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.
Certificate in Foundation Journalism
Accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), this course has been especially adapted for PET learners to help you develop your journalistic skills. You will complete units on the English language, news stories, recording information, feature writing and sports reporting.
There are six available units, that combine to create eleven credits:
- How to use the English language
- Using the English language
- How to tell a news story
- Recording information
- Feature writing
- Sports reporting
This course includes several additional unites that can be completed on ROTL or upon release in order to gain the full qualification.
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Written Coursework, Portfolio of Evidence, Practical Assignment (e.g. an article in prison newspaper or magazine)
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Ensuring students have access to media sources, such as newspapers and magazines.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? A-Level English Language (Part 1), or Open University Access Module YO33: Starting with Arts and Languages
Find Out More: From the NCTJ here
Certificate in Health and Social Care
Providing a strong foundation for those who aspire to work in the health and social care sector, this course leads to a nationally-recognised qualification. You’ll explore equality, diversity and rights, human development and safeguarding practices – building yourself the perfect platform for higher levels of study.
The course has three units:
- Equality, Diversity and Rights in Health and Social Care
- Human Growth and Development
- Safeguarding and Protection in Health and Social Care
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Three written assignments
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Health and Social Care Level 3 Award
Find Out More: From the OSC here
Certificate in Information, Advice and Guidance
This course aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of the key principles of information, advice and guidance. The qualification is designed for individuals who are looking to work in roles such as careers advice, peer mentoring, or housing support. You will cover interaction skills, signposting and referrals, as well as how to manage information and work within existing networks to deliver IAG.
The course consists of the following units:
- Information, advice or guidance (IAG) in practice
- Developing interaction skills for IAG
- Signposting and referral in IAG
- Managing Information
- Operating within networks to support IAG
Entry requirements: Level 2 in English or equivalent
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: A portfolio of evidence
Exams: None
Prison support requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments
Tutor support: Yes
What’s next: Understanding Coaching and Mentoring Level 3 (NEC
Find out more: From NCC directly here
Certificate in Principles of Customer Service
This course will provide you with the knowledge required to work in a customer service role in a range of different environments. Through a series of written assignments, you will develop an essential understanding of the principles and practices of providing effective customer service – including customer retention, resolving customer complaints and problems, monitoring feedback, and customer expectations.
The course contains seven units:
1. The customer service environment
2. Principles of Business
3. Resolving customers’ problems and complaints
4. Understanding customers and customer retention
5. Understanding how to monitor customer service interactions and feedback
6. Understanding equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
7. Understanding how to manage incidents and collaborate with other departments in a contact centre
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Eight written assignments
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Any of PET’s other Level 3 Management courses
Find Out More: From NCC directly here
Certificate in Principles of Human Resource Practice
This qualification provides you with a firm foundation in the most common areas of human resource (HR) and will assist you in developing essential HR skills. It will provide you with the knowledge and skills for working in an HR role and is aimed at those who are new to HR or who are looking to further their HR career with a professional qualification.
The course consists of seven units:
- Introduction to Human Resources practices
- Introduction to employment legislation
- Understanding employee rights and obligations
- Understanding the management of employees’ performance
- Principles of employee motivation, commitment and engagement
- Understanding recruitment and selection
- Understanding onboarding, induction, training and development
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Seven written assignments
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Any other Level 3 Management course
Find Out More: From NCC directly
Certificate in Understanding Mental Health Care
If you support people with mental health problems but are not necessarily a mental health professional, this course could meet your needs. You will learn more about mental health and how people with mental health problems can be best supported. You will also deepen your knowledge of the legal policy and service framework for mental health, as well as principles of duty of care, interventions, support planning and risk management.
The course consists of six units:
Unit 1 – Understand the legal, policy and service framework in mental health
Unit 2 – Principles for implementing duty of care in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings
Unit 3 – Understand mental well-being and mental health promotion
Unit 4 – Understand mental health problems
Unit 5 – Understand mental health interventions
Unit 6 – Understand care and support planning and risk management in mental health
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Six written assignments
Exams: No
Prison Support Requirements: Support submission and completion of assignments
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Open University: Access Module Yo32: People, Work and Society
Find Out More: via NCC here
Certificate in Understanding Substance Misuse
This course will help you to develop an increased understanding of substance misuse, equipping you with knowledge and skills that can be used whether you are personally or professionally involved in this field. The course covers the effects and symptoms of drug use, as well as responses including legislation, harm reduction and intervention. It also has a unit focused especially on substance misuse among young people.
This course is comprised of three units:
- Understanding Drug Use: Facts, Effects, Symptoms and Attitudes
- Understanding Responses to Substance Misuse: Legislation, Harm Reduction and Interventions
- Understanding Alcohol and Drug Use in Young People
Entry requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Three written assignments
Exams: None
Tutor support: Yes
Prison support requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments
What’s next? Understanding Mental Healthcare QCF (Level 3)
Find Out More: From NCC here
CIMA Accredited Higher Sage Certificate
The next step on from the CIMA Level 4 Certificate, this course provides the full range of skills needed to become an advanced user of Sage 50 Accounts Professional. The course will build your knowledge of sole trader accounts and takes you through the year end process, as well as exploring controlling cash, limited liability partnerships, importing data and limited companies.
The course consists of three units:
- Introduction
- Sole Trader Accounts, and Year End Process
- Controlling Cash, Limited Liability Partnerships, Importing Data, and Limited Companies
These units cover the following subjects:
- Final accounts for sole traders, partnerships, limited companies, limited liability partnerships and not for profit organisations.
- The importing and exporting data to enable detailed management control
- Advanced credit control and cash flow forecasts
- The use of foreign trader accounts, and detailed departmental budgeting and forecasting.
- Fixed asset register, depreciation, accuals and pre-payments
- Month end and year end processing
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths, plus CIMA Level 4
Format of course materials: CD-ROMs and workbooks
Assignments: A series of self-assessed tests and a case study
Exams: One exam (1 hour 30 minutes)
Prison Support Requirements: Ensure and facilitate PC Access. Facilitate and Invigilate exams.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s next? OU Access Module YO33: Starting with Science, Technology and Maths
Find out more: On Sage’s website here
CIMA Accredited Sage Certificate
Jointly developed by Sage and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), this course offers a grounding in computerised accounting. It provides you with an introduction to the Sage 50 software and gives you the practical skills required by businesses to perform accounting functions. You will find out more about concepts like transactions, reconciliation, management and reporting, VAT returns, remittance, and project costing.
The course consists of seven units:
- Introduction: How to make full use of the software, back-up, restore and data security
- Transactions from customers and suppliers, including invoice creation
- Cash, bank and budget control and reconciliation
- Management and comparative reporting
- VAT returns, EC sales and Intrastat
- Tailoring reports and layouts including email statements and remittances
- Project (job) costing for detailed individual job / project control
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths, plus a Sage Level 3 qualification
Format of course materials: CD-ROMs and workbooks
Assignments: A series of self-assessed tests and a case study
Exams: Two exams
Prison Support Requirements: Ensure and facilitate PC Access. Facilitate and Invigilate exams.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s next? CIMA Acccredited Sage Level 5 Higher Certificate
Find out more: On Sage’s website here
Classical Civilisation A-Level Part 1
The ancient Greeks and Romans created a legacy that has shaped the literature, language, arts, politics and philosophy of the western world. This course allows you to develop a critical approach to the literature and culture of this fascinating period in history. You will study poetry and plays and analyse the issues and values that shaped classical civilisation.
You will not have the option to take the AS exam at the end of Part 1 of this course. After completing Part 1, you should apply for Part 2. Having completed both parts, you can then take the full A-Level exams which will cover everything learned in Part 1 and 2.
This course has six lessons:
- Homer’s world of the hero – The Odyssey (1)
- Homer’s world of the hero – The Odyssey (2)
- Virgil’s world of the hero – The Aeneid (1)
- Virgil’s world of the hero – The Aeneid (2)
- Greek Theatre – Oedipus the King
- The Theatre of Dionysus – Bacchae
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Seven written assignments. These do not count towards the final grade.
Exams: None – go straight to Part 2
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Classical Civilisation A-Level Part 2
Find Out More: From NEC here