A Level Student Stories:
A Level Student Stories: Abbie Nugent | A Level Law

Abbie refuses to let any barriers get in the way of achieving her A Levels, as she works towards achieving her first in 2026, A Level Law. 

I have always had a plan in mind from high school that I wanted to do my A Levels and then continue on to University. Come 2021, I started three A Levels at a full time sixth form, I was very excited!

Unfortunately not long into this, I received a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. This had a massive impact on my everyday life as I was constantly exhausted. Eventually I had to start using an electric wheelchair.

Not long into this, I had to drop from three A Levels, down to two and eventually one. I had pushed myself too far with three, and my body was reluctant to handle even one.

Despite desperately wanting to continue, I was advised to take the year as a gap year and continue in 2022. So I focused on bettering myself and learning how to pace my energy. In 2022, I restarted doing the last A Level I was doing, which was Law.

I was so passionate about it and tried my best to attend as often as I physically could. Sadly, I also started experiencing seizures among other symptoms (which has now been diagnosed as Non-Epileptic Attack Disorder). Due to my disabilities, I started missing more lessons as they progressed.

I forced myself to stay on top of the workload despite the negative impacts on me physically and mentally. In the end, I couldn’t get in enough and the teacher didn’t seem to have much hope in me, despite staying on top of the work, so I decided to leave again and look at other options.

I found online learning in this search, however I was not in a financial position to pay for it. So, I went to the local council and contacted as many people as I possibly could to see if I could get support to pay towards doing my A Levels online. This was to no avail. It felt like a hopeless search.

I was desperate to start learning again despite others doubts about me being able to do it. In the end, my mum saved enough money to be able to pay for my first A Level course (law again).

We looked at different options and found a provider that was affordable, and offered exactly what I needed, like tutor support, mock exams that are marked, and questions throughout. This was ICS Learn.

I began my course and am still doing it now with hopes to sit the exams in 2026. I still have my CFS and NEAD but I refuse to let my disabilities take away what I’ve always wanted for myself.

Online learning has allowed me to do what I wanted to do but with the flexibility to study whenever my body allows it without having to follow a strict schedule.

In the future, I plan to do my next two A Levels the same way I’m doing this one, as doing multiple at once is too much for me. I’m very proud of how far I have come and I am determined to get all of my A Levels even if it’s through an unconventional way.

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