The Health and Social Care Level 3 study programme is the equivalent of three A levels and is designed to meet the changing circumstances within the health and social care sectors. During the Health and Social Care programme, you will acquire transferable knowledge and skills whilst gainingĀ up to 200 hours vocational experience in a variety of work-based settings. This programme offers an education in health and social care that can be utilised as a stepping stone for progression to undergraduate studies relating to a range of careers in this sector or towards employment.
As part of your main study programme you will also engage in activities to develop your English, maths and employability skills.
Working in partnership with employers, including hospitals and care organisations, our fantastic new Centre for Health and Social Care Professions is providing a range of training and qualifications to meet the demand for new recruits within the health and care sectors.
Courses are designed to address local skills shortages and are delivered by highly-qualified tutors with a diverse range of professional healthcare experiences.
Located on the fourth floor of our South Wing building, the Centre for Health and Social Care Professions encompasses 2,000 square metres of innovative teaching facilities.
The centre incorporates interactive learning technology to provide skills laboratories in realistic working environments, as well as well-equipped classrooms to ensure students are prepared for higher education (university) or employment.
Learning resources in the centre include:
āOur students are loving the new facilities and how theyāre able to learn in an environment that reflects the industry. Our partnership with the East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) means that weāre able to provide real skills training for direct progression into the NHS. Iām so excited about the opportunities this relationship provides for our students.ā
Turn your dream of a job in the NHS into reality
In 2021 the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) partnered with our own Centre for Health and Social Care Professions here at Colchester Institute, with a whole new floor dedicated to provide exclusive training to our learners, so they can be career ready at the end of their time with us. ESNEFT is one of the biggest NHS Trusts in East Anglia and provides hospital and community services throughout Suffolk and North Essex.
All of our learners complete mandatory placements, to prepare for this we have created the P³ programme.
The ethos for the Centre for Health and Social Care Professions focuses on Preparation, Placement and Progression (P³). All learners will develop the skills and professional behaviours expected to be seen in the workplace which will be delivered through a variety of workshops and online learning. This will offer students an assessed competency prior to embarking on a placement.
All Health and Social Care learners must complete this mandatory training prior to starting on their placements which includes:
Further progression activities support learners throughout the academic year ready for their next steps, such as:
Those studying under the Centre are referred to as āProfessionals in Trainingā and will follow the NHS 6Cs philosophy; care, courage, commitment, compassion, competence and communication. These behaviours are monitored and rewarded throughout the course.
Learners will be expected to work in a variety of settings to develop different skills, and the College has placements in over 100 workplaces.
The aim of our Career Start Programme is to develop the key employability skills and qualities in our learners, so that we can prepare them for a career within ESNEFT by the time they leave us to progress on their career path.
Those who are successful in accessing the programme will be those who have demonstrated a positive attitude to the NHS 6Cs approach and also towards their own development. They will be offered a student placement (Note: students requiring placements in paediatric areas must be 18 by the time they attend placement), a training package within a hospital environment and a guaranteed interview for a ārealā job in the NHS.
These students will be given:
By completing the mandatory skills training, our learners will be able to access more substantial student placements which are more practical in nature and will also be guaranteed a job interview on successful completion of the Career Start Programme.
Who is eligible to benefit from this opportunity?
There are limited spaces available on this programme, students will be selected by achievement and their commitment and dedication to their studies. These will be our shining stars who choose a vocation (pathway) within the NHS.
Students must be, at least, 18 by the time they finish this programme and ready to start work, which could be full-time or part-time or even fitted around a Higher Education (University) course of study.
Why should you apply for this programme?
How do you apply?
Your tutors and our partners at ESNEFT will talk to you about this opportunity in your first term at College.
5 GCSEs (9-4) including English and Maths, or satisfactory results (Merit/Distinction) in a relevant Level 2 qualification and an interview. A Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS*) check
*Please note: There is a charge of £45 for an online DBS check.
On successful completion of the course you could enter employment in the healthcare industry or with further study you may want to look at a career in social work, nursing, midwifery, occupational therapy or teaching.Ā On successful completion of the course you could progress to higher education or health and social care related professional training courses. For example; nursing, teaching, social work and occupational therapy.
To explore varied and exciting careers in healthcare and social care sectors, look on the NHS Careers website www.nhscareers.nhs.uk.
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:
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.
The information in this section applies solely to this course and the criteria for a fee waiver is not transferable to any other course offered by the College.
You will not pay tuition fees if you are: |
under 19 on the 31st August 2022 |
aged 19-24 on the 31st August 2022 and have an active Education, Health and Care Plan |
aged 19 – 23 and have not already achieved a full Level 3 qualification* (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) Ā * 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)). |
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. |
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:
Most learners that fall into this bracket will be eligible, it doesnāt depend on your household income and thereās no credit check!
If your nationality or residency status is different to the above, then please contact the national Advanced Learner Loan helpline onĀ 0300 100 0619Ā 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 ālearning and funding information letterā. 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.
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 FundĀ |
or |
Advanced Learner Loan Bursary FundĀ (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.
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.
Applications for September 2023 open now!
The application window for full-time courses and joint apprenticeship applications opened on Monday 3rd October at 12pm.
Before submitting your online application, make sure you have got an email address which you will check frequently and which is professional and appropriate for this purpose, and use this when you create your account. Submit the application as early as possible and remember to make a note of your USERNAME and PASSWORD details! You will need these later.
We have prepared a step-by-step video guide below ā please view this video which will guide you through the application process.
If you have chosen the study programme you would like to apply for then you are almost there. We recommend that you read our handy application tips, watch our video and then make your application.
You can only apply for one full-time programme and one apprenticeship. You can do this together within the same application form, in what is known as a joint application.
Remember, you cannot study more than one core subject.Ā For example, you would not be able to study two full-time programmes in different subjects simultaneously. You would take Plumbing or Music, not Plumbing and Music.
Your subject will be your primary qualification and forms the bulk of your programme of study.
Application Dos
Application Don’ts
Just call us on 01206 712777
Level | Level 3 |
---|---|
Location | Colchester |
Duration | Two years: Year 1: 90 Credit Diploma | Year 2: Extended Diploma |
Study Mode | Full-Time |
Campus / Adult Skills Centre | Colchester Campus |
Start Date | September 2023 |
Applications | Applications opened on Monday 3rd October 2022 |
Fee(s) | 16-18 year olds: Free 19+: £7,395 (This fee covers the full two-year course) |
All fees, prices and funding information shown on this page are for courses starting in the 2022-23 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.