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.
IOSH Managing Safely
Aimed at managers, supervisors, small business owners, or anyone who wants a better understanding of health and safety from a supervisory point of view, this is an ideal introductory course in this field. You will cover assessing and controlling risks, understanding responsibilities, identifying hazards, investigating accidents and incidents, and measuring performance.
The course covers the following subjects:
Assessing Risks
Controlling Risks
Understanding Your Responsibilities
Identifying Hazards
Investigating Accidents and Incidents
Measuring Performance
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: One Written Project Assessment – a practical risk assessment.
Exams: One invigilated closed book knowledge exam – 25 multiple choice questions and short answer questions (45 minutes)
Prison Support Requirements: Support and facilitate completion of risk assessment. Facilitate and invigilate exam.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Any of the NEBOSH Level 3 Certificates provided by ATM Safety
Find Out More: Directly from Clwyd Associates’ website here
Languages
Learning a language is a great way to immerse yourself in a new culture and can help break down barriers when you meet people from other countries. It can also give you an added advantage if you want to work for a company with international customers.
While our language courses do not result in a qualification, they are ideal if you are interested in speaking and understanding a new language to a high standard.
We offer the following languages via Linguaphone’s CD-and-workbook complete courses, which take you from beginner to advanced:
Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, and Turkish.
This course requires access to a C.D. Player - PET cannot provide this.
Entry Requirements: English Level 2
Format of Course Materials: CD-ROMs plus workbooks
Assignments: None – these is a self-assessed course.
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Ensure access to a CD Player
Tutor Support: No
What’s Next? Another Language!
Find Out More: Linguaphone offer further information here.
Law A-Level Part 1
This course explores the English legal system and substantive law, including criminal and civil law. You’ll consider different scenarios – applying legal rules, constructing arguments and evaluating key legal issues and concepts. The course will also develop your problem-solving and analytical thinking, as well as your essay writing, research and debating skills – preparing you for a diverse range of future career paths.
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.
The course consists of four lessons:
- Law-Making
- The English Legal System
- Criminal Law
- Tort
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Five 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? Law A-Level Part 2
Find Out More: From NEC here
Law A-Level Part 2
This course explores the English legal system and substantive law, including criminal and civil law. You’ll consider different scenarios – applying legal rules, constructing arguments and evaluating key legal issues and concepts. The course will also develop your problem-solving and analytical thinking, as well as your essay writing, research and debating skills – preparing you for a diverse range of future career paths.
The course contains six lessons that follow on from Part 1:
5. Criminal law – offences against the person
6. Criminal law – property offences
7: Tort
8. Human rights 1
9. Human rights 2
10. Nature of law
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English, plus Law A-Level Part 1
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Six 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
Learning to Draw
This course is for anyone who wants to learn to draw. Using basic art materials provided with the course, you will learn key techniques, such as contour drawing, using negative space, drawing different tones, conveying light and shade, using a vanishing point and drawing in perspective. The course encourages you to practice sketching, whenever and wherever you can. You will improve your practical skills at a fast pace, so you can explore your own creativity.
The course consists of five units:
- Getting Started – Getting to know your materials, drawing with line, tonal drawing, negative space
- Still Life – Still-life subjects and groupings, associations and symbols
- Perspective – Linear perspective, landscape and aerial perspective
- The Human Figure – Portraits, the standing figure, drawing seated or reclining figures
- Imaginative Drawing – Expressive letter and word forms, drawing from creative doodling
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English. Confirmation also required that the prison will permit use of materials listed below
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based. The course also contains the following materials:
- HB, 2B and 4B pencils (2 each)
- Charcoal sticks (1 pack of shorts)
- 1 graphite pen
- 1 fineliner pen
- Ruler
- Eraser
- 2 A4 Sketchbooks (210 x 297 mm)
Assignments: Six assessments
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Ensure access to materials provided.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Drawing 1: Drawing Skills (OCA)
Mathematics A-Level Part 1
This course will help you to develop excellent numeracy skills and gain a sound ability to interpret and process data sets. You’ll also learn to be resilient and to think creatively and strategically, developing the strong mathematical knowledge needed to write structured solutions and formulate reasoned arguments.
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 contains five lessons:
- Pure Mathematics 1 (Algebra 1, Indices and surds, coordinate geometry, quadratics, graphs, trigonometry 1)
- Pure Mathematics 2 ( Algebra 2, circles, binomial expansion, differentiation 1, exponentials and logarithms 1)
- Pure Mathematics 3 (Trigonometry 2, differentiation 2, exponentials and logarithms 2, integration, vectors)
- Statistics 1 (Mathematical models in statistics, measures of location and spread, representing data, probability, hypothesis testing)
- Mechanics 1 (Mathematical models in mechanics, Kinematics of a particle moving in a straight line, forces, vectors in mechanics, variable acceleration)
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Six written assignments. These do not contribute toward the final grade.
Exams: Two exams (Funding not included – you will need to re-apply to PET for the exam fees).
- 2 hours (62.5% of marks) – Calculator
- 1 hour 15 minutes (37.5% of marks) – Calculator
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Organize and facilitate exams.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Maths A-Level Part 2
Find Out More: From NEC here
Mathematics A-Level Part 2
This course will help you to develop excellent numeracy skills and gain a sound ability to interpret and process data sets. You’ll also learn to be resilient and to think creatively and strategically, developing the strong mathematical knowledge needed to write structured solutions and formulate reasoned arguments.
The course contains five lessons that follow on from Part 1:
6. Pure Mathematics 4 (Algebra 3, functions and graphs, trigonometry 3, sequences and series)
7. Pure Mathematics 5 (Trigonometry 4, sequences and series 2, differentiation 3, integration 2)
8. Pure Mathematics 6 (Numerical methods, differentiation 4, parameters, integration 3, differential equations)
9. Statistics 2 (Correlation and regression, probability, the normal distribution, approximations and testing)
10. Mechanics 2 (Moments, equilibrium 2, forces and motion, projectiles, further kinematics)
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths, plus Maths A-Level Part 1
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Five written assignments. These do not contribute towards the final grade.
Exams: Three exams – each are 2 hours long, and contribute 33.3% towards the final grade. Learners can use a calculator in all three exams. (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 Y033 Science, Technology and Maths
Find Out More: From NEC here
Maths GCSE
This qualification will help you gain more confidence in basic mathematical skills, covering topics such as fractions, decimals and Pythagoras’ Theorem. By studying this course, you will become better-equipped in terms of critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical skills.
The course consists of the following units:
- Working with numbers and fractions
- Decimals, percentages and introduction to algebra
- Patterns, shapes and symmetry
- Probability, presenting data and using graphs
- Indices and surds, length and area
- Constructions and diagrams, Pythagoras’ theory
- Shapes, solids and trigonometry
- Enlargements and more trigonometry
- Transformations, variation, more statistics and vectors
- Similarity, everyday calculations, algebra and circle theorems
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Eleven written assignments. These do not count towards the final grade.
Exams: Three Exams, each are 1 hour 30 minutes, and contribute 33.% to 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 facilitate exams.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? A-Level Maths or Open University Access Module YO33: Science, Technology and Maths
Find Out More: Via NEC here
Mental Health Awareness
This course is designed for those seeking a greater understanding of mental health issues, and is equally suitable for experienced health care workers or those new to the sector. You will learn about a wide range of mental health issues, including stress, anxiety, phobias, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dementia, and eating disorders.
The following units are included:
1 – Understanding Mental Health
2 – Stress
3 – Anxiety
4 – Phobias
5 – Depression
6 – Post-Natal Depression
7 – Bipolar Disorder
8 – Schizophrenia
9 – Dementia
10 – Eating Disorders
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? Understanding Mental Health Care Level 3
Find Out More: On the Distance Learning Centre’s website here
NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety
This course is designed for people who have fire safety responsibilities at work. It provides the knowledge and understanding to carry out an effective fire risk assessment, as well as embed good practice in the workplace. Holders of this accredited qualification can help their organisation to meet its fire safety responsibilities. With the knowledge gained on this course, you can help create a safer environment for employees and visitors to premises and an improved fire safety culture for employers and building managers.
The course has two units (FSC1 and FSC2), that cover the following subject areas:
- Management of health and safety
- Managing fire safety
- Principles of fire and explosion
- Causes and prevention of fires and explosions
- Fire protection in buildings
- Safety of people in the event of fire
- Fire safety risk assessment
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English, plus a level 2 NEBOSH or IOSH qualification
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: None, but coursework is recommended to send to RRC International for feedback before exams.
Exams: One open book exam and one risk assessment.
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Organize and facilitate exams.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Any other Level 3 NEBOSH Certificate
Find Out More: From the NEBOSH website here.