Prisoners’ Education Trust – Course Prospectus 2024-2025
Download PET's Course Prospectus - our comprehensive guide to the distance learning courses we offer, with information on how to apply and how to prepare to study.
PET offers over 130 distance learning courses in every prison in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
We offer courses in a range of sectors – from health and social care to transport and logistics – as well as GCSEs, A-levels and Open University Access modules. Here you’ll find information about every course we offer.
Sage Computerised Accounting for Business Level 3
This level 3 qualification will give you the advanced skills required to be the bookkeeper for a small firm or within an accounts department. You will build your understanding of cash flow management, preparing VAT returns, final accounts for sole traders and the principles of partnership accounting.
The course consists of ten modules:
1.Principles of double entry bookkeeping
2. Principles of accounting for not for profit organisations
3.Fundamentals of incomplete records
4.Principles of preparing financial statements for sole traders
5.Fundamentals of bookkeeping and accounting for partnerships
6.Principles of cash management
7.Principles of VAT
8.Cash management
9.Preparing and completing VAT returns
10.Computerised Accounting Software
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths, plus a previous Sage qualification or experience.
Format of Course Materials: CD-ROMs plus workbooks
Assignments: A series of self-assessed tasks, and a case study
Exams: Two summative tests
Prison Support Requirements: Ensure and facilitate PC use. Support completion and submission of assignments. Facilitate and invigilate exam.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Sage Level 4 CIMA Certificate
Find Out More: You can read more about Sage Qualifications here
Science, Technology and Maths Access Module (Y033)
The idea of university-level study can be quite daunting if you have not studied at this level before. For this reason, the OU offers introductory Access modules that have been specially designed to help you find out what it’s like to study with the OU, get a taste of a subject area, develop your study skills, and build your confidence. Starting an Access module with PET is the perfect opportunity to try out degree-level study without taking out a student loan. Research has also shown that learners who take Access modules are significantly more likely to succeed in their university studies than those who don’t.
This module introduces you to a range of technical subjects, including computing and IT, engineering and design, environment, mathematics, and science. As the foundation for further studies in these fields, this is the ideal module to build your confidence and prepare you for your next steps.
There are three main blocks:
- Life (Biology and ecological ideas)
- Water (Scientific experiments to understand how water shaped our planet)
- Home (Design, engineering, and computing)
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths.
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Four written assignments plus a few smaller assessed pieces of work
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Register and reserve learner on the course before the start date (February, May, and October each year)
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s next? Full Undergraduate Degree (funded via a student loan)
Find out more: from the OU directly here
Sociology A-Level Part 1
With this qualification, you’ll improve your understanding of human behaviour and interaction and explore issues around race, inequality and religion. You will get the opportunity to develop transferable skills like critical analysis, as well as independent thinking and research.
PET offers A-levels in two parts. Upon completing Part 1, you can choose either to take your AS exam (a qualification marking the first year of a full A-level) or continue on to Part 2 to build up to a full A-level.
The course consists of the following units:
- The Sociology of Education and Schools (School Relationships and Processes, School Sub-cultures)
- Educational Achievement (Class, Gender and Ethnicity and Educational Achievement, Educational Policies)
- Sociological Research Methods (Theory, methods, research, data sources, quantitative and qualitative data)
- The Sociology of Families and Households (Politics, social policy, changing families)
- Childhood Gender and Demographic Change (Gender roles and power, demographic change and the family)
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths
Assignments: Six written assignments. These do not contribute toward the final grade.
Exams: Two, each are 1 hour 30 minutes, and contribute 50% of the overall grade. (Funding not included – you will need to re-apply to PET for the exam fees).
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Organize and facilitate exams.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Sociology A-Level Part 2
Find Out More: From NEC here
Sociology A-Level Part 2
With this qualification, you’ll improve your understanding of human behaviour and interaction and explore issues around race, inequality and religion. You will get the opportunity to develop transferable skills like critical analysis, as well as independent thinking and research.
This course contains five lessons that follow on from Part 1:
- Beliefs in Society 1 (Religion, science, and ideology, religion as a force for social stability or change, religious organisations)
- Beliefs in Society 2 (New religious movements, gender feminism and religion, ethnicity, age and class, secularisation)
- Crime and Deviance 1 (Social control, deviance, crime, radical criminology, labelling theory, crime statistics)
- Crime and Deviance 2 (Ethnicity, gender and crime, social class and crime, crime in a global world, the criminal justice system)
- Revision – Theory and Methods
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths, plus Sociology A-Level Part 1
Assignments: Five written assignments. These do not contribute towards the final grade.
Exams: Three – each are 2 hours long, and contribute 33.3% of the final grade. (Funding not included – you will need to re-apply to PET for the exam fees)
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Organize and invigilate exams.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Open University Access Module Y032 People, Work and Society.
Find Out More: From NEC here
Transport Manager Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)
If you wish to become a transport manager or an owner/operator in the commercial transport industry, this qualification is essential. The course covers the civil, commercial, social and fiscal law associated with haulage, as well as providing information on business and financial management, access to the market, technical standards and road safety.
The course covers the following subjects:
- Civil law
- Commercial law
- Social law
- Fiscal law
- Business and financial management of the undertaking
- Access to the market
- Technical standards and technical aspects of operation
- Road safety
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: None – self-assessed workbook
Exams: One external exam. This can only be done at a regional exam centre after release, or on ROTL if prison support.
Prison Support Requirements: Support arranging exam at local centre
Tutor Support: None
Find Out More: You can read more about the course provider, EP Training, here.
Understanding Mentoring and Coaching
This nationally-recognised qualification will help you understand what mentoring and coaching involves, and consider how you could take on such a role. The course helps you to explore your own beliefs and values, alongside key mentoring and coaching skills. You will develop your skills in empathy, listening, non-verbal communication and questioning, building trust and giving effective feedback.
The course covers four topics:
- Concepts of Coaching and Mentoring
- Key Skills and Attributes
- Communication Skills
- The Mechanics of Coaching and Mentoring
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: A series of written assignments, then three formal written assessments
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments
Tutor Support: Yes
Find Out More: From NEC here
Webmaster Advanced HTML and CSS
Progressing from the HTML and CSS Level 3 qualification, on this course you’ll learn how to design stunning responsive websites using the very latest HTML5 and CSS technologies. You will find out how to develop professional websites with an optimal viewing experience across a wide range of devices. The course also includes tips on styling content, layouts, lists and tables, and special effects to improve webpages.
The course consists of ten lessons:
1. Introduction
2. Responsive Web Design
3. HTML5 Semantic Elements
4. Introduction to CSS3
5. Styling Content & Layout with CSS3
6. Styling Lists & Tables with CSS3
7. Stylish HTML5 Forms
8. Using CSS3 to Create Special Effects
9. Optimising & Organising your CSS3 Code
10. The Powerful HTML5 API’s
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English plus Webmaster Level 3 qualification or equivalent
Format of Course Materials: CD-ROMS (or if not possible, it can be provided via a downloadable file or via a USB stick)
Assignments: Ten assignments
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Ensure and facilitate PC Access. Support completion and submission of assignments.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Webmaster Javascript Web Design, also from the Distance Learning Centre
Find Out More: From the DLC here
Webmaster HTML and CSS for Beginners
This beginner’s course is designed for people who are interested in starting a career as a web designer, or who simply want to build a website for themselves or a company. You will get a thorough introduction to the HTML and CSS web development tools and find out how to build a high-impact landing page, optimised for search engine algorithms and responsive to browser screen sizes. During the course, you will also build your own store front, using animation, transition, and transformation techniques to attract visitors.
The course consists of ten lessons:
- Getting started with HTML&CSS
- Comprehensive HTML primer for beginners
- Extensive CSS primer for those new to CSS
- Code validation and debugging techniques
- Introduction to the basic principles of web design
- Incorporating multimedia elements into web pages
- Including special effects, such as text shadows, and dropdown menus
- An introduction to the JavaScript scripting language
- Introduction to the HTML5 APIs10
- Creation of an online store
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: CD-ROMS (or if not possible, it can be provided via a downloadable file or via a USB stick)
Assignments: Ten assignments
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Ensure and facilitate PC Access. Support completion and submission of assignments.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? There are two further Webmaster courses: Responsive Web Design, and Javascript Web Design
Find Out More: From the Distance Learning Centre here
Webmaster JavaScript Web Design
This course introduces the fundamentals of the web programming language JavaScript Programming, which removes many of the constraints that have previously limited web developers’ creativity. You start by learning the basics of the software, and how to deal with errors and debugging. As the training programme progresses, you’ll hone your JavaScript skills via assignments which involve the development of a number of dynamic, interactive games such as Minefield and Connect4.
The course consists of ten lessons:
- Getting Started With JavaScript
- JavaScript Event Handlers
- Expanding Your JavaScript Knowledge
- The Document Object Model
- Error Handling & Debugging
- Building The Minefield Game App
- Application Programming Interfaces
- Introduction to JQuery
- JavaScript Plus
- Building The Owzat Cricket Game
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English plus Webmaster Level 3 qualification or equivalent
Format of Course Materials: CD-ROMS (or if not possible, it can be provided via a downloadable file or via a USB stick)
Assignments: Ten assignments
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Ensure and facilitate PC Access. Support completion and submission of assignments.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Webmaster Responsive Web Design, also from the Distance Learning Centre
Find Out More: From the DLC directly here
Yoga Beginners
This course will provide you with a comprehensive introduction to yoga – including the control of the mind and body through breathing and gentle movement. As well as giving you a theoretical introduction, you will be guided through relevant exercises. You will study warm-up routines, rhythmic breathing, rolls and lifts, eyes and neck exercises, shoulders and finger exercises, and learn about relaxation techniques.
The course has ten lessons:
- What is Yoga?
- Breathing
- Rhythmic Breathing?
- Warm-up Routine
- Rolls and lifts
- Out in the Sun
- Salute to the Sun
- Eyes and Neck
- Shoulders and Fingers
- What is Relaxation?
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Ten written assignments
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? HFE Level 3 courses, Nutrition and Health Level 2 (NCC)
Find Out More: From BSY’s website directly