Access to Higher Education Diploma (Education)

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Study Mode: Full time Course Level: 3

If you want a career in teaching but lack the necessary qualifications to go to university our Access to Higher Education Diploma (Education) course will give you the skills to help you realise your dream of becoming a teacher. Additionally, this course can help you progress onto Higher Education courses within the field of education. Courses such as Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Youth Studies, Childhood and Family Studies which enable the development of specialist skills needed in mainstream and alternative educational settings.

An Access to Higher Education qualification is a fast-track course that is widely recognised by universities and bridges the gap between existing education and what is needed to study at degree level. The Access to Higher Education (Education) pathway is an intensive and challenging one-year course that will give you an overview of education in the 21st century and help you to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed for university.

To succeed on this course, you will need to be committed and focused and have a zest for learning, as well as good time management skills, particularly if you work and have family responsibilities. Before you embark on the course it is important that you know what you want to study at university, have thoroughly researched your chosen course and attended university open days. If you want to pursue a career in education our Access to Higher Education Diploma (Education) will set, you on the road to a great career as a teacher.

To help with your studies the college can loan you a laptop to use at home for the duration of your course!

To access this course you are required to:

Have English at Level 2 (eg GCSE grade 4/C or above / equivalent Functional Skills qualification depending on individual university requirements)
Have maths at Level 2 (eg GCSE grade 4/C or above / equivalent Functional Skills qualification depending on individual university requirements)*
Show commitment to the course and be motivated and determined to be successful on this intensive programme of study

Please note:

If you want to work in primary school education you must also have GCSE science at GCSE grade 4/C or above (or equivalent)
If you do not have this level of qualification you will be able to complete it alongside your Access course**

For the Education Pathway you are also required to have:

A valid DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check
A minimum half-day per week work placement in a school setting, for at least one term

*Applicants without this level of maths qualification will be required to complete a diagnostic assessment to determine their level of skills and knowledge and, if necessary, study for maths GCSE qualification alongside the Access course.

**If you need to do GCSE maths alongside the Access course, you will not be able to study GCSE science as an additional subject - this will be discussed further with you at your admissions interview

The Education pathway will focus on:

Teaching in practice: planning, assessment and managing behaviour, safeguarding and placement
Psychosocial aspects of learning: psychology of learning, attainment, research report and the development of education
Childhood development: play, the developing Child,special educational needs and disabilities, language and reading skills, attachment
Skills for learning: essay writing, preparing and progressing to University and study skills

You will also develop your ICT skills.

By studying this course, you will:

Develop your understanding of the underpinning skills, knowledge and academic conventions needed for higher education
Learn how to research, design, plan and write educational assignments as well as developing your critical and evaluative thinking skills
Develop an appreciation for the promotion of active reading to identify relevant information and take part in discussions and debates based on informed reading
Develop your analytical skills to give you the confidence to participate in verbal and written educational debate
Develop your practical skills and appreciate the need for attention to detail
Acquire knowledge in a range of subjects relevant to teaching and working within education

This is an assessment-based course and will include a combination of essays, reports, presentations, micro-teach sessions, group discussions and a reflective journal.

The skills you will learn on this course will enable you to:

Move on to a higher education course in education, such as teaching, special educational needs and disabilities, child and family studies and youth studies. (You are advised to check that the Access to Higher Education Diploma (Education) is accepted as entry to your chosen university course)
Pursue a career in the education sector

Many of our past Access to Higher Education (Education) students have become teachers in primary and secondary schools or further education establishments, whilst others have pursued specialist areas such as special educational needs and disability coordinators. Students on different pathways have gone on to become nurses, midwives, social workers, probation officers, radiologists, and psychologists.