Teaching

Suggested progression routes: primary teaching, secondary teaching, education studies, childhood studies.

Every effort is made to ensure that the units and credits offered are sufficient for progression routes onto higher education courses, however, specific courses at specific universities may have their own unique admissions requirements.

Please check that the amount of Access credits offered in each subject is relevant for your chosen university course. Once you have enrolled onto a specific Access course units are unable to be amended, so please ensure the course you have selected is appropriate to you. (Our staff are excellent in providing advice and guidance, however, individual university courses may have their own specific requirements - so please check.)

Please note City College Plymouth Foundation Degree courses have unique entry requirements for Access students. Please check with our Higher Education team.

Academic subjects may include:
• biology
• maths
• English.
Total credits - 45 at level 3

Academic preparation skills units subjects may include:
• examination techniques and practice
• education studies.
Total credits - 15 at level 2 or ungraded level 3.

Placements, Voluntary Work and Paid Employment

It is essential that you are aware if your university course requires you to have prior experience before applications are made. You will need to complete at least 15 days of classroom practice before the 1st of October. Learning outcomes on some units and subjects are explicitly about reflecting on your own practice and the environment in which you are/have been working. If you do not have any classroom experience it will not be possible to complete all units on the ‘apt’ Award Access Diploma in Education (and also unlikely that you will secure a place at university). It is essential that you organise this placement and your own Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate. Lack of work experience would not exclude you from completing the Access course, however it may impact on your application to university.

GCSEs
GCSE equivalences in maths, English and science are no longer part of the Access Diploma. It is up to you if wish to enrol on GCSEs alongside your diploma, if you do not currently hold a recent C+ qualification. Your chosen university may not require its applicants to have GCSE or may be happy with previously achieved qualifications, such as O Level, level 2, etc.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have clarified if enrolling on a GCSE is appropriate for you. If your university course does require you to study at GCSE level you could study alongside your Access Diploma, however you must understand the implications of not achieving your GCSEs. Although it does not affect your achievement of an Access Diploma it may compromise your place at university if you achieve the Access Diploma but do not achieve your GCSEs. Some universities encourage applicants to apply for university without GCSEs and complete equivalences between application and enrolment with the university (again, this is something you have to clarify).

Alternatively, you may wish to study your GCSEs the year before or after Access study. GCSE classes are held during the day and in the evening and are currently FREE if you do not hold a current qualification. You will have to apply for GCSEs as a separate course, as well as your Access course, if this is your preference. The national changes in GCSE requirements for mature students are currently under negotiation with all universities, and subject to change.