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.
Beekeeping (Basic Certificate Theory Assessment)
Provided by the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA), this theory course is a great introduction to beekeeping if you’re in a prison with active hives. For those with little or no experience, this course will show you the methods used by beekeepers and introduce you to subject areas including manipulation and equipment, the natural history of bees, swarming, swarm control and its effects, and diseases and pests.
This course requires access to a beehive.
The course consists of four modules:
- Manipulation and equipment
- Natural history and beekeeping
- Swarming, swarm control and effect
- Disease and pests
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Material: Paper-based
Assignments: Seven question papers
Exam: None, but this course does prepare learners for the Basic Assessment
Prison Support Requirements: Ensure and facilitate access to a beehive. Support completion and submission of assignments
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Open University Access Module YO33: Starting with Science, Technology and Maths
Find Out More: From the BBKA directly here
Bookkeeping Certificate
Accredited by the International Association of Bookkeepers (IAB), this is the perfect starter course in this field. It covers all the core elements of bookkeeping, ensuring you have the knowledge you need to keep on top of your finances – whether for your own business or to help find work in this field. You will learn about financial services and payments, how to prepare and check business documents, recording transactions, balances and reconciliations, and VAT.
The course consists of the following five units:
- Financial services and payment methods
- Prepare and check business documents
- Record transactions in a sub-divided bookkeeping system
- Prepare a trial balance and reconciliations
- Principles of bookkeeping and VAT
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Level 2 Maths
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Nine written assignments
Exams: One exam (fees included)
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Facilitate and invigilate exam (requires five weeks’ notice)
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Sage Computerised Accounting for Business Level 1 + 2
Find Out More: From NEC directly here
Boosting your Business Potential
This course explores the many influences on a business, how to maximise your marketing, how to improve team performance and how quality and standards can make or break a business. The perfect next step after our Business Start-up course or for those who want to learn how to enhance a business that’s up and running, this course will provide a solid grounding in business theory for you to apply to your business or idea.
The course covers the following subjects:
- Section 1: Understanding the influences on your business
- Section 2: Marketing
- Section 3: Quality and standards
- Section 4: Improving team performance
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English. It is recommended that you complete the Business Start-up Level 2 course first, but it is not an entry requirement.
Format of Materials: Paper
Assignments: 4 self-assessed progress checks and 4 assignments
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Facilitate tutor support
Tutor Support: Yes
Business A-Level Part 1
The course helps to develop your knowledge on how business works, whether you are interested in setting up your own business or want to explore a wide variety of applications and industries. It will also help you to develop sound reasoning and leadership skills, and an analytical approach.
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.
This course contains six lessons:
1. What is business?
2. Management
3. Marketing performance
4. Operational performance
5. Setting financial objectives
6. Human resource performance
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 exams. 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? Business A-Level Part 2
Find Out More: From NEC directly here
Business A-Level Part 2
This course helps to develop your knowledge of how business works, whether you are interested in setting up your own business or want to explore a wide variety of industries. It will also help you to develop sound reasoning and leadership skills, and an analytical approach.
The course contains four lessons that follow on from part 1:
- The Business Environment
- Choosing Strategic Direction
- Strategic Change
- Managing Strategic Change
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths, plus Business Part 1
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Four written assignments (these do not count towards the final grade)
Exams: Three exams. Each are 2 hours 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. Facilitate and invigilate exams
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Open University Access Module YO32: People, Work and Society
Find Out More: via NEC here
Business Skills for the Fitness Professional
Self-employment is a popular route for fitness professionals to take, so getting business basics right is important. This course is ideal if you are looking to develop the skills and confidence to manage your own tax, National Insurance, marketing, promotions and pricing strategy. You will find out about a wide range of areas including the legal obligations of running a business, brand management, generating leads and sales, performance monitoring, business planning, cash-flow and basic accounting.
The course consists of ten modules:
- Tax and National Insurance
- Legal Obligations of Running a Business
- Brand Management
- Effective Marketing Skills and Strategies
- Generating Leads and Sales
- Performance Monitoring
- Business Planning
- Financial Management
- Cash Flow Forecasting
- Basic Accounting
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English, plus an accredited Level 2 sport or fitness qualification
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: A worksheet and a case-study
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? Another HFE Level 3 course
Find Out More: From HFE here
Business Start-up
This course is designed to guide you through the process of setting up your own business. You’ll get practical advice and develop skills vital for planning, establishing and growing a business. The course explores if self-employment is right for you and provides the tools you need to develop a full business plan. It also covers topics vital to early success, including legal and financial issues, marketing and sales, and customer service and quality.
The course has nine topics spread across two parts:
Part 1- Planning to start your own business
- Topic 1: Is self-employment right for you?
- Topic 2: Developing the business idea
- Topic 3: Market research
- Topic 4: Money matters
- Topic 5: Sources of advice and support
Part 2 – Succeeding with your own business
- Topic 1: Formalising your business
- Topic 2: Finance
- Topic 3: Marketing and selling
- Topic 4: Customer service and quality
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: There are nine written “progress checks”
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s Next? A skills based course, depending on the nature of your business (e.g Horticulture, Animal Care), A practical course in management, management or finance, or an IGCSE or AS Level Business Studies
Find Out More: From NEC’s website here
Business Studies IGCSE
This course provides a thorough understanding of the principles, terminology, concepts and methods of business. You’ll cover topics such as business operations, marketing, and business finance and will develop your critical thinking and analytical skills.
The course consists of eight sections:
1. Business activity
2. Influences on business
3. People in business
4. Business finance
5. Marketing
6. Business operations
7. Small business revision
8. Large business revision
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assignments: Nine written assignments (these do not contribute toward the final grade).
Exams: Two exams. Each are 1 hour 30 minutes and contribute 50% 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? Business A-level Part 1
Find Out More: From NEC here
Canine Science
This course is designed to meet the needs of dog owners and those wishing to work in an environment with canine animals, such as boarding kennels, rescue homes and training schools. The course allows you to study the history and evolution of the canine. You will also have the chance to learn about the psychology of canine learning and behaviour, anatomy and physiology, as well as how to provide the correct nutrition for dogs of a variety of breeds and ages.
1. History and evolution of the canine
2. Differences between dogs and their wolf ancestors
3. Psychology of canine learning and behaviour
4. Dogs in society
5. Nutrition for dogs of a variety of breeds and age
6. Canine anatomy and physiology
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.
Certificate in Counselling Skills
This qualification will introduce you to the use of counselling skills in everyday life and some of the approaches that underpin these skills. You will explore how to engage in a counselling interaction effectively and how to use counselling skills in relation to personal development. You will also build your understanding of areas such as diversity and ethics in counselling. This course does not qualify you to practice as a counsellor, however it may be a useful stepping stone for further study.
The course consists of four units:
- Counselling Skills
- Introduction to Counselling Skill Theory
- Diversity and Ethics in the Use of Counselling skills
- Counselling Skills and personal development
Entry Requirements: Level 2 English
Format of Course Materials: Paper-based
Assessments: Four written assignments
Exams: None
Prison Support Requirements: Support submission and completion of assignments
Tutor Support: Yes
What’s next? Certificate in Understanding Substance Misuse (Level 3); Understanding Mental Health Care QCF (Level 3)
Find out more: On BSY’s website here