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Bricklaying Level 1/2/3

Learn how to become a professional bricklayer and work towards a career in the fast-growing construction industry.

This is a three year programme of study consisting of three qualifications:

The Level 1 Bricklaying Diploma is designed to prepare people to enter the industry in their chosen craft and will be completed in year 1.

The Level 2 Bricklaying Diploma is designed to develop the skills and knowledge of people, enabling them to work in industry in their chosen craft. This will be completed in year 2.

The Level 3 Bricklaying Diploma has been specifically developed for delivery in a training environment using simulated conditions ensuring you leave us with the expertise and knowledge required industry. Working within our fully equipped training workshops you will work with real materials and on projects you would expect to find in industry. Practical and theory sessions are combined to provide you with an understanding of basic and more advanced bricklaying techniques.

***Applications for full-time courses to start in September 2022 are open now!***

We want to make sure you have the best chance of securing a place with us. All full-time applications received by 31st of January 2022 will be guaranteed a place at Colchester Institute, subject to you satisfying the published entry requirements. We still accept applications after this date but may not be able to guarantee you a place on your chosen programme.

Application for this course are made by the ‘Apply Online’ buttons located in the menu further down the page.

Course Info

Do I have to pay a fee?

How to make an Application

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How will I learn?

The Bricklaying Diploma programmes have been specifically developed for delivery in a training environment using simulated conditions. Working within our fully equipped training workshops you will work with real materials and on projects you would expect to find in industry. Practical and theory sessions are combined to provide you with an understanding of basic and more advanced bricklaying techniques. Assessment is based on the student showing what they can do as an individual through the completion of all the requirements of the qualification.

Practical sessions are combined with traditional classroom activities and computer-aided learning; these enable production of a portfolio of evidence. Students work towards passing end of unit tests, practical assessments and an online test set by the awarding body. In addition to your main programme, you will study English and maths. You will also engage in activities to develop your English, maths and employability skills.

All the units of training must be completed by each student. All outcomes must be achieved during the training programme.

Course Content

Level 1 Bricklaying Diploma units may include:

Carrying out Blocklaying Activities
Carrying out Bricklaying Activities
Carrying out Cavity Walling Activities
Contribute to Setting Out and Building of Masonry Structures up to Damp Proof Course
Health, Safety and Welfare in Construction
Principles of Building Construction, Information and Communication

Developing from the Level 1 programme, Level 2 units and activities include:

Interpreting Working Drawings to Set Out Masonry Structures
Producing Thin Joint Masonry and Masonry Cladding (Optional)
Building Solid Walling, Isolated and Attached Piers
Construct Cavity Walling Forming Masonry Structures
Health, Safety and Welfare in Construction
Principles of Building Construction, Information and Communication

In addition to this there are seven theory units to complete, each of which have an internal knowledge test, plus an end of year exam on all seven units of study.

Level 3 Bricklaying Diploma units may include:

You will learn about several complex topics in practice. These include; obtuse angle work, acute angle work, axed arches, chimneys, fireplaces and flues, curved walls on plan, convex and concave walls, decorative panel work, quetta bond reinforced walling, battered buttress work and, also, motiff projections .

Alongside this you will learn the theory:

Repair and Maintain Masonry Structures
Constructing Radial and Battered Brickwork
Carrying out Decorative and Reinforced Brickwork
Constructing Fireplaces and Chimneys
Health, Safety and Welfare in Construction
Principles of Organising, Planning and Pricing Construction Work

Assessment is based on the student demonstrating competence as an individual through the completion of all the requirements of the qualification. The Qualification comprises: General Core units, occupation specific units, practical assignment, and online testing of knowledge. To gain the Bricklaying Diploma, you must be successful in all units and practical assignments.

Entry Requirements

Level 1:

3 GCSEs (9-1), including English and Maths
An interview

Level 2: Satisfactory completion of the Level 1 Diploma and via interview/progression board. Candidates must be deemed to have the potential and opportunity to successfully gain the qualification.

Level 3: Satisfactory completion of the Level 2 Diploma or an ICA in Trowel Occupations and via interview candidates must be deemed to have the potential and opportunity to successfully gain the qualification. A progression interview with Course Leader.

What Can I Do Next?

Level 1: Employment opportunities as a trainee bricklayer/improver. Further vocational training and assessment leading to NVQ Level 2.

Level 2: Further vocational training and assessment leading to a Bricklaying Diploma Level 3.

Level 3: Site foreman or charge hand, in a gang of bricklayers. Master craftsman. Progression could lead to higher education courses at Colchester Institute, in Site Management.

All students aged 16-18 on the first day of their course will have their course fully-funded by the government.

Costs of studying

If you are/will be aged 16, 17 or 18 on the 31st August in the calendar year when you begin a programme of study, you DO NOT pay tuition fees, College registration fees or examination/board registration fees. However, there are some courses which have additional costs which could include:

equipment costs – such as uniforms, kits, boots, etc.
trips and enrichment activities
DBS checks (formerly CRB checks)

For students with an identified low household income, there may be financial support available. Bursary awards can help with your course related costs such as travel, books and equipment and much more.

Aged 19+ - Fees and Funding

If you are aged 19 and over, in certain circumstances you may be eligible for a fee waiver and therefore you will not have to pay for this course.

Eligibility for a fee waiver will depend your age at the start of the course, your previous qualifications, your employment status and whether you claim certain benefits.

If you do not meet the criteria for a fee waiver, you may be eligible for some assistance from the College’s Bursary Funds, depending on the household financial circumstances.

If you do not meet the criteria for a fee waiver, and are not eligible for assistance from the Bursary Fund, you will have to pay for this course.

Published course fees for this course are located further down this course information page.

Level 1 - Do I have to pay a fee?

The information in this section applies to this course, and may not apply to other courses with different funding criteria.

You will not pay tuition fees if you are:

aged 19-24 on the 31st August 2022 and have an active Education, Health and Care Plan

aged 19-23 and are required to undertake this level 1 qualification in order to progress onto level 2, provided you have not previously achieved a level 2 qualification in any other subject (or 5 GCSEs grades 9-4) by the start of the course

over 19, unemployed and in receipt of benefits

over 19, employed and have a gross annual salary under £17,374 per annum

If you are aged 19-23 and have previously achieved a Level 2 qualification, if you do not meet the low income or unemployment criteria you will not be eligible for a fee waiver

You will not meet the low income or unemployment criteria if you:

are aged over 19 at the start of the course, unemployed and are not in receipt of benefits

are aged over 19 at the start of the course, employed and have a gross annual salary over £17,374 per annum

Therefore you will pay tuition fees

In certain circumstances, the College’s discretionary bursary fund maybe able to assist with a contribution towards tuition fees. Eligibility to the fund depends on the household’s financial circumstances. Further information regarding the discretionary bursary fund can be found further down this page.

Level 2 - Do I have to pay a fee?

The information in this section applies to this course, and may not apply to other courses with different funding criteria.

You will not pay tuition fees if you are:

aged 19-24 at the 31st August 2022 and have an active Education, Health and Care Plan

aged 19-23 and have not achieved a level 2 qualification in any other subject (or 5 GCSEs grades 9-4)

over 19 at the start of the course, unemployed and in receipt of benefits

over 19 at the start of the course, employed and have a gross annual salary under £17,374 per annum

If you are aged 19-23 and have previously achieved a Level 2 qualification, if you do not meet the low income or unemployment criteria you will not be eligible for a fee waiver

You will not meet the low income or unemployment criteria if you:

are aged over 19 at the start of the course, unemployed and are not in receipt of benefits

are aged over 19 at the start of the course, employed and have a gross annual salary over £17,374 per annum

Therefore you will pay tuition fees

Level 3 - Do I have to pay a fee?

National Skills Level 3 Offer

The Lifetime Skills Guarantee gives adult learners (who will be studying for their first full Level 3 qualification) the opportunity to study a fully-funded course. It is part of the government’s National Skills Fund to help adults to gain the skills they need for employment, and to improve their job prospects.

Level 3 of this course offered at Colchester Institute is included in the Lifetime Skills Guarantee.

Level 3 will be free if you meet the eligibility criteria listed below. If these do not apply, you may need to pay a fee, and the fee is located further down the course information page. You can apply for a loan to cover all of your tuition fees.

As there is no direct entry onto Level 3 for this course you will need to enrol on a lower level to be able to progress to Level 3. Depending on your circumstances, this may also be fully funded by the government.

The information in this section applies to this course, and as such may not apply to other courses with different funding criteria.

You will not pay tuition fees if you are:

aged 19-24 on the 31st August 2022 and have an active Education, Health and Care Plan

aged 19 and over at the start of this course and you do not already have a qualification at this level (a full Level 3 or equivalent).

* This means that you have not previously attained a full Level 3 or equivalent (2 A Levels or 4 AS Levels, or QAA Access to Higher Education (HE) Diploma at Level 3, or a Level 3 Tech level or applied general qualification (e.g. BTEC)). In some cases, if you need to first enrol on a lower level course, before progressing to a level 3, this may also be fully funded by the government.

From 1st April 2022 adults in England who already have an existing full Level 3 qualification or higher, or have previously achieved any other qualification included in the Level 3 adult offer, may be able to study this qualification for free.

You will not pay tuition fees provided that your qualification was achieved before 1st April 2021 and you meet either of the criteria below:

aged over 19, unemployed and in receipt of benefits

employed and earning under the National Living Wage annually (£18,525)

If you are aged over 19 and have studied this course at Level 2 with us previously (or at another training provider) and would like to enrol directly onto Level 3 please contact our Admissions Department, where candidates will be assessed on an individual basis prior to application.

You will pay tuition fees if you are:

aged 19 and over at the start of this course and have previously achieved a full Level 3 qualification

Learners required to pay tuition fees can either self-fund (whereby you or your employer pays for the course) or apply for an Advanced Learner Loan to cover all, or part, of the tuition fees for this course. The minimum loan you can get is £300, but the maximum will depend on how much the fees are and the type of course you take.

For students with an identified low household income, there may be financial support available through the College’s discretionary bursary fund. Although the funds cannot be used to pay for course fees they can be used to contribute towards other course related costs such as travel, childcare, books and equipment.

Advanced Learner Loans

Am I eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan?

To qualify for an advanced learner loan to cover the fees for this course you must be:

19 years old or over on the first day of your course (there’s no upper age limit)
A UK national or have ‘settled status’ (this means there are no restrictions on how long you can stay)
Living in the UK on the first day of your course, and have lived in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for three years immediately before this

Most learners that fall into this bracket will be eligible, it doesn’t depend on your household income and there’s no credit check!

If your nationality or residency status is different to the above, then please contact the national Advanced Learner Loan helpline on 0300 100 0619 or check the Advanced Learner Loan website where you will be able to find further information on eligibility.

How do I apply for an Advanced Learner Loan?

Once you have applied and been offered a place on the course, the college will provide you with a ‘learning and funding information letter’. These are normally sent out in early July.

You need this to complete the loan application and you cannot apply for a loan until you have received this.

Once you have applied for a loan and it has been approved you will receive an official letter from Student Finance England.

Am I eligible for a bursary?

Applicants thinking of enrolling on this course can apply for funding to help with the costs associated with attending college. Bursary funds are targeted at students where there is an identified low household income.

The bursary fund cannot provide help with costs unrelated to your course, such as general living expenses, nor can it be used as an attendance incentive.

Applications to the fund are not normally considered if the household income exceeds £25,000 but may be considered in some instances if the household is experiencing severe financial hardship.

The 16-19 Bursary Fund is aimed at helping:

Students who are aged 16, 17 or 18 on the 31st August 2022

Students aged 19 who started a two-year programme before their 19th birthday

Students aged 19 or over on 31st August 2022 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

If you do not meet the above criteria then you are likely to be eligible for support through either the:

19+ Bursary Fund

Advanced Learner Loan Bursary Fund (for students paying Level 3 tuition fees for with an advanced learner loan)*

*Awards from the Advanced Learner Loans Bursary Fund can only be made to students who have received an Advanced Learner Loan. If you do not intend to apply for an advanced learner loan or if your application has been unsuccessful you will not be eligible for an award from this particular fund.

Funds are targeted at course related costs such as travel, childcare, books and equipment.

Regardless of income or employment status, students self-funding (including where an employer is covering course fees), are not eligible for financial assistance through any discretionary bursary funds.

When can I apply?

Bursary Fund applications for courses starting in the 2022/23 academic year will be open from June 1st 2022.

For courses starting in September 2022, applications should be made by 1st November 2022. If you find yourself in financial hardship after this date it is important that you still contact Student Services. Applications received after 1st November will be considered on a pro-rata basis subject to need and the availability of funds.

16-19 Bursary Information

19+ Bursary Information

Payment Options

Can I pay in instalments?

Where total course fees exceed £200 you (or your employer, if they are paying your course fees) can choose to pay your fees in instalments through a monthly payment plan.

40% of the fee or £500 (whichever is lower) will be payable at enrolment.

The balance must be paid within 6 months or by the end date if the course is less than 6 months in duration.

Payment in full in advance

Payment should be made in full at the time of enrolment. Acceptable payment methods include Debit Card and Credit Card (excluding American Express). Please note that we are no longer able to accept cash or cheque payments.

How to make an Application – Watch our video guide!

We have also prepared a step-by-step video guide – please view this video which will guide you through the application process.

Bricklaying Diploma Level 1/2/3

Level	Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Location	Colchester Braintree
Duration	Three years Year 1: Level 1 Year 2: Level 2 Year 3: Level 3* *Level 3 available at Colchester Campus only
Study Mode	Full-Time
Campus	Colchester Campus Braintree Campus
Start Date	September 2022 - Applications open on 1st October 2021
Fee(s)	16-18 year olds: Free 19+: Year 1: £1,470 19+: Year 2: £1,632 19+: Year 3: £2,944*

Apply Online For Colchester Apply Online For Braintree Course Enquiry Line: 01206 712 777 Course and Application Enquiries Open Event Updates Receive Updates For Parents & Guardians Lifetime Skills Guarantee Fee Exemptions Apply Advanced Learner Loan Available

*This course will be free to any adult meeting the eligibility criteria under the Lifetime Skills Guarantee

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Level 1 Courses

Disclaimer

All fees, prices and funding information shown on this page are for courses starting in the 2021-22 academic year unless stated otherwise, and are correct at the time of entering/printing information, however these may be subject to change due to factors outside of our control. The College cannot accept legal or financial liability as a result of any such changes.

Courses fees are generally not confirmed for September until June / July due to the above factors.

The course information describes programmes offered by Colchester Institute. The College takes all reasonable steps to provide courses as described, but cannot guarantee provision. The information is for guidance and does not form any part of a contract.

The College reserves the right to update and amend information as and when necessary. Colchester Institute will do its best to provide the courses shown, but may have to modify or withdraw a course depending on customer demand and other factors.