Prisoners’ Education Trust – Course Prospectus 2021-2022
Download PET’s Course Prospectus - exploring all the subject areas we offer and helping people in prison choose from over 120 distance learning courses.
PET offers over 120 different 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.
Download and print our one-page Courses Index, featuring all the courses in the Prisoners’ Education Trust Course Prospectus 2021-2022, here.
Sage Computerised Accounting for Business Level 2
For those who already have a basic understanding of bookkeeping, this course shows you how to use Sage 50cloud Accounts software to manage daily processes as well as more advanced functions – such as producing invoices, credit control, reconciling accounts and management reports. You will also get an excellent grounding in double entry bookkeeping, giving you the knowledge to process, control and correct accounts to produce accurate information.
The course has 8 modules:
1.Banking procedures
2.Principles of recording and processing financial transactions
3.Principles of VAT
4.Professional values and basic business legislation
5.Setting up accounting software to manage accounting information
6.Process routine payments and receipts using a computerised system
7.Maintaining and recording the cash book
8. Maintaining the journal
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Level 2 Maths
Format of Course Materials: CD-ROMS plus workbooks
Assignments: A series of self-assessed tests, 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 3 Computerised Accounting for Business
Find Out More: You can read more about Sage Qualifications here
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
Sage Computerised Accounting for Payroll Level 1
This course is an excellent starting point if you are new to payroll. You will get to grips with the most up-to-date and premium version of Sage 50c payroll software, in your own time and at your own speed. You will also learn the underpinning knowledge of payroll processing, including how tax codes work and calculating NI contributions. This course will enhance your employability or give you the knowhow to run the payroll system for your own business.
The course has three units:
- Making Gross Pay Calculations
- Payroll Preparation
- Computerised Payroll Administration
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Level 2 Maths
Format of Course Materials: CD-ROMs and 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 Computerised Accounting for Payroll Level 2
Find Out More: You can read more about Sage Qualifications here
Sage Computerised Accounting for Payroll Level 2
This level 2 qualification gives you the skills needed to carry out a range of regular computerised payroll activities, using commercially available software. You will also gain an understanding of how payroll works with regards to tax codes, national insurance contributions, SMP, SSP and pension contributions.
There are nine units:
1.Termination of employment
2. Fundamentals of employment legislation for payroll
3. Calculate gross pay
4. Elements of gross pay
5. Computerised payroll theory
6. Statutory and non-statutory payments and additions
7. Composition of an employee payroll record
8. Computerised payroll skills
9. Spreadsheet software
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths
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 3 Computerised Accounting for Business
Find Out More: You can read more about Sage Qualifications 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
Sociology GCSE
On this course, you’ll investigate the structures and processes that shape society – examining how and why humans interact the way we do. You’ll discover and apply different sociological theories and develop key methods of critical analysis, deepening your understanding of social issues such as poverty, racism and crime.
The course consists of the following units:
- The sociological approach
- The sociology of families Part 1
- The sociology of families Part 2
- Sociological research methods
- The sociology of education Part 1
- The sociology of education Part 2
- Crime and deviance, Part 1
- Crime and deviance Part 2
- Social stratification, Part 1
- Social stratification Part 2
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Eleven written assignments. These do not count towards the final grade.
Exams: Two – each are 1 hour 45 minutes, and contribute 50% 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? Other GCSEs or A-Levels OU Access Module YO32: People, work and Society
Find Out More: From NEC’s website
Substance Misuse Certificate
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
TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language)
This course is ideal if you wish to gain a professional qualification in teaching English as a foreign language – whether you are new to the profession or already have some experience. It may also be useful if you work as a mentor with learners for whom English is a second language. The course focuses on lesson planning and practical teaching skills and covers many aspects of teaching English – including grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and reading.
The course consists of the following eleven units:
1.Principles of Teaching English as a Foreign Language
2.Understanding English Grammar
3.Teaching English Grammar
4.Teaching English Vocabulary
5.Teaching Productive Skills: Speaking and Writing
6.Teaching Receptive Skills: Listening and Reading
7.Materials and Aids for Teaching English
8.Teaching Pronunciation of English
9.Lesson Planning for Teaching English as a Foreign Language
10.Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Young Learners
11.Using Resources Effectively When Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English, plus any relevant Level 3 qualification (e.g. English Language A-Level)
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Eleven written assignments
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Education and Training Award Level 3 (NEC), or Open University Access Module YO32: People, Work and Society
Find Out More: From the LTTC here
The Practice of Painting
This course will provide you with an opportunity to see in a selective way, develop your own visual ideas and discover different ways to translate visual experiences into painting. You will familiarise yourself with the key processes for drawing and painting, explore different approaches to creating visual work and find out about different artistic movements, including those in 20th and 21st century painting.
Please note, PET can only partially fund this course. You will first need to apply for a bursary from the Open College of Arts (OCA). If your application is successful, you can then apply to PET to cover the remaining amount.
Please also note that painting materials are not included with this course and will need to be sourced separately.
The course comprises of five parts:
- What Paint Can Do
- Close to Home
- Portrait and Figure
- Looking Out
- Personal Development
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Five assignments
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Support application for bursary, secure art materials for use, support completion and submission of assignments.
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Drawing 1: Drawing Skills, also from the OCA.
Find Out More: From the OCA directly here