In this episode Adna shares her experience as being one of our Functional Skills students, studying English at level 2 which is now an entry requirement for applying to universities across the UK.

Can you start by sharing what motivated you to pursue the Level 2 Functional Skills in English and how you prepared yourself for the exams covering Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Communicating over the course of four months?

Hi, my name is Adna. I am a mum of three. I live in Surrey with my family. I have a beauty salon and a beauty academy at home. And what motivated me to do my Level 2 Functional Skills in English was because I always wanted to be a nurse. And to get to that, I had to start with my Level 2 in English and I prepared myself for the exams in the last four months, starting at night time after everyone's gone to bed and also starting very early in the morning. And that worked for me really well.

It worked really well for me


Balancing full-time work with studying can be quite challenging. How did you manage your time effectively to ensure you were prepared for your exams while meeting your work commitments? Were there any specific strategies or tools you found particularly helpful?

It was very challenging fitting the English course around my life schedule as a busy, working mum. So what I did, I was getting up at 6am every day and studying until half seven, and then after that I would get myself ready, get the kids ready, take them to school, work with clients until 6pm, then pick the kids up from the clubs and making dinner, getting everyone ready for bed, and then I would go back to my studies from 9.30pm and I would study until 11pm. And that, having this time for myself, it worked really well for me.

That sounds like a very demanding schedule! Balancing studies, work, and family is no easy task. It's impressive how you managed to find time for your English course amidst all your responsibilities. How did you manage your time effectively to ensure you were prepared for your exams while meeting your work commitments? Were there any specific strategies or tools you found particularly helpful?

The hardest thing for me in the four months of my course were the exams, and the first exam I did was the listening speaking communication, which I had to do a little presentation. That was a little bit difficult because I'm not the kind of person that speaks easily in public, so I had to kind of train myself. But what helped me was the videos that I received from the Academy Online Learning, and that really helped me. And those videos taught me how to speak and to listen and also to communicate. That was very, very helpful. I wouldn't have done the exam without it.

A huge achievement for me


It sounds like you put in a lot of effort to overcome your challenges with public speaking. Using the resources from the Academy Online Learning seems to have made a significant difference for you. How did you manage your time effectively to ensure you were prepared for your exams while meeting your work commitments? Were there any specific strategies or tools you found particularly helpful?

Completing the Level 2 Functional Skills in English was a huge achievement for me because this will give me the opportunity to go to the next level, which is the access to higher education and then go to university and do what I always wanted to do, which is my nursing course. I'm also so grateful for my tutor. She helped me so much and she gave me the confidence I needed to complete the course.

Just go and do it


It's wonderful to hear that you're on your way to achieving your goal of studying nursing. Having a supportive tutor can make such a big difference. Passing the Level 2 Functional Skills in English is a significant achievement, especially when you are also working full time.  What advice would you give them based on your experience? Are there any resources or tips you would recommend to help them succeed in their Functional Skills exams?

My advice to anyone who wants to enrol on the course, just go and do it. Don't think of your busy life, of your work, or of your family, or don't think of leaving that for next month or next year because we're never going to do it. So what I did, I decided that was the right moment, I enrolled myself without thinking about my busy life, and I did the course and I completed it. So that's my advice to anyone who wants to do it, just go and do it. You will find the time to study and you will find the time to complete the course like I did.

That's great advice, thank you! Taking that first step without overthinking it is often the hardest part. Your determination and ability to manage your time so effectively is inspiring and will surely motivate others to pursue their goals despite a busy schedule. Thank you for taking the time to record the podcast with me and I wish you all the best for your future studies in Nursing.