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If you are thinking of a career in education but are lacking the prerequisite qualifications for university, then this is the right course for you. 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 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 and beyond.
You will study core education modules such assessment strategies and lesson planning by our skilled and highly qualified teacher educators who also deliver university level courses in education. Alongside these modules you will also study core curriculum subjects English and History; this is important as both of these modules give you a grounding in the wider curriculum which is vitally important in education especially if you are applying for a primary education degree at university. A full list of the units studied in the course is below:
National Education Policy for English Schools
Lesson Preparation Skills
Theories of how Children learn
Assessment Strategies and Skills
Practical Teaching Skills
Standard and non-standard English
Appreciation of a Play
Shakespeare
Appreciation of a Novel
Poetry
Studying History
The Viking Age
Hitler's Persecution of the Jews
The Wars of the Roses
The Suffragette Movement
For many Access students, they may have not been in formal education for a many number of years and what most students realise when starting an Access course is that it is not like school. Class sizes are smaller which allows you to get more attention from your teacher. Classes are more like seminars which you would have at university which allows for greater discussion of the topic being covered. All of the teachers on the pathway have higher degrees (or are working towards them) and have a wealth of experience in their field.
The Access course is very intensive and the need to show commitment to the course and be motivated and determined to be successful will be matched by your teachers.
Grade C/4 (or above) in GCSE English and Maths. If you will be applying for a primary education degree you will also need GCSE Science at grade C/4 (or above). Please note we do not accept Functional Skills as an equivalency. Also any overseas qualifications must be officially recognised in the UK and these will be checked and, if in doubt, you may need to use an exams equivalence service. Also be aware that a high standard of technical English is needed as all units are partly assessed on communication.
The way Access is structured means that assessment is on-going throughout the year. Many different modes of assessment are utilised which prepare you for how you will be assessed at university. Current assessment methods include essays, presentations, reports and a microteach
The course is recognised by all UK universities and the majority of students usually go on to study for Bachelor of Education (Primary) at university. Recent destinations have included The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitain University, The University of Leeds and Liverpool John Moores University.