Meet our learners - Wesley

7 October 2025 By Marketing

With Learn Devon, Wesley has gained two formal English qualifications.

Wesley first came into contact with Learn Devon during an open day at his local job centre. He met a tutor who carried out some initial assessments and was impressed by Wesley’s English skills. The tutor recommended he join a Functional Skills Level 2 English course.

Wesley enrolled and began studying with Dirk, his tutor. ‘Dirk was a very caring and understanding tutor,’ Wesley said.

He successfully passed the course and, for the first time, found himself genuinely enjoying English. He began reading regularly and even started writing his own stories.

Motivated by his progress, Wesley decided to continue his studies and enrolled in a GCSE English course. Although he initially planned to attend in person, he ended up joining an online class — which turned out to be a great fit. ‘There were five other learners in my online class. We worked together on projects and created presentations,’ he said.

Starting in September 2024, Wesley committed himself fully to his studies. ‘I spent a lot of time on my homework — I knew I had to put the time in,’ he explained.

His GCSE tutor, Ruth Moss, played a key role in his journey. ‘Ruth was lovely. Whatever mistakes I made, she was always there to help. She believed in me,’ Wesley said.

Although he was nervous about the exam, the support he received helped him feel prepared. ‘We did lots of practice and past papers. It really helped me understand how the exams worked and how to answer the questions properly.’

When results day arrived, Wesley was stunned. ‘I had convinced myself I hadn’t passed. I was absolutely shocked when I saw my result — I got a grade 5 in GCSE English!’

Studying with Learn Devon has had a lasting impact on Wesley. ‘It changed things for me. It opened up new opportunities and built my confidence. It’s made me want to do more with Learn Devon and catch up on everything I missed at school. It’s never too late to learn.’