Linda Wheatley
Family Support Worker · Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
Access to HE Diploma – Social Work Pathway (OCNL)
“I was really panicking – I hadn't studied properly since I was 17 and I convinced myself I wasn't clever enough for university. Lucas was amazing. He was calm, patient, and made me realise this was completely achievable. I'm so glad I made that call.”
The Challenge
Linda had worked as a family support worker for Staffordshire County Council for seven years, supporting families with complex needs through early intervention programmes. She had watched newly qualified social workers arrive and recognised that she had more experience and insight than many of them – but she lacked the degree that would allow her to register with Social Work England and take on a qualified social worker role. At 41, the idea of going back to formal study filled her with anxiety. She had left school at 16 with a handful of GCSEs and had never sat an A-Level in her life.
Why learndirect
Linda called learndirect after seeing an Access to HE Nursing advert online – she initially thought Access to HE was only for nursing, and Lucas, her enrolment adviser, explained clearly that there were Social Work pathway options specifically designed for people in her position. “He talked me through it step by step and never once made me feel like I was being silly for not knowing things,” Linda recalled. The fact that there were no exams – just assignments based on real study and reflection – was the detail that finally made her feel the qualification was achievable alongside her full-time job and two teenage children.
The Outcome
Linda is currently completing her OCNL Access to HE Diploma (Social Work pathway) and has received a conditional offer from Keele University for their BA Social Work programme. Her personal statement drew heavily on her seven years of family support work, and the academic writing skills she has developed through her Access to HE assignments gave her confidence in articulating her professional experience. Newly qualified social workers in her local authority start at £34,834 – a significant step up from her current salary – with progression to senior social worker roles at £40,000–£50,000.