Paul Slinn
Paul Slinn left school at 13 because of bullying. He had no formal qualifications and was unemployed for a long time. Three years ago, Paul started adult literacy and numeracy classes at Stafford College.
He achieved two Maths qualifications in one year, passing both Levels 1 and 2, before gaining his Literacy Level 2. He then studied GCSEs, achieving Grade A in English and Grade B in Maths. This led to a one-year A-level course in English, where he gained an A Grade. Paul is currently studying A-level Sociology and has received a conditional offer from Staffordshire University.
“I’ve rediscovered a passion for learning that I had lost as a child. I’ve wanted to do well, wanted to prove myself, and for the first time I’ve been able to show what I’m capable of. It’s taken over my life and made me excited about the opportunities open to me. I feel that so much more is possible now.”
“When I first came to college I was terrified. In my first English lesson we were doing Macbeth. I’d always been told that Shakespeare was for middleclass people, that someone like me wouldn’t understand it. I thought, ‘this is brilliant – why haven’t I read this before?’ It was the birth of a love of Shakespeare. Now I read all the time – everything from Dickens to Stephen King.”
Paul now wants to support other learners by working in the College’s Additional Support Unit.