Sanya had been attending school in Edinburgh before the Covid-19 outbreak; the first five months she spent distance learning were more of an urgent necessity than a choice.

When it came to taking things up a notch with GCSE study, however, Sanya enrolled with NEC to expand her learning in preparation for university. Biology, Chemistry, History and English had been her favourite subjects in school, so those were the ones she chose to pursue as qualifications alongside an essential GCSE in Maths. 

Initially worried that it would be difficult to adapt to a new online learning environment, Sanya soon discovered the utility of NEC’s introductory videos, interactive forums and various themed webinars in helping her settle in. 

“NEC has a well-structured learning system that fits my style of studying.”

Having responsibility for her own time management has made it easy for Sanya to maximise productivity in both her studies and everyday life – whilst at the same time creating space to look after her mental and physical health. The course structure suits her well, especially when it comes to using the topic summaries and Learning Objectives to organise her revision: 

“I find the Objectives especially helpful as I use them as a checklist to ensure that I have covered all the material needed which may appear in the exams, as well as revision criteria for the assignments.”

She also finds that her independence is balanced with support from her tutors, especially if she has a query about a particular topic or how to approach the exams.

“Studying and going over the material is really important, however you mustn’t forget to regularly take breaks and get enough sleep! I like to set a timer for about forty-five minutes to study, and later have a fifteen minute break. If in doubt or in need of help, don’t be afraid to ask your tutors for help, or use the forums to ask other students taking the same course.“

Sanya is highly ambitious and looking to complete her GCSEs in 2022 before embarking on A levels with NEC. 

“Since A levels are internationally recognised, I am planning to use my exam results to apply to university in the UK or in Europe to study medicine.”

She is conscious of the need to break down her goals into manageable steps: beginning with aiming for good marks on the tutor-marked assignments within her courses, then passing her GCSEs, then moving onto conquering her A levels. 

“To de-stress and clear my mind I like to knit – it gets my hands busy and my mind off school. I also like to read and learn Chinese to keep my mind busy but not necessarily with school. To get out of the house, I hang out with friends and walk the dogs on a daily basis.”

We’re so happy that Sanya is enjoying her time with NEC and look forward to seeing how she progresses over the coming months! 

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Thinking of pursuing homeschooling? Check out our guide for home educators here.