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Barry Learner Secures Place to Study Medicine After Transformative Return to Education

Friday, 4 September 2026 21:31

By Nathan Spackman

A Barry man who left school at 14 with no qualifications has secured a place to study medicine at the University of Bristol, just two years after returning to education.

Twenty‑five‑year‑old Javier Griffiths‑Payne, who grew up in Barry and still lives in the town, says his journey shows that it is never too late to start again. Inspired by his late grandmother, who spent 46 years working as a nurse, he set out to build a future in healthcare that he could be proud of.

A visit to a Cardiff and Vale College (CAVC) open day proved to be the turning point. “I really had my heart set on a career in medicine but, with no qualifications, it was very hard to find what I needed as a mature student in my situation,” he said. “After the open day, I gained a clearer understanding of the goal I had set for myself by discussing the different pathways I could take.”

Javier enrolled on a Level 2 Access to Further Study course and completed a GCSE in Biology with the Open University. He went on to achieve an A in Higher Mathematics and top grades in the Level 3 Access to Higher Education: Bioscience course, an intensive one‑year programme covering chemistry, biology, biochemistry, study skills and communication. Those results helped him secure his place at Bristol.

Throughout his studies, Javier balanced learning with caring for his disabled grandfather and even captained Team Wales in competitive esports during the Counter‑Strike International Esports Federation World Championship qualifiers.

His achievements have now been recognised nationally. Javier has been named Young Adult Learner of the Year in the Inspire! Adult Learning Awards, one of 11 winners who will be celebrated at a ceremony at the Coal Exchange in Cardiff on 23 September.

“It is never too late to start again,” he said. “If someone had told my younger self that I would be studying medicine at university, I would have said they were joking. But here I am. I’ll never stop learning.”

Kathleen Weatherhead, CAVC Access to Higher Education tutor and science teacher, described him as “an exemplary learner”, adding: “He has demonstrated time and again the genuine enthusiasm of a mature learner enjoying the opportunity to study and to take advantage of every opportunity that prepares him for higher education.”

Michelle Matheron, Learning and Work Institute Director for Wales, said Javier’s story shows the transformative impact of lifelong learning. “Their commitment to learning has made a huge difference to their lives but also to those around them,” she said. “In a fast‑changing world the message to ‘never stop learning’ is more important than ever.”

Adult Learners’ Week takes place throughout September, with taster courses and online sessions available for anyone in Wales considering a return to education.

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