To achieve the Certificate in Education you will need to study and achieve a range of level 5 and 6 modules, namely:

You are also required to undertake at least 150 hours of teaching practice, as well as a minimum of 100 hours of non-teaching practice, with the completion of ten successful teaching practice observations, totalling ten hours. You will undertake your teaching practice over two placements and 20 hours of this will comprise of synchronous online teaching to meet the requirements of the Occupational Standard.

A variety of teaching methods will be employed throughout your time on the course to maximise your learning, with significant learning taking place through your teaching placement via the observation of experienced teachers and peers. You will also learn from your own practical teaching experience and observations, small and large group discussions activities and tutor led sessions.

You will experience predominantly inductive evidence-based teaching approaches, experiential and enquiry based learning, reflective practice strategies and action research.

In addition, as a student at Preston College, you will have access to our virtual learning environment, Canvas, providing access to learning resources and additional materials, which can be accessed 24/7.

Assessment methods vary from module to module but typically include written assessments, presentations, teaching activity, portfolio work and teaching observations. The most appropriate assessment methods will be selected based upon individual module content.

Mode of study: 2 years, part-time

Tuition fees: £4,500 per year (2025/26)

Initial Teacher Training Bursary Programme 2025 to 2026

We are pleased to announce that the Department for Education are now offering a Further Education (FE) Initial Teacher Training Bursary designed to bolster the teaching profession for the 2025 to 2026 academic year.

This tax-free financial incentive aims to attract graduates and skilled non-graduates into the profession, and will be available for trainees before they enter paid teaching employment, and looking to teach high priority subjects in the FE sector in England.

Eligible subjects for this bursary and their values include:

*Trainees wishing to teach SEND courses and/or at specialist provisions, will need to have achieved a Level 3 qualification in SEND to meet the criteria for this specialist subject area.

Other Costs:

Through the Looking Glass:  The Partnership produces an annual professional journal of trainees’ Action Research reports. This is a valuable opportunity for trainees to have their work published and copies cost approx. £10. It is also a useful learning resource for you when you carry out your own research.

DBS requirements: Your placement will require you to have an up-to-date DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) certificate. The current cost of this is £44 for an enhanced check. If you are already employed as a teacher this should already have been completed by your employer.

Travel to and from your placement and observations of peers and other teachers is at your own cost.

Teaching materials: The provision of your own laptop/computer and stationery is essential for this course.

While this qualification is not a school teaching qualification there may be employment opportunities in some schools, particularly for teachers of vocational subjects.

On achieving this qualification, trainee teachers will be able to begin the process of achieving Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status (QTLS). Please see the following website for further information on QTLS: Gaining QTLS

You can also explore potential careers via Career Coach, a tool which provides current local data on wages and employment prospects.

On successful completion of your CertED, you can progress on to the BA in Education at UCLan, accrediting credits to reduce the length of study.  

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities, and in particular those that are currently under-represented in our Initial Teacher Education (ITE) courses. We specifically encourage applications from ethnic minority groups at this time.

Mode of study: 2 years, part-time

Tuition fees: Year 1 (2025/26): £4,500 Year 2 (2026/27): £4,500

Location: Preston College, Fulwood Campus (except placement)

Minimum numbers required for this course to run: 12 people

Additional costs: The provision of your own laptop/computer and stationery is essential for this course.

Additional requirements: You will be required to be teaching in an educational or training environment, in order to complete 150 hours of teaching practice, as well as, a minimum of 100 hours non-teaching practice. This could be paid, or through a voluntary placement. 

Industry experience in the subject you intend to teach is also required (circa 3 years), if your chosen subject is different to your degree subject. 

You are required to undertake an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), which costs £44. The fee for the Update Service is £13 per year. More details will be shared at interview. 

Preston College operates a flexible admissions policy, welcoming applicants with a wide range of qualifications and/or experience, with each application assessed on its own merit. We also recognise prior learning/attainment (RPL) and experience, meaning it may be possible to map some of your existing qualifications against the modules for the Certificate in Education qualification.

If this applies to you, we will discuss this with you at the interview stage.

For those interested in the Certificate in Education, who have recently been in education, an applicant would need to possess Level 2 qualifications in English and Maths. 

Applicants wanting to teach English or mathematics (without an English or mathematics ’A’ Level/degree) are required to successfully complete an additional entry assessment to demonstrate their content knowledge and skills.  

This may impact on the acquisition of a suitable teaching practice placement and therefore additional time must be factored for this. 

1) Specialist subject: Where the subject is regarded as SEND, the applicant must have a L3 SEND qualification. 

2) Equivalent qualifications must be named by the Society for Education and Training as suitable for entry to QTLS (see Approved maths and English qualifications | Society for Education and Training (et-foundation.co.uk )  

3) IELTS certification date must be within two years of the point of application.

Before applying it is very important that you are clear about your future status, and the difference between QTS and QTLS. UCLan teacher education qualifications do not afford graduates with QTS status. The CertEd will not confer Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). On achievement of the Cert Ed awarded by UCLan, qualified teachers in the FE and Skills Sector will be eligible to apply for QTLS (Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills) status through the Society for Education and Training (SET).  It is not normally possible to gain QTLS in less than 6 months from the end of the course, as applicants have to demonstrate their post-qualification development. Initially, you will pay a £50 application fee (non-refundable) to the SET and then, the Professional Formation programme, leading to QTLS, is priced at £520.

This qualification is suitable for those who are already teaching (in-service) as well as those who are new to teaching. College will assist you to find a placement, but this is not always guaranteed.

Other requirements: 

A teaching or training contract or a voluntary placement for a minimum of 75 hours of teaching per academic year.

An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is also required for this course.

International students:

You may need to apply for a Tier 4 visa in order to enter and study in the UK. However, please note that Preston College does not hold a Tier 4 Sponsor Licence to support student visa applications.