Totally agree with Tutu - she lectures on this subject, so knows what her university requirements are.
From a student's perspective, I had a degree but changed paths and did another in early years, then the eyps. I felt the students I worked with fell into two catergories - those that had academic qualifications ('a' levels) and knew there would still be a 'leap' in the work expected of them.
The other group were students who had no academic qualifications but came in with NVQ 3 or 4 ( you must have either 'o' levels or GSCE grade C in both English and Maths). This group split in two with those who understood the enormity of what lay ahead and prepared by academic writing, reading, researching and studying their subject; and the other thinking that their NVQ's were fine, so a degree would be too - wrong.
A degree is hard work for everyone, even if you find the work enjoyable and not hard, the pace, the research, the study,the reading, re-reading, the 3-6000 thousand word assignments, presentations - preparations, case conferences etc; don't forget your workplace - your daily routine at work, keyperson work, observations, profiles, home now - children, cooking, washing ironing - social life, family committments, you need time off to clear your head,get your assignment done you can't, you manager needs you in, someone is ill etc etc .You are expected to do your work based on your current experience at your setting and you will have to think of new ideas and include in degree work - run it pass your manager, who doesn't want the expense or the 'hassle'. It impacts on everything you do and everyone in 'your world'.
The first year you are marked differently - higher by a grade or two, but each year you are expected to increase your knowledge, 'crank it up' a bit.
Some students scraped along on a bare pass - needless to say, most of those went before the end of the first year, some through the second year and the number dwindled until there was only half the original number of students in the third year - one or two left at the final hurdle at Christmas.
You need to work so you are producing good work in the first year even those of us that were getting As, realise these may drop in the second year if we did not continue to progress and worked every hour that we could. It spurred most of us into doing well in the first year to push ourselves, as the feeling of doing well (or fear of failing)is reward enough - but you see lots of tears and 'nearly leaving' meltdowns.
It doesn't matter if you are coming from the group with academic qualifications or NVQs, but you must really work hard. English is important, students were pulled aside for poor English and academic writing skills ( but supported with extra English classes - in their own time).
If you really want something hard enough and you feel you are capable of academic writing, then you will enjoy and benefit from gaining a degree in the sector. The funding in most counties has now dried up, with the government announcing that it is no longer a requirement to have an EYP in every early years setting - connected to funding I think. On top of attending university there are other costs, fuel, books - you may want to buy extra books (often books are out on loan when you want to use them), your printing and everything else you feel you need.
This isn't to put you off, but you give you the other side of the coin - the unglamorous side. There are lots of positive points - your knowledge you gain will be beneficial for understanding children better, you may feel the degree gives you more confidence in your own ability, you may feel you want to study further or progress in the sector (promotion) or use it slightly differently in another branch of working with children.
If you do a degree, it will be what you make of it - so if you put in the hard work, and you will be rewarded. Nothing comes 'easy' as they say, and a degree must be earnt - you wouldn't want anything less, if you studied 3-5 years, would you?
Glad to hear you have taken a year after gaining a Level 4 to have a break and consider what you want to do next. Good Luck with whatever you decide to do.
ps. An interview, gives the university an idea of who you are, whether you can cope and they very often ask you to take a Maths test and write an essay. I had 'a' levels in these subjects; so I didn't have to do the maths test, but I did have to write an essay, which I presume gives them an idea of what your English is like, an insight into your writing style, and maybe it's kept for them to check you are doing your own work.
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