Student Profiles: Background

In the late 1970’s, Nigel left school at seventeen, half way through his A Level course, having decided that he was no longer enjoying the challenges of school life and that he wanted to earn a living. After a stint as Head Waiter in a local restaurant and a short spell as a trainee cost accountant he began to wonder if he’d been too hasty in his decision to quit school.

From an early age Nigel had been involved in music, playing a number of instruments to a senior level, including piano and double bass. It was music that took him on a trip to Sunderland Polytechnic, at the request of an old school friend who was currently studying there, to stand in as timpanist for a one-off performance by the college’s orchestra. Whilst talking to the conductor, one of the polytechnic’s senior lecturers, Nigel discussed his ambition to take up music as a career. Despite his lack of A Levels, he was advised to apply to the Polytechnic, and after an audition, was accepted to study for a teaching certificate with music as his main subject. After a year, and further internal assessments, Nigel was able to transfer to the full B.Ed programme at Durham University.

After graduation, Nigel went into teaching and in 1986 was appointed as Head of the Music Service for Bolton, managing the LEA’s instrumental music service. Three years later he realised he needed to consider a further qualification in order to broaden his career. He was delighted when the LEA supported his education ambitions and offered him a 12-month paid secondment to undertake a further degree.

The Programme

Nigel undertook a full-time M.Ed degree at Manchester University. Having been given the bonus of paid leave it made sense to “go for a full-time course rather than a part-time one, as I wouldn’t have to worry about balancing work and study and I could finish the course within a year”.

Not only did Nigel pass the course with distinction he also went on to secure a promotion to the role of County Music Adviser in Shropshire.

Interestingly, however, he began a part-time PhD programme in 1992 but was forced to give it up after one year. “By this time” he said, “I was married and had a young child. Combining that with a relatively new job and the demands of a PhD was just too much to take on. It made me realise that you have to think very carefully whether you can absorb the extra work into your day-to-day life.”

The Challenges

Undoubtedly the task of getting back into study mode. On a programme whose main focus was self-directed research, it was initially hard to find the self-discipline needed. Nigel confesses that, in the first term, he watched far too much daytime TV!

The Benefits

• Having left school with few qualifications, and despite getting through a degree course, Nigel always had doubts about his intellectual abilities. He was especially pleased to get a distinction and also to feel as if he had made a contribution to a body of knowledge
• Nigel particularly enjoyed the research phase, which for his thesis involved a lot of interviews and observation sessions with teaching staff, children and music professionals.
• Tips for other aspiring students.
• Think carefully why you want to undertake a particular course and do your research to make sure you can manage to fit the study requirements into your life.
• However, don’t think about it for too long – you are more likely to ‘talk yourself out of it’!
• Take the course seriously, but not too seriously. Try to enjoy the whole experience, taking in the social as well as the academic opportunities.