Flexible learning is an education in expanding career prospects

When George Connor began studying Classical Studies with The Open University in Scotland, he was already an experienced classroom teacher.

Working as an English teacher, he wanted to move into a new subject area but needed a route that would allow him to continue working. Through part-time study with the OU, he completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Classical Studies, followed by a master’s degree, enabling him to retrain while remaining in the classroom.

George, who teaches Classical Studies and Latin at Monifieth High School in Angus, has launched the first Classical Studies textbook for Scottish schools in 30 years, and co-founded Working Classicists, a social enterprise aimed at widening access to the subject in state schools.

For George, the decision to retrain was driven not only by professional ambition but by concern over access to education.

“It was obvious to me that the issue of declining teacher numbers in state schools risked leaving Classics only to those pupils whose parents could afford to send them to private schools,” he said.

His story illustrates a growing reality in Scottish education: teachers and education professionals increasingly need opportunities to develop new expertise, retrain or strengthen qualifications while continuing to work. For many, flexible study is becoming an important part of that picture.

Across Scotland, The Open University’s education offer now spans multiple stages of a teaching and education career — from those considering entering the profession to experienced classroom practitioners seeking professional development.

For some, the journey begins with opening the door to teaching itself.

Not everyone aspiring to become a teacher follows a traditional route into higher education, and not all prospective applicants have the qualifications required for entry to teacher training programmes.

In Scotland, the OU offers flexible study in subjects including English and Mathematics, enabling students to build the academic grounding often needed for entry to Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programmes.

For career changers, mature learners or those whose school qualifications may not reflect their later ambitions, part-time study can provide a way to meet entry requirements without stepping away from employment or family responsibilities.

That flexibility can prove transformative. Émeline Bhandari completed an OU degree before progressing to a PGDE, balancing study with raising twin children and changing career direction. Reflecting on her experience, she said: “The Open University has offered me an opportunity I thought I would never have.”

The ability to study around work and caring commitments is a recurring feature for many students entering education-related professions. Rather than requiring learners to pause their lives, distance learning can enable gradual progression into teaching over time.

For others, however, the focus is not entering teaching but developing within it.

George Connor’s move from English into Classical Studies is one example of how flexible study can support subject retraining while teachers remain in post. But professional learning extends well beyond changing specialism.

Emma McQueen from Falkirk who is training to be a primary teacher through the Open University. (Image: Julie Howden)

Teachers already working in classrooms use part-time study to deepen subject knowledge, undertake postgraduate education and build expertise in areas of growing importance to schools.

One example is the OU’s Scots language teacher training programme, accredited by the General Teaching Council for Scotland. The programme has supported teachers to develop confidence in bringing Scots language and culture into classrooms and has received recognition for its contribution to professional learning in Scottish education.

Increasingly, professional development is also focusing on inclusion and additional support needs.

The OU in Scotland recently launched a neurodivergence hub designed to support those working with neurodivergent children and young people. Bringing together learning resources, research and practical guidance, the hub is intended to support teachers and practitioners seeking to build confidence and understanding in areas including autism, ADHD and inclusive educational practice.

The demand for such learning reflects wider changes in schools, where supporting diverse learner needs is becoming an increasingly important aspect of classroom practice.

Importantly, the OU’s offer in education extends beyond qualified teachers.

Across Scotland, childminders, Early Years Practitioners, Pupil Support Assistants (PSAs) and Additional Support Needs (ASN) Assistants are also using flexible study to support career progression and professional confidence while continuing in work.

For some, this means formal qualifications that strengthen professional practice or support movement into more senior roles. For others, it provides a stepping stone towards becoming teachers themselves.

Emma McQueen, who balanced OU study alongside significant caring responsibilities, later progressed into teaching and secured a permanent Additional Support Needs teaching role. “The OU played such a pivotal role in my teaching journey and I wouldn’t be where I am without this incredible online learning platform,” she said.

Flexible learning can also create opportunities beyond schools. Sara Haldane used OU study to upskill in her subject before becoming a college lecturer, illustrating the wider role education-focused learning can play across Scotland’s lifelong learning landscape.

Alongside formal qualifications and accredited study, many educators are also turning to freely available professional learning resources.

Through the OU’s OpenLearn platform, teachers and education professionals can access free learning materials, practical resources and dedicated content for educators. There are also introductory resources for people considering whether teaching might be the right career for them, helping prospective applicants understand the profession before committing to formal training.

This blend of formal qualifications, professional development and free learning opportunities reflects a wider shift in how people enter and progress through educational careers.

Few careers now follow a perfectly linear path. Some teachers arrive after careers elsewhere. Others retrain into new subjects mid-career. Many education professionals balance study with jobs, caring responsibilities or financial pressures.

For George Connor, the flexibility to learn while working opened a route into a subject he cared deeply about — and helped ensure more young people would have access to it.

His journey from English teacher to Classics specialist demonstrates what can happen when opportunities for professional learning remain open.

But it also highlights something broader: at a time of workforce pressures and changing learner needs, creating flexible pathways into and through education may matter more than ever.

www.open.ac.uk/scotland