Jul 25 2011 4:00PM
A woman who left school at 16 and took the opportunity to earn and travel has come back to College as a mature student and earned a university place to study for an Honours degree.
Sarah Watson, 37, from Feltwell, was among 64 students who successfully completed an Access to Higher Education Diploma Literature, History and Social Science at West Suffolk College in July.
When Sarah left school, she didn’t want to go to university, but later in life she decided to come back into education and aim for a degree in English and History and coming onto the Access course at West Suffolk College was the first step in following her dream.
This was not an easy decision, because Sarah is a full time carer for her 18 year old stepson, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Sarah also has a three year old son to care for.
Lecturer Mary Clements said: “Sarah has been totally committed and worked exceptionally hard, achieving great success on the course. She has been offered a place at UCS Bury St Edmunds to read English and History in September.”
Sarah said: “I am so happy. Now I have completed the Access course, the sky is the limit.”
Sarah has been an inspiration to her family and friends. Two women in her village are considering signing up on the Access to Higher Education course next year, thinking ‘if Sarah can do it so can we!’