Name: Chrissie Newman

Age: 17

Qualification: Programme Led Pathway (PLP) leading to full Apprenticeship Level 2 in Early Years Care and Education

Workplace: Bear Club Nursery

I received really bad GCSE grades when I left school and I didn’t want to go to college, I thought it might be too much like school. One of my friends went to Fareport one day a week while he was at school to do ICT and when he left school he started the e2e programme. He told me about e2e, so I contacted Fareport and went for an interview and started e2e on August 04.

I worked towards my key skills and achieved my level 2 in ICT, Application of Number and Communication which I was really pleased with as they are the equivalent to GCSE A-C. I have always been interested in child care and my Assessors helped me gain my key skills by basing the assignments around child care which made more sense to me.

I started child care sessions (NCFE level 1) with Fareport which runs one day a week. I learnt about children’s nutrition and development and completed units so I could get my NCFE certificate.

I did a couple of work tasters then Fareport placed me at Bear Club Nursery. I really like it there and they are going to employ me in November 05.

I enjoy doing my qualification, when I have finished doing my Technical Certificate I only have to do my NVQ and then I am a qualified Nursery Nurse. I would like to go on to do my level 3 Apprenticeship so I can become a Key Worker which will enable me to head of a particular age group; I would love to work with the ones to two year olds.

When I was at school my teacher put me down and made me feel stupid, but Fareport reassured me I wasn’t and encouraged me to gain the confidence to read small sentences out loud. I have now got the confidence to read a whole paragraph out loud and that’s progress!!

Some of my friends have joined Fareport and the Assessors have also recognised some of them as having learning difficulties when the schools didn’t and are receiving extra support, they really enjoy it and are doing well.

I would and have recommend Fareport as I have gained qualifications, confidence, experience in child care, I get a training allowance and now employment and a career.