thanks parkfell, great advice as always.
i understand quality is the most important factor in all this. i also see CTC, OAA, FTE do modular courses designed for later part of training? probably dont get the benifits of a holding pool though if you do this.
the reason im also reluctant to go integrated all the way is i can't start a course to the new year/early 2016. due to personal reasons. so i want to do something productive until then. So this is my reasoning behind getting a PPL and hours and knocking out the ATPL distance until early 2016 before i move to the advanced stages of training. I understand i could just carry on working until then and just start but again due to personal reasons this isn't feasible too.
in short i REALLY just want to get on with it and move in the right direction without a lull.