Bernie Foy

Because of my age I never thought I would be able to do GCSE English and Maths again. Michelle and Barbara were absolutely amazing, they were so patient and gave me the help and encouragement I needed to believe in myself.

Bernie decided to come back into education at age 40 to pursue his dream career in nursing. After taking advice and guidance from the team here at LMC, he began studying GCSE English and GCSE Maths as well as the Access to HE Diploma.

Bernie succesfully passed with a grade 5 result and achieved his qualification in English GCSE, despite thinking he would never be able to with the length of time he has been out of education.

Because of my age I never thought I would be able to do GCSE English and Maths again. Michelle and Barbara were absolutely amazing, they were so patient and gave me the help and encouragement I needed to believe in myself. I remember going to Michelle after the exam and telling her I think I’m confident that I’ve passed. A grade 5 is amazing. Maths is next for me, I am only a couple marks off passing each time I do it.

The curriculum and support teams at LMC will support anyone throughout their journey as a student, We have dedicated learning support and pastoral teams to help your College experience be the best it can be and are proud to be able to get students like Bernie into their dream careers.

I suffer with anxiety too so the learning support team have greatly helped me, by allowing me to sit in a quieter room with only a few students during my resists. In a large hall like back at school, I would have felt too overwhelmed.

Achieving his GCSE in English and studying the Access to HE course has further supported Bernie on his journey into his dream career not just in the qualification but also in other skills, knowledge and behaviours.

Studying for GCSE English has refined my communication skills. This will benefit me as an adult nurse as strong communication skills are the bedrock of effective patient advocacy and will enable me to comprehend and address the unique needs of individuals in my care. The Access to HE course has provided me with a theoretical foundation to complement my practical experiences, laying a groundwork for my transition into undergraduate study.

When asked what advice he would give to students thinking of returning to education at a later age, Bernie said:

My tips for others is to believe in yourself no matter your background or age. The college is amazing at helping everyone. It’s what inspired me to become a learning support assistant at College, to give others the support and care that I received.