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Public Services Level 2

The BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Preparation for Public Services is designed to equip you with the knowledge, understanding and skills required for success when moving towards a career in the uniformed services, for example police force, fire and rescue service, prison service or armed forces.

The course allows you to investigate the uniformed services; what they are and what careers are available to you. You will, through the units chosen, find out what people in the different services do in their job roles, how they work and how they interact with each other through multi-agency working.

Units within the course will allow you to discover, for example, the levels of fitness required for each of the uniformed services and the difference between the armed forces, police, fire and rescue service. This course is delivered through a mixture of lectures, practical activities, outside visits and visiting specialist speakers from the industry sector. There will also be workshops and tutorials relating to the assignment programme.

In addition to your main programme, you will also engage in activities to develop your English, maths and employability skills.

Course Info

Do I have to pay a fee?

How to make an Application

Other courses in this area

Course Content

BTEC Level 2 in Preparation for Public Services units may include:

Health and Fitness for Entry to the Uniformed Public Services
Expedition and Land Navigation Skills
Employment in the Uniformed Public Services
Crime & its Effects on Society
Community and Cultural Awareness
Public Service Skills and Support for the Community
Security Procedures in the Public Services
Activities and Teamwork for the Public Services

Entry Requirements

4 GCSEs (9-3) including English and Maths, or satisfactory results (Merit/Distinction) in a relevant Level 1 qualification and an interview.

Career Opportunities

A wide range of careers in the uniformed services and related areas.

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.

Aged 19+ - 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 already have a level 2 qualification in another subject (or 5 GCSEs grades 9-4) and are unemployed and in receipt of benefits

aged over 24, unemployed and in receipt of benefits

aged 19-23, already have a level 2 qualification in another subject (or 5 GCSEs grades 9-4) and are employed with a gross annual salary under £17,374 per annum

aged over 24 and are employed with a gross annual salary under £17,374 per annum

If you are aged 19-23 and do not already have a level 2 qualification in any other subject or 5 GCSEs grades 9 – 4, you will not qualify for any government funding and will pay a considerably higher amount than the published course fee shown on this page.

You will pay the published fee shown on this page (this fee is co-funded, which means the remainder of the fee is paid by the government) if you are:

aged 19-23, already have a level 2 qualification in another subject (or 5 GCSEs grades 9-4) and are unemployed but do not claim a benefit

aged 19-23, already have a level 2 qualification in another subject (or 5 GCSEs grades 9-4) and earn over £17,374 per annum

aged over 24 and are unemployed but do not claim a benefit

aged over 24 and are employed with a gross annual salary over £17,374 per annum

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.

Please note that if you have to pay the full-cost fee, you are unable to access any financial assistance from the College Bursary Fund.

Am I eligible for a bursary?

If you are aged 19 at the start of the course, unemployed and not in receipt of benefits, or employed and earning over £17,374, you may be eligible for assistance with your tuition fees from the College Bursary fund.

Bursary funds are targeted at households with a net income of under £25,000.

If you are assessed as being eligible for a bursary award to assist with your tuition fees, the award will not exceed 75% of the fee payable and you will be responsible for paying the balance of the fee.

Students of all ages can apply for assistance from the bursary fund for other course related costs, such as transport, meals, books and equipment.

The bursary fund cannot assist with any general living costs 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.

When can I apply?

16-19 and 19+ 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.

Full details of the bursary funds can be found here:

16-18 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!

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 – please view this video which will guide you through the application process.

Application Do's and Don'ts

Application Tips

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. 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

Apply as early as possible. We want to make sure you have the best chance of securing a place with us. All full-time applications received by the 31st of January 2023 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.
Think carefully about your course choice before you apply. Talk to your head of year or careers adviser at school to make sure you have explored all your options and have found a course that suits you best. You may wish to attend one of our open days to find out more before applying.
Make sure you attend any interviews or assessments we invite you to. These are a mandatory part of our process. They give you the opportunity to find out more about our courses, as well as allowing us to make sure you are on the most appropriate course for you. Some courses may invite you to attend a second interview or audition to demonstrate your skills and to ensure you are on the most appropriate level for you.
Please let us know if your contact details or address change. We will use a variety of letters, emails and texts to communicate with you throughout the process, and the information we provide is both confidential and vital to your application. If you move home or change your phone number and don’t inform us of any changes, you could miss some vital information.

Application Don’ts

Do not make multiple applications. If you are unsure, for example, of which construction/trade subject you would like to study, please only make an application for one of them. Likewise, if you later wish you had applied for a different course, please don’t worry – we can change your application. Whatever the reason for wanting to change, there is no need to make another application.
Do not use a school email address when you create your account. Remember, you will need to access this account later in the summer after you have left school.
Do not create another account if you have previously applied. If you have applied in previous years, please do not create a new account. If you are unsure, contact us to check which username and password to use.

Just call us on 01206 712777

Public Services Level 2

Course Outline: designed to equip you with the knowledge, understanding and skills required for success when moving towards a career in the uniformed services

Level	Level 2
Location	Colchester
Duration	One Year
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+: £1,139

Apply Online For Colchester Course Enquiry Line: 01206 712 777 Course and Application Enquiries Open Event Updates Receive Updates For Parents & Guardians Fee Exemptions Apply

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Disclaimer

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.