We recently caught up with a successful T Level graduate, Grace, who completed her Early Years Educator T Level with a Distinction, gaining her valuable hands-on experience and a great final result. 

Over the 2 years, Grace worked 750 hours in her placement and explained that the T Level was a ‘great balance of placement and college hours’, providing her with a unique blend of classroom learning and real-world experience to put her skills into practice. 

Grace completed many tasks during her placement such as ‘supporting children with daily tasks’ and assisting them with their learning, and as her confidence and knowledge progressed, she was given more responsibilities due to her capability and determination in the role. 

The Early Years Educator T Level is a two year course based at Knightstone campus. The T Level allows students to collaborate with employers, providing a mixture of classroom learning and work-based experience to help build technical skills and kick start a career in the education sector. Studying this course sets a student apart from others as they develop a deeper understanding of child development in practice as well as in a classroom. 

Throughout Grace’s T Level, she ‘learnt so much from doing an industry placement’ and had the opportunity to shadow and work alongside experienced professionals. This opportunity helped her develop the necessary skills as well as open her eyes to potential career paths in the future. 

As a result of her hard work and dedication, Grace was offered a summer job opportunity with her placement, Stationhouse Nursery in Portishead, which she stated was the highlight of her T Level as it proved that her hard work and efforts had paid off.  

During her time at Weston College, Grace found that the support from the staff and the team were a key factor of her success. With their fun lesson deliveries, readiness to answer any queries, and catering to the needs of each learner, Grace said that she ‘couldn’t have done it without them’. She also found that the newly renovated facilities available to her at Weston College had a positive impact on her learning experience. 

When asked if Grace would recommend a T Level course, she said it was the ‘best of both worlds’, and for anyone considering a T Level, she encourages that all students ‘100% go for it’. With both the practical experience to take her straight into a career, or enough UCAS points to continue studying at university, there is no limit to opportunities.  

After completing her course with a Distinction, Grace is proud that the hard work paid off and she is now progressing on to Norland College in September.

We wish you the best of luck Grace!