several medals at different levels. Every year we go to Special Olympics tournaments/games and in the sum...

Casey's story  I am living proof that with hard work, support and determination you can reach your goals by Casey Gavin I joined Adult Education Wolverhampton in 2017 to begin my learning journey.Recommended by my social worker (who had also started her journey at Adult Education) I joined the Access to Higher Education course in Social Science and have since then, never looked back. I was a young carer from the age of 10 then went into care at the age of 12. It wasn't easy growing up but this gave me the strength and determination to work hard to gain whatever I needed to succeed. I have a 3 year old son and will do everything in my power to give him a better start in life. I had always planned to go to university but at the age of 17 I found myself pregnant so my plan was put on hold. When my son was 2 I decided it was time to start again and put my plan back into action. When I started the Access course I was riddled with fear. At school I was bullied and was really apprehensiv...

Kashina's story Without the Access to Nursing course, the highly qualified and supportive teachers and the support I had with childcare, none of this would have been possible. by Kashina Summan   My name is Kashina Summan I am a product of a great education that started at Adult Education Wolverhampton in 2012. After leaving school I went on to college with the aspiration of going to study at university in London, but at the age of 19 I found myself pregnant and unable to progress with my plan to further my learning. When my son was born in 2012 this gave me even more incentive to find a way to carry on with my studies and 6 weeks after he was born (with a recommendation from a friend) I enrolled on an Access to Higher Education Nursing course at Adult Education. To begin with I was overwhelmed by the responsibility of being a single mum and the pressure of learning. I was riddled with guilt for putting my son into day care whilst I studied but it was the only way I could enable u...

Rosemary's story I used to have really low self-esteem, now I have a sense of self-worth. by Rosemary Heather Davies I decided to continue with my education after I left school because I wasn't happy with the low grades I achieved. While I was at school I was told that I would never achieve anything higher than a D grade. I wanted to prove that I could do better. I want to become a Teaching Assistant to support as many children as I can with their education and I want to believe in myself as much as I believe in others I always felt that because of my GCSE results I let my family down. My family are now proud of me and understand that I am very determined when it comes to learning. I used to have really low self-esteem, now I have a sense of self-worth.  Feeling inspired? Change your life.  Click the button below to find out more about our English GCSE courses. English courses Tell us your story Were you once a student at Adult Education Wolverhampton, or perhaps still studyi...

Marie's story  Education has changed my life! by Marie Smith As a young child I was abused both physically and sexually; this affected my behaviour and I did not take my education seriously. I left school at an early age before taking any of my GCSE's. I later went through more physical abuse when I got married. I had 2 children and brought them up on my own after divorcing their father. I concentrated on being a good mother and protected my children from any of the dangers that I had faced growing up. After my children left home I realised I had been scarred by the traumas I faced growing up. I became severely depressed and was unable to leave my house. I lived in my bedroom for years. I had suicidal thoughts every day. I sought help through Healthy Minds Wolverhampton and I was allocated to Pond Lane Psychotherapy services. It was in one of my sessions that I was asked if I would like to join the Like Minds course at Adult Education Wolverhampton. I was informed that they were s...

Hai's story  I would highly recommend Adult Education. by Hai Yan He I first came to the UK in 2013 and found it really difficult to settle into my new life. Having limited English made it difficult to communicate outside of my own family and close friends. In 2016 I came to Adult Education to learn English. I wanted to be independent and learn the language to get a job. I have completed an ESOL Level 1 qualification. I am now studying GCSE Maths. The course has given me the skills and the confidence to start looking for work, which I am planning to do soon. I am proud to say that I can now help my 2 children with their school work. "The teachers are supportive, friendly and always very encouraging. I would highly recommend Adult Education. " Feeling inspired? Change your life. English for Speakers of Other Languages GCSE Maths Tell us your story Were you once a student at Adult Education Wolverhampton, or perhaps still studying with us? We would love to hear your learning story a...

Mohammed's story I am currently studying British Sign Language (BSL) Level 2. As a child I was hard of hearing and wore hearing aids and my best friend was deaf, so using BSL was the natural choice of communication. My former teacher recommended Adult Education to gain a BSL qualification. I started Level 1 in September 2015 and have now progressed to BSL Level 2. Since attending classes my confidence with the language has grown and I feel more self- assured. I plan to continue to a higher level BSL course so that I can get a job in this area. Feeling inspired? Change your life.  British Sign Language (BSL) Tell us your story  Were you once a student at Adult Education Wolverhampton, or perhaps still studying with us? We would love to hear your learning story about how you have progressed and how learning has helped to change your life for the better. Contact us

I first came to Adult Education in the mid 1980's and attended woodwork classes. At the time I was working full time in the printing industry. In 2012 I had a nervous breakdown and for the next four years suffered with mental health. As my health improved so did my determination to start again and get my life back on track. In 2016 I returned to Adult Education Wolverhampton. I started and completed English, Maths and a Level 1 Office and Administration Skills course and I am currently studying for the Level 2 Office Skills qualification. My experience at Adult Education has been a great one. My confidence has soared. I have gained skills that will enable me to go back to work, and I now feel ready for the next phase of my life. I am currently applying for jobs and am feeling positive about my future. " To anyone thinking about returning to learning I would highly recommend Adult Education Wolverhampton. In the 1980's it was a great place to learn. Today it's an excellent place to lear...

I came to the UK from Iraq in 2009 and made my new home in Wolverhampton. I had studied English at school but using this in everyday life in the UK was not so easy. I needed to gain a much stronger grasp of the English language. When I first enrolled in 2014 I was very shy, but as I started to learn, my language skills and confidence grew. Adult Education has helped improve my communication skills and my chances of getting a job. My children have also benefited as I can help them with their homework. I have made many new friends from different cultures and look to a great future for me and my family. I plan to progress onto functional skills and would eventually like to work as a Teaching Assistant or a Nurse. Because of Adult Education my options are open! I have already recommended this fantastic place to my family and friends.

I came to Wolverhampton from the Punjab in 2015 and I started ESOL classes. My language skills where limited, I wanted to improve my communication skills and fit into my new life. Since then I have progressed through the levels and am currently studying towards my Level 1 qualification. My skills have improved and I feel much more confident. I have completed my Childcare Level 1 and am currently working towards my Maths Level 1 qualification. Since attending Adult Education I have found seasonal employment and have recently been interviewed for different positions. My long term plan is to progress on to the Childcare Level 2 and work toward a career as a nursery school teacher. " Adult Education is really helping me to change my life and better my prospects. I was made to feel comfortable really quickly. The teachers here are all brilliant, and learning is fun. I recommended Adult Education to a couple of my friends who also agree that it really is a great place to learn ."

Tutor Niki is delighted with the achievements of her Maths Entry L2 students who meet on a Friday morning. The group have made excellent progress and have taken their Maths exam three months early. What a great result! Students said, "Maths is everywhere, each week we tell our teacher how we have used numbers in our daily lives." When asked why they decided to join a maths class they said, " So I can help my children with their Maths homework. " Lecia " So I can get on to an access to nursing course. " Queen " I want to be a Classroom Assistant in a school and this will help. " Nargis " I want to work in care and this will help me get there. " Kim

 Adult Education Wolverhampton would like to congratulate Kate Hubbard on her learning achievements and is proud to announce that she has been Highly Commended for this year's Learning for Health Award. The Festival of Learning is the biggest celebration of lifelong learning in England. The mission is to highlight the benefits of learning, celebrate achievements of adults who have used learning to transform their lives, and to encourage everyone to embrace lifelong learning. Kate's Story "After being struck down by a life changing illness in 2010, I needed a focus and a reason to wake up in the morning, so in 2013 I took a massive step and enrolled on the Activities 4 Health (now 'Like Minds') course at Adult Education Wolverhampton. This was just the start of my mission to survive and get my life back on track. The class was aimed at individuals who had suffered illness and mental health difficulties. For me it was the stepping stone back to the living, breathing world outside of...

Adult Education Wolverhampton would like to congratulate Hala Akhras on her learning achievements and is proud to announce that she has been been Highly Commended for this year's English Language Learning Award. The Festival of Learning is the biggest celebration of lifelong learning in England. The mission is to highlight the benefits of learning, celebrate achievements of adults who have used learning to transform their lives, and to encourage everyone to embrace lifelong learning. Hala's Story   "To begin I have started studying English in 2015 at Adult Education Wolverhampton. Firstly I did entry level 3 ESOL, I then moved onto level 1 speaking and listening then reading and writing. I wanted to continue to Level 2 but this was as high as I could go with English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). Therefore I decided to move on to a higher level and enrolled on and IELTS course to prepare myself of the IELTS qualification. The reason I wanted to do this is because in ...

Adult Education Wolverhampton would like to congratulate Washington Shearer on his learning achievements and is proud to announce that he has been chosen by the Festival of learning for the National Return to Learning Award'. The Festival of Learning is the biggest celebration of lifelong learning in England. The mission is to highlight the benefits of learning, celebrate achievements of adults who have used learning to transform their lives, and to encourage everyone to embrace lifelong learning. Each year Adult Education nominates a number of individuals from across the Service. This year Adult Education Wolverhampton are proud to announce that 3 of our students have been recognised for their achievements. Washington's Story  Whilst serving a five and a half year prison sentence I seriously started to think about the need to change my life. All my adult life I had hidden the fact that I couldn't read or write; I felt ashamed and embarrassed when faced with endless forms to fill ...

Veena's story  At the age of 25 I moved from the Punjab to Italy and spent the following 17 years raising my family and living as an Italian citizen. For many years I dreamt of making the UK my home and in 2015 I emigrated here with my family. England was a place that held more opportunity. Somewhere we could make a better life for ourselves. I immediately enrolled on an ESOL class at Adult Education Wolverhampton and have never looked back. My English has greatly improved and so has my confidence. I feel I have come a long way with my language skills and am excited about the future. I have also been attending Childcare classes as I would like to work with children. I encourage my own children to study as I feel this will give us all a much better future. Adult Education is an excellent place where adults have the chance to succeed. I have and will continue to recommend it to friends and family.    Feeling inspired? Change your life. English for Speakers of Other Languag...