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.
Politics A-Level Part 1
This course will expand your knowledge of elections, referendums and nationalism and help you develop an understanding of current political issues in the world. It will also improve your transferable skills, such as research, and build your analytical and critical thinking ability.
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:
1. Democracy and political parties
2. Elections and voting behaviour
3. The Constitution and Parliament
4. The Executive and relations between institutions
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Five written assignments. These do not contribute toward the final grade.
Exams: Two, each are 1 hour 45 minutes, and contribute 50% of the overall grade.
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Organize and facilitate exams.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Politics A-Level Part 2
Find Out More: From NEC here
Politics A-Level Part 2
This course will expand your knowledge of elections, referendums and nationalism and help you develop an understanding of current political issues in the world. It will also improve your transferable skills, such as research, and build your analytical and critical thinking ability.
The course contains six lessons that follow on from Part 1:
5. Conservatism and Liberalism
6. Socialism and Nationalism
7. U.S. Constitution and Congress
8. The U.S. President and the Supreme Court
9. Democracy and Participation in the U.S.
10. Comparative Approaches
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English, plus Politics A-Level Part 1
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Six written assignments. These do not contribute towards the final grade.
Exams: Three – all are 2 hours long and count 33.3% towards 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
Preparing to Set Up a Digital Business
Equipping you with the knowledge to succeed in the digital world, this course shows you how to take the first steps in digital business. You will cover various aspects of business, including challenges, business planning, relationship building, marketing, finance and negotiation. The course provider, Rocketeer, will also give you access to their resources after release, and offer bespoke support for your business through the gate.
The course contains seven units:
- The challenges and risks of starting a business
- Personal skills and abilities to start a business
- Understand how to plan for a new business
- Understand business relationships in new business
- Principles of marketing and selling a new business
- Understanding finance in a business context
- Understanding negotiation of deals in business
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: 7 written assignments
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Creating and Starting a Digital Business, also from Rocketeer (Level 3)
Find Out More: You can read more about the course provider, Rocketeer, on their website here
Prevention and Control of Infection
Infection control has never been more important, making this course very useful for those hoping to work in any health or social care settings. The course helps you to understand the meaning and importance of infection control, the causes of infections, the conditions in which they thrive, and the ways that they can be spread. You will also learn about the methods used to prevent and control the spread of infection.
The course contains three units:
- The Principles of Infection Prevention and Control
- Causes and Spread of Infection
- Cleaning, Decontamination and Waste Management
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
Find Out More: From the OSC here
Principles of British Wildlife Care and Rehabilitation
This course will introduce you to the basic principles and ethics of wildlife care including rehabilitation and release, and develop your knowledge in the care and management of birds, small mammals, larger mammals, and marine mammals.
1. Basic principles and ethics of wildlife care including rehabilitation and release
2. Care and management of birds
3. Care and management of small mammals
4. Care and management of larger mammals
5. Care and management of marine mammals
6. Rehabilitation considerations and release methods
PET entry requirements: Level 2 English
Format of course material: Paper-based
Assignments: Six assignments
Exam: No
Prison support requirements: Support assessment submission and contact supplier for tutor support
Tutor support: Tutors give support by providing feedback and answering queries.
Proofreading and Copy Editing
Many organisations rely on the services of proofreaders and copy editors to ensure that their written material is professionally presented and error free. This course will help you master the techniques of proofreading and copy editing by providing a comprehensive introduction to the skills and knowledge required in these professions, including spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
The course covers the following subjects:
- Skills and abilities required by a professional proof-reader
- Ways to improve your spelling
- Consistent punctuation
- Proofreading on paper
- Grammar know-how
- Copy-editing
- Working electronically
- Setting up in business
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Material: Paper
Assignments: 4 assignments
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Facilitate tutor support
Tutor Support: Yes
Psychology A-Level Part 1
In this course, you’ll deepen your understanding of theories underpinning human behaviour – exploring memory, cognition and mental health. You’ll also develop your analytical and organisational skills, discovering which scientific research methods can be used to collect, process and analyse data.
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:
- Approaching Psychology (introduction and origins, learning cognitive approaches, the biological approach and biopsychology)
- Memory (multi-store model, working memory model, explanations for forgetting, eyewitness testimony)
- Social Influence: Conformity and Obedience (resistance to social influence, minority influence and social change)
- Developmental Psychology: Attachment (developments, explanations, types, maternal deprivation)
- Psychopathology (definitions of abnormality, phobias, depression and OCD, approaches to phobias, depression and OCD)
Research Methods (scientific processes, data analysis and presentation, maths resources)
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Seven 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? Psychology A-Level Part 2
Find Out More: From NEC here
Psychology A-Level Part 2
In this course, you’ll deepen your understanding of theories underpinning human behaviour – exploring memory, cognition and mental health. You’ll also develop your analytical and organisational skills, discovering which scientific research methods can be used to collect, process and analyse data.
The course contains four lessons that follow on from Part 1:
- Approaches and Debates (psychodynamic approach, humanistic approach, gender and culture in psychology, free will and determinism, nature-nurture debate, holism and reductionism, idiopathic and nomothetic approaches, ethical implications of research, comparing approaches)
- Schizophrenia (Classifying, explanations, therapies, and the interactionist approach)
- Cognition and Development (Piaget’s theory, Vggotsky’s theory, development of social cognition)
- Aggression and Further Research Methods (Bio-psychological explanations, ethological and evolutionary explanations, social explanations, media influences, institutional aggression, psychology as a science, inferential testing, choosing a statistical test)
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths, plus Psychology A-Level Part 1
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Four written assignments. These do not contribute towards the final grade.
Exams: Three – all are 2 hours long and count 33.3% towards 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
Psychology GCSE
This course will help you better observe and interpret human behaviour, analyse your own social interactions with people of different personality types, and understand the drivers behind decision-making and behaviour. It covers a wide selection of topics including memory, perception, social influence, the brain and neuropsychology.
The course consists of the following units:
- Research methods, Part A
- Memory
- Perception
- Development
- Research methods, Part B
- Social influence
- Language, thought and communication
- Brain and neuropsychology
- Psychological problems
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Ten written assignments. These do not count towards the final grade.
Exams: Two, each are 1 hour 45 minutes and contribute 50% 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? A-Level Psychology, or OU Access Module YO32: People, work and Society
Find Out More: From NEC’s website
Psychology, Social Science and Wellbeing Access Module (Y034)
This Access module gives you the chance to dip into some of our most popular subjects, such as psychology, childhood and youth, early years, health and social wellbeing, sport, education, and social sciences. You'll be introduced to discussions of theory and engage with real-world events to build up your knowledge and understanding of these wide-ranging topics. The areas you'll cover are introduced and explained at a gentle pace, which is perfect if you want to discover something new or brush-up on your study skills.
There are three blocks:
Block 1: Who am I?
This block, which you will study in print, considers identity and the overarching question of “Who am I?”
Block 2: Is it fair?
Block 2 moves to online study and addresses the topic of fairness in several different ways and an exploration of difference and inequality.
Block 3: What can be done?
Block 3 identifies some key issues you studied in the previous two blocks and considers them in practical terms.
PET entry requirements: Level 2 English and Maths
Format of course material: Paper-based and on the VC2. Paper-based and a CD-ROM for the audio-video content. All content is also available on the VC2.
Assignments: There are four tutor-marked assignments (TMAs).
There are five interactive computer -marked assignments (iCMAs). No computer access needed.
Exam: No
Prison support requirements: Register and reserve learner on the course before start date (February, May and October each year) by contacting the OU and Student Finance England/ Wales.
Support assessment submission (ideally scan to the tutor or post) and contact supplier for tutor support.
Tutor support: Tutors give support by providing feedback answering queries.