Our courses

The two parts of this are broken into several sub-topics:

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 and Maths

Assignments: There are 9 “progress checks”, 1 at the end of each topic

Exams: None

Prison Support Requirements: Support learners through the course and with submission of assignments. The course also contains a complementary CD, so whilst it is not necessary for the completion of the course, facilitating access to IT on a stand-alone PC would be beneficial)

Tutor Support: Yes – for six months from date of enrollment.

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

IGCSE or AS Level Business Studies

Find Out More: From NEC’s website here

The course consists of 15 units:

1. Getting Started
2. Foundational Hand I – Starting Minuscules
3. Foundational Hand II – Continuing Minuscules
4. Foundational Hand III – Numerals and Skeletal Capitals
5. Foundational Hand IV – Majuscules
6. Layout
7. Gothic Hand I – Minuscules
8. Gothic Hand II – Majuscules
9. Gothic Hand III – Variations & Layout
10. Uncial Hand I – Uncial Alphabet
11. Uncial Hand II – Project in Uncial
12. Borders & Decoration
13. Illumination
14. Invitations and Posters
15. Greeting Cards

Entry Requirements: Level 2 English

Assignments: 15 written assignments, 1 at the end of each unit

Exams: None

Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments

Tutor Support: Yes

What’s Next? Drawing 1: Drawing Skills via the OCA

Find Out More: From Stonebridge here

The course contains six units:

1. Record keeping, Customer Service, Hygiene, Health and Safety, First Aid and Law
2. Anatomy of the Dog and Cat
3. Nutrition, Diet, Feeding, Stock Control
4. Health, Diseases, Vaccinations, Veterinary Attention
5. Kennel Routines, Grooming, Special Needs
6. Animal Welfare Issues, Human Support, Job Applications

Entry Requirements: Level 2 English

Assignments: There are two key assignments – a Special Study and an Evolution Study. Usually these require practical work within a kennel or cattery, but the Animal Care College have tailored this for prison learners, who can use either previous experience or fictional scenarios.

Exams: None

Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of the two key studies, and facilitating practical experience if possible.

Tutor Support: Yes

What’s Next? Animal Care Level 3 from Stonebridge

Find Out More: via the Animal Care College’s website

The course contains three modules, and seven sub-units:

1. a) Introduction to Financial Services, Environments and Products
   b) UK Financial Services and Regulation
2. a) Mortgage Law
   b) Policy, Practice and Markets
   c) Mortgage Applications
   d) Mortgage Payment methods and Products
   e) Mortgage Careers and Post completion Issues
3. Assessment of Mortgage Advice and Knowledge

Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths. Prior business / finance qualifications or relevant experience also desirable.

Assignments: None

Exams: Yes – requires a separate funding application, and can only be completed in open conditions / upon release.

Prison Support Requirements: Register the learner at the Pearsons VUE centre for exam

Tutor Support: No

What’s Next? Book-keeping Certificate Level 2 (NEC), Sage QCF Qualifications Levels 1-3, CIMA Accredited courses level 4-5

Find Out More: From FutureTrend here

The course follows the National and International Freight syllabus, covering the following 8 subjects:

1. Civil Law
2. Commercial Law
3. Social Law
4. Fiscal Law
5. Business and Financial Management
6. Access to the Market
7. Technical Standards and Technical Aspects of Operation
8. Road Safety

Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths

Assignments: Self-assessment questions at the end of each subject

Exams: Prisons with OCR assessment centre status should be able to accommodate the exams. If not, they can be taken at local exam centres. PET can consider funding the exam cost, but this will need to be applied for separately.

Tutor Support: No

What’s Next? NCC’s Principles of Management Level 3 RQF 

Find Out More: From EP Training here

The course consists of seven units:

1. Introduction: How to make full use of the software, back-up, restore and data security
2. Transactions from customers and suppliers, including invoice creation
3. Cash, bank and budget control and reconciliation
4. Management and comparative reporting
5. VAT returns, EC sales and Intrastat
6. Tailoring reports and layouts including email statements and remittances
7. Project (job) costing for detailed individual job / project control

Entry Requirements: Sage level 1-3 Computerized Accounting for Business

Format of course material: CD-ROM and paper-based. To complete the course, however, learners will require IT access.

Assignments: Self-assessed practical tests

Exams: One case study assessment at the end of Unit 3 (2 hours), and a test at the end of Unit 6 on the case study (45 minutes). Summative test (1.5 hours).

Prison Support Requirements: Ensure learner has adequate IT time and access; organise and invigilate exams

Tutor Support: Yes

What’s next? CIMA Acccredited Sage Level 5 Higher Certificate

Find out more: On Sage’s website here

The course consists of the following eleven units:

This course covers the following 11 lessons:

1. Introduction to Regulations
2. Site Investigation & Design Principles
3. Construction Plant
4. Foundations & Piling
5. Concrete Work
6. Reinforcement & Formwork
7. Brickwork
8. Steelwork & Cladding
9. Precast & Pre-stressed Concrete
10. Retaining Walls
11. Drainage

Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths, but no prior knowledge or qualifications in construction are required

Assignments: The test questions for each lesson and a completed work submission sheet need to be sent for assessment. This material will be graded and returned to learners with constructive feedback.

Exams: No

Prison Support Requirements: Support assignments and facilitate correspondence and submission of work.

Tutor Support: Yes

What’s Next? Diploma in Sustainable Construction, Diploma in Traditional Construction, Diploma in Estimating and Tendering

Find Out More: On the PSB’s website here

The course consists of the following eight units:

1. The meaning and practice of coaching
2. Coaching relationships
3. Coaching and the learning process
4. The GROW technique; coaching and CBT
5. Attitude and image management
6. The role of change and core values
7. Applying coaching skills in different settings
8. Systems coaching and professional practice

Entry Requirements: Level 2 English or equivalent, but no prior knowledge is required.

Assignments: Four written assignments, plus a 4,000 word final assignment based on a coaching session.

Exams: None

Prison Support Requirements: Support learner to complete the course and submit assignments

Tutor Support: Yes

Find Out More: From the Institute of Counselling here