Karmele,
With regard to the ATPL exams, if I were you I would get them done in a year as a constant effort. If you don't you loose momentum, and then you will probably be done for. Use all your holiday and get some unpaid leave if needed. I required six weeks at Bristol (4 for brush up and two for exams). However, other schools may require less time off, like London Met., who I recall require three weeks for brush-up and do the exams in three sittings rather than two.
The biggest problem I faced has been finding somewhere where I could do my CPL part-time. I made a wrong choice there, not because of the FTO (they have accomodated me as best they can), but simply a/c availability when competing with PPL hire and all the other problems of tech, weather, personal, etc, etc. Sometimes with several weeks between flights. Its been a slog in that department.