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14 - 19 and School Leavers - Access to Higher Education

Access courses are validated by the Cambridge Access Validating Agency (CAVA) and prepare students for Higher Education courses.

Access courses are aimed at students aged 19 or over, who have few or no formal academic qualifications, but who will approach their studies with enthusiasm, determination and discipline.

There are no formal entry requirements for these courses. Admission is through a formal interview procedure which ensures that prospective students have the ability to cope with the academic demands of the course.

Name Description
Access to Art and Design - Level 3 This course prepares students for entry into Higher Education at BA (Hons) or Higher National Diploma levels in a broad range of specialised and combined art, craft and design based disciplines.
  • Phase 1 introduces principles and practices common to al visual disciplines, including drawing, colour, visual research and problem-solving, media and materials manipulation.

  • Phase 2 explores the range of disciplines associated with degree and HND studies in art and design.

  • Phase 3 focuses upon the realisation of personal interests and goals as demonstrated by a range of individual negotiated assignments and a final major project.
Students also undertake studies in the History of Art and Design and are expected to complete two assignments based upon an historical or contextual research topic during the year.
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Name Description
Access to Health & Life Sciences - Level 3 This course is designed to help students develop the study skills needed for higher education (university level study), including research techniques, essay and report writing, problem solving and practical investigation, in the context of health and life sciences. The course consists of two semesters.

Semester 1 - All students study:
  • Cell Biology
  • Supply and Demand (physiology)
  • Environmental issues
  • Introductory Chemistry
  • Introductory Physics
  • Number, Algebra and Graphs (Maths)
Semester 2 - All students study:
  • Biochemistry
  • Genetics and Evolution
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Further Physics
  • Statistics
Students also study one of two options. Either

Science:
  • Further Chemistry and Maths
  • Ecology
Or Health:
  • Psychosocial Aspects of Health
  • Professional Practice
The certificate awarded on successful completion of the course, by the Cambridge Access Validating Agency (CAVA), fulfils the basic entry requirements for higher education, enabling students to apply for a wide variety of courses including Biological Sciences, Ecology, Environmental Science, Biomedicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Radiography.

Although there are no formal entry requirements, and Access students have usually been out of education for a number of years, prospective students will have to attend for interview and need to demonstrate a very high level of commitment and determination. Classes are timetabled four days each week and students are expected to undertake a considerable amount of work outside this.
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Name Description
Access to Social Work and Social Care Professions - Level 3 This course provides students with the subject knowledge and skills to progress to a range of courses in Higher Education and future employment in Social Work with a variety of client groups including addicts, older adults, children, abused and abusers and also probation work. This course will be structured along themes which are linked to the issues relevant people and client groups face. The themes include:
  • Addiction
  • Ageing
  • Childhood
  • Disability
The course provides subject knowledge in sociology, psychology, biological aspects of care, professional practice and social welfare/rights.

There are no formal entry requirements but applicants need to cope with the demands of the course and attend an interview.

applicants are strongly advised to have a level 2 or GCSE qualification in Adult Literacy / English
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