Preparatory Certificate in Education & Training

• Study mode: Part Time
• Duration: Preparatory Certificate in Education & Training
• Student type: Adults
• Course code: A0463/101

This course is designed to give you a taster of teaching and will introduce you to teaching and learning as a process.

The course aims to prepare you to teach in the Further Education and Skills sector by developing the personal and practical skills that you will need in a teaching or training role.

While this is not a school teaching qualification there are now many employment opportunities in schools for post-16 teachers, particularly for teachers of vocational subjects. This course is not suitable for those wishing to teach in primary schools.

The course contains a mixture of formal lectures, seminars, group work, self-study, assignments and observations. Assessment will be ongoing via observation of teaching sessions in addition to the production of planning documents, assignments and presentations.

You will study part-time over 12 weeks and attend one three-hour evening session per week.

Read the course specification here.

Entry requirements

Admission to the Preparatory Certificate will be open to both new applicants to teaching (pre-service) and in-service teachers in the FES Sector who, at the point of entry, meet the following national entry requirements:.

• A minimum of a Level 3 qualification in all the specialist subjects¹ they will be/wish to teach

• GCSE English at grade C/4 or above (or OfQual approved equivalent)

• Where English is not the applicant's first language: The ability to communicate fluently, accurately and effectively in professional spoken English (IELTS 7.5 with no element lower than 7.0 (or equivalent)²

• Completion of a satisfactory course interview³

• Where the trainee is studying the in-service route: Provide confirmation of an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

¹ Specialist subject: Where the subject is regarded as SEND, the applicant must have a L3 SEND qualification.

² IELTS certification date must be within two years of the point of application.

³ Applicants also need to demonstrate at interview and through references that they have the potential to become a good teacher.

If applicants have non-standard qualifications, they should contact the college course leader to enquire about equivalences. Applicants for placements in vocational subjects will need to demonstrate suitable industrial/employment experience.Applicants for placements in academic subjects are usually expects to have a degree in the subject.Please note that if you continue your teacher education onto a course with a placement requirement, (Intermediate Certificate, Certificate in Education or PGCE) you will be required to show evidence that you have achieved GCSE mathematics at grade C/4 or above (or OfQual approved equivalent).

Costs

Discounts are not applicable to this provision. Learners are responsible for meeting any travel costs related to travelling to and from placement. Please note: This course is not eligible for funding from Student Finance England. Actual Cost is: £900.00. All costs are subject to slight changes.

What next?

Completion of the certificate can lead to progression onto either the Intermediate Certificate in Teaching, Learning and Assessment (Further Education and Skills Sector), the Certificate in Education (Further Education and Skills Sector) or the Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) (Further Education and Skills Sector).

Click here for further information about the Intermediate Certificate in Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Click here for further information about the Certificate in Education

Click here for further information about the Postgraduate Certificate in Education

If you choose to continue your studies to the PGCE or Certificate in Education, once you have graduated from this further study, you would be eligible to apply for QTLS (Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills) status.