Don't Tell Me I Can't......Get A Degree In My 50s

Being a student again gave Anne Hall’s career – and her confidence – a boost

- Anne Hall

Despite my new shoes rubbing my heels and my mortar board wobbling on my head, I couldn’t stop the smile creeping on my face. as my name was called and I made my way to collect my degree I heard proud cheers erupt from the audience. ‘well done, mum!’ my daughter Jennie shouted. at age 44, I wasn’t your typical student...

Growing up, I’d never enjoyed school and when I fell in love for the first time at 16, my motivation to study plummeted even further. And so, aged 18, having failed all of my A-levels, I left school with just a few O-level passes.

It was my rather exasperated careers teacher and a leaflet about a BBC secretarial training course that saved me. In 1976, aged 18, I joined the BBC as a trainee secretary and three years later, aged 21, I’d worked my way into TV production, an amazing career.

I married a BBC film cameraman in 1988 and in 1989 my son, Sam, was born, followed by Jennie in 1992.