GCSE results open doors for Adult Learning students

A Norwich man has succeeded in his dream of becoming a paramedic and a Thetford woman is taking her first step towards a teaching career, all thanks to GCSE results achieved with Norfolk's award-winning Adult Learning service.

The service has seen excellent results across both English and maths GCSEs this year. Of 91 adult GCSE students sitting formal exams for the first time since 2019, 73% achieved Grade 4 or above in maths and 78% achieved Grade 4 or above in English.

Healthcare technician Aaron Jarvis, 33, from Norwich, needed a maths GCSE to fulfil his dream of becoming a paramedic. Having achieved a Grade 5 in GCSE maths today means he can now progress to become a trainee paramedic with the East of England Ambulance Service. He studied for the GCSE online which allowed him the flexibility with work.

Aaron said:

"The course was really good, the tutor was fantastic, she was so helpful and would go over steps again and again until you understood it."

Tugce Sahin, 27, from Thetford, first studied Adult Learning's Functional Skills course, completing it within three weeks, which enabled her to study for GCSE English and maths. Achieving a Grade 4 in English and a Grade 5 in mathstoday, she can now progress onto an initial teacher training course - the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Tugce said:

"All the tutors have just been so supportive and ready to help at every stage. If you are thinking about doing a GCSE with Adult Learning just go for it, they will help you every step of the way."

Cllr Margaret Dewsbury, cabinet member for communities and partnerships at Norfolk County Council said:

"I'm delighted to convey congratulations to all of this year's Adult Learning students on their GCSE results.

"These newly-acquired GCSEs in maths and English are something to really take pride in and I'm sure they will help to open doors for this cohort of students in their next endeavours in the world of work or study.

"It's really wonderful to hear how Tugce and Aaron's results are enabling them to take the next steps towards their dream jobs.

"Today is also a testament to the hard work and dedication of the tutors in the service, who have helped their students through extraordinary times and can be equally proud of today's results."

Denise Saadvandi, Head of Adult Learning said:

"These results are a great testimony to the resilience of our staff and learners.

"The last year has been one where attendance continued to be impacted by Covid absences and, with the return to face to face teaching and learning, the starting points of our learners were lower than in the previous academic year, when our courses were delivered wholly online and tended to attract learners with higher starting points.

"We are delighted with the achievements of our learners."

Norfolk Adult Learning, which is rated Good by Ofsted, offers free English and maths GCSE courses to adults aged 19 or over. The service offers a range of vocational qualifications and apprenticeships with subsidised courses including accountancy, access to higher education, health and social care, English and maths qualifications, including GCSE, childcare and teaching qualifications, and family learning, as well as community-based and leisure courses designed for people to try a new hobby, learn a new skill or get back into learning.

All courses are taught by professionally-qualified, passionate tutors who are experts in their field. In addition to a dedicated apprenticeships team there is an experienced team of advisors offering ongoing specialist learning support, and information, advice and guidance to help people beginning a path to a new career or life goal.

For more information about free GCSE English and maths visit our GSCE courses for adults webpage.

For more information about Adult Learning visit our Adult learning webpages.