“Education has turned my life around and now I am determined to help others in my situation and be the person at the front of the class teaching others the joy of learning can bring.
Paul Slinn, BA(Hons) English
A mature student who left school without any qualifications has graduated with a first-class degree from Staffordshire University.
English graduate Paul Slinn was told Shakespeare wasn’t for people like him as a young teenager and was forced to leave full-time education after years of torment and abuse from bullies.
Taught at home until the age of 16 Paul confesses the ordeal had a devastating impact on his confidence.
“I left school at 13 years of age with no qualifications, no friends, and no confidence whatsoever, between the age of 16 to 20 I didn’t speak to anybody outside of my family.
“But I decided I needed to make a change in my life for the better.”
At the age of 28 Paul took the plunge to return to education, taking a basic skills course at Stafford College, before achieving GCSE grade As in English and English language and literature.
Paul’s enthusiasm and talent was soon noticed by his tutors who were keen to see Paul fulfil his potential and further his academic study.
“When I was at school I was told Shakespeare was not for people like me and that I would never understand it, but the first thing I read was Macbeth and I fell in love.”
“It was my lecturer who first came to me and said “have you thought about doing an A Level?”, I thought he was taking the mickey to be honest because I didn’t think someone from my background could do an A Level.
“But I wanted to prove to myself those people who told me I was stupid and worthless were wrong.” Paul added.
Paul continued to excel in his chosen A level subjects at college, gaining two As in Sociology and English Language and Literature, and was spurred on by seeing his friends heading to university and applied for a place Staffordshire University’s BA(Hons) English course to fulfil his ambition of becoming an adult teacher.
“Education has turned my life around and now I am determined to help others in my situation and be the person at the front of the class teaching others the joy of learning can bring.
“I’ve worked seven long years to get to this day and i’m ecstatic to have achieved a first-class degree.”
-staffs.ac.uk
