Key Facts

Level:
Level 3
Subject Sector:
13.1 Teaching and Lecturing
Credits:
60
Qualification No:
QAAQ002534
Age Range:
19+
QAA aim code:
4000711X

New suite of Access to HE Diplomas for August 2024

Our brand new suite of Access to HE Diplomas is available for delivery from 1st August 2024.

Access to HE Diploma (Education and Teaching) Overview

Changes to Access to HE confirmed by QAA: Diploma Specification and Grading Scheme

Qualification Summary

The Diploma allows learners to undertake study related to education and teaching. Learners will have the opportunity to develop skills which will enable progression to a range of degree level programmes including a focus on education and teaching and learning. The Diploma also takes a wider view, focusing on topics such as safeguarding, sociology, the use of technology in the classroom which underpin most education and childhood studies degrees.

Learners will complete mandatory units which cover an overview of learning and development techniques, developing resources, classroom management and also broader educational issues including special educational needs but then they will be able to research an area of interest to them in more depth. They will study a range of optional units which include exploring the role of society and understanding the impact of a multicultural society on children’s development. This Diploma also has a unit on understanding the Further Education Sector, and the units included would support progression onto a range of careers.

Ungraded units include units which will support access to higher education whilst supporting study and personal skills in maths and English


Why choose this qualification?

This Diploma allows learners to undertake study related to education and teaching.  Learners will have the opportunity to develop skills which will enable progression to a range of degree level programmes including a focus on education and teaching and learning. The diploma also takes a wider view, focusing on topics such as safeguarding, sociology, the use of technology in the classroom which underpin most education and childhood studies degrees.

Learners will complete mandatory units which cover an overview of learning and development techniques, developing resources, classroom management and also broader educational issues including special educational needs but then they will be able to research an area of interest to them in more depth.  They will study a range of optional units which include exploring the role of society and understanding the impact of a multicultural society on children’s development.  This diploma also has a unit on understanding the Further Education Sector, and the units included would support progression onto a range of careers.

Ungraded units include units which will support access to higher education whilst supporting study and personal skills in maths and English.

Learners who have followed these routes may need to develop their skills in specific areas as well as learning more about subjects in which they have an interest.  If the learner has gone straight into employment, they may not have studied at Level 3 and so this Access Diploma will help them to build on existing skills and provide a good grounding for further academic study.

 

Rules of Combination

Learners must complete 45 graded credits at level 3 from 'academic subject content' units. 21 credits must be taken from the Mandatory group. A maximum of 6 credits must be taken from the Research optional group and the remaining 18 credits must be taken from the Education optional group.


Units

Graded Research Units

Learners must complete 6 credits from this group.

Research Project for Education - Methodology

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU026436
Click here to view full unit details

Research Skills for Education

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU026438
Click here to view full unit details
Mandatory Units: Graded Academic Subject Content

Learners must complete 21 credits from this group.

Assessment for Learning

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU025916
Click here to view full unit details

Safeguarding Children, Young People and/or Vulnerable Adults

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025409
Click here to view full unit details

Teaching Resources

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU020222
Click here to view full unit details
Optional Graded Academic Units: Teaching and Education

Learners must complete 18 credits from this group.

E-skills in the Learning Environment

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU025925
Click here to view full unit details

Education Studies: Issues in the Development of the UK Education System

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU014756
Click here to view full unit details

Education Studies: Socio-Economic Factors in Educational Achievement

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU014787
Click here to view full unit details

Educational Studies: Curriculum Planning

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU007144
Click here to view full unit details

Multicultural Education

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU014766
Click here to view full unit details

Teaching Experience: Observations and Activities

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU007174
Click here to view full unit details

The Context of Further Education

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025927
Click here to view full unit details
Ungraded Units

Learners must achieve 15 credits with 12 credits from the Mandatory Ungraded group and 3 credits from the Optional Ungraded group.

Mandatory Units: Ungraded

Learners must complete 12 credits from this group.

Academic Writing Skills

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025276
Click here to view full unit details

Application of Number - Interpreting and Presenting Information

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU007486
Click here to view full unit details

Being a Reflective Learner

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU017819
Click here to view full unit details

Preparation for Higher Education

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025532
Click here to view full unit details
Optional Units: Ungraded

Learners must complete 3 credits from this group.

Academic Reading Skills

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU018346
Click here to view full unit details

Communication - Speaking and Listening

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU007560
Click here to view full unit details

Optimising Examination Performance

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025280
Click here to view full unit details

Promoting Wellbeing and Building Resilience

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU028487
Click here to view full unit details

Study Skills

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU018318
Click here to view full unit details

Sustainability Project

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU033854
Click here to view full unit details

The Fundamentals of Environmental Sustainability

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU033880
Click here to view full unit details

Work Placement

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025609
Click here to view full unit details

Intended learner groups

a) Adults who, because of social, educational or individual circumstances may have achieved few, if any, prior qualifications and wish to progress to HE
b) Adults who have gone straight into industry (perhaps following apprenticeship routes) who wish to progress to HE.


How this diploma meets learners' needs

The Diploma will provide learners with the underpinning skills to support academic study and provide a level 3 qualification linked to their proposed HE study. A broad range of knowledge will be acquired which support an understanding of educational practices and teaching and learning that will ensure that the learner is fully prepared for progression onto the relevant degrees.


What this diploma covers

The units include a balance of teaching skills and practice related to education which allow the learners to keep their options open until they have fully decided on their preferred route at degree level.
The ungraded units support both progression into higher education and also to allow the learners to develop skills relevant to the subject area e.g. maths and English skills which will be important to support initial assessments for teaching programmes.


Delivery methods

Face to face
Blended learning
Work placements would also be beneficial and visits to different early years settings would widen opportunities.
Additional guidance for the unit: Education Studies: Issues in the Development of the UK Education System. It can be a challenge for students to think beyond the individualistic; it might be useful for them to encounter some core concepts before moving into HE. For example, thinking about schools as institutions (not just collections of people); education operating as a system (not just a collections of schools); education being influenced by social factors (not just an individual experience); teachers being constrained by frameworks (not in charge of their own work); education as a general process (not just exam outcomes or formal schooling).
Assessment Methods: Essays, projects, presentations, self-evaluation, case studies, short answer questions, literature review, exams, reports, production of resources and schemes of work, glossary, observation, literature review, timeline, planning activities.


Progression routes

BA (Hons) Early Years
Early Childhood Studies BA (Hons)
BA (Honours) Early Childhood
Early Years Foundation Degree FdA
BA (Hons) Early Years and Special and Inclusive Education
BA (Hons) Education Studies and Early Years
BA (Honours) Childhood and Youth Studies
BA (Honours) Education Studies (Primary)
BA (Hons) Education
BSc (Hons) Education
BEd (Hons) Bachelor of Education Honours Degree Primary with QTS
Bachelor of Education (BEd)
Foundation Degree in Supporting Teaching and Learning
In addition, progression could be onto a higher level or degree apprenticeship including:
Early Years Lead Practitioner (degree)
Early Years Senior Practitioner
Learning and Skills Teacher
Teacher


Provider approval criteria

No specific resources over and above provider recognition criteria.


Progression route entry requirements

Learners will require a pass in maths and English at GCSE level to progress onto a degree course. They are likely to require a pass in a science subject if they wish to undertake a teaching degree course. Students will be required to pass the Professional Skills tests in literacy and numeracy before starting degree programmes leading to QTS. During registration on the programme, students will be required to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) barred list and criminal records check, and a Disqualification by Association.


Funding information

There are now two main sources for funding information, a straightforward ESFA Qualification Search and the more detailed Find a Learning Aim website.

The new Find a learning aim (FALA) service provides a search tool that you can use to check the funding status of any qualification, framework, unit, standard or T Level:

View this qualification on the ESFA’s Find a learning aim website

The Education and Skills Funding Agency search provides funding information on qualifications. It does not provide funding information for units, non-regulated activity and work placements, for this information please use Find a learning aim (FALA).

View this qualification on the ESFA Qualification Funding Search

How to find a learning aim

If you’re not sure how to use the new find a learning aim website, we’ve created a handy walkthrough to help you:

How to Use: Find a learning Aim


Additional funding information for Access to HE

  • Access to HE is eligible for funding as part of the legal entitlement offer.
  • Access to HE is eligible for funding via Advanced Learner Loans and appears on the Advanced Learner Loans catalogues published by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).
  • Access to HE Diplomas are designed for adult learners aged 19+ and the ESFA only funds young people on these programmes by exception, as stated in paragraph 149, page 39 of the Funding guidance for young people 2020 to 2021.

We have done our best to collate and summarise the key information, and wherever possible we alert our providers to changes in funding policy.

This funding information is provided in good faith and it is always advisable to check directly with the funding agencies before committing to delivery.

The following support materials will help you deliver this qualification.

Access to HE Quick Guides

Information for Access Centres

Access to HE Administration

Assignment briefs

Centres approved to deliver our Access to HE Diplomas can download assignment briefs for a selection of units in this Diploma. Assignment briefs can be downloaded by logging to Prism and locating the relevant unit. More assignment briefs are being added not all units currently have assignment briefs available.

The assignment briefs can be easily adapted to suit your needs. We recommend checking the rules of combination for the Diploma and adapting the brief accordingly.

To provide a flavour of what’s available, you can download the below samples for free:

Log in to Prism to download more assignment briefs