Uniformed Protective Services - Level 2

Summary

The Level 2 Diploma in Public Services at Blackpool and the Fylde College is an exciting and active course that will prepare you for the nature and pressure of public services work. The course will give you a detailed insight into the workings of different services through theoretical and practical subjects delivered by experienced lecturers from public service backgrounds.

You will learn by completing projects and assignments that are based on realistic workplace situations, and learners will develop essential skills and knowledge that are required within the Public Services including communication, leadership, decision-making and being helpful to others.

You will also have a dedicated fitness and practical sessions each week which all students will participate in to be ready for a career within the services.

As part of your Programme of Study, you will also cover the following areas which you must complete successfully to gain your qualification:

Functional Skills/ GCSE Maths and English programme Tutorial – you will have a one to one every 4 – 5 weeks with your tutor to assess your progress and set targets
Work Experience and Volunteering programme - employer visits, hands-on experience, guest speakers from industry experts.

Next course dates

Start date	Location	Duration
02 Sep 2026	Bispham Campus	1 Year	Apply now

Where can this subject lead?

Career progression

This course will allow you to focus on a career within Uniformed and Non-Uniformed Public Sectors, building the required knowledge and experience needed to become a successful member of a close knit team. Due to the nature of public service work, public servants need to be resilient and adaptable to a range of unpredictable situations which may occur.

Public sector work is highly active and demanding, requiring a high level of physical fitness to complete your job role effectively.

In order to best prepare you for your future career, you are encouraged to progress throughout college and levels. Learners have a progression route from Level 2 to our HE Provision of a BSc (Hons) Public Services. Learners' will be required to achieve their minimum target grade prior to achieving progression to the next level 3 course.

We have a very high success rate on our Public Services programmes and a high majority of the successful students’ progress onto their chosen career paths either direct from the course or after progressing into Higher Education.

Key information

Entry Requirements

4 GCSEs grade 3 - 1 or above in English and Maths, along with the following:

A successful interview with a tutor
The ability to study independently
A genuine interest in the subject
Good communication skills
Hardworking approach towards the industry

All 16-18 year old applicants will be invited to attend an interview to meet a tutor and ask any questions they may have about the course.

Qualification obtained

Diploma for Entry to the Uniformed Services

Fees and funding

Courses for learners who are 16-18 years old at the start of their course and resident in the UK are fully funded. You may also be entitled to further financial help to support your studies depending on your personal circumstances. For more details of these, please visit our page on Finance Support for School Leavers.

If you are not a UK resident, we will confirm whether funding is available when we process your application. If not, you may be liable for course fees.

Extra costs and equipment

All students will be expected to provide their own stationery, to include: pens, notepad and an A4 folder. Replacement ID badges will be at a cost of £3 or £8 if incorporated with a bus pass. For photocopying, students are provided with the first 80 black and white free of charge. Any additional copies for black and white are charged at 4p per copy.

Regulation and Accreditation

Accrediting Institution: N/A

Awarding Body: Pearson

Regulatory Body: Ofsted

Terms and conditions

Read our full terms and conditions for more information.

What will I learn?

During the course you will achieve units, 2 mandatory units and 6 other units in the Level 2 Diploma Preparation for Public Services.

You will study the following units in Public Services:

Public Services Skills and Support for the Community (23.5% - Internally assessed)
Employment in the Uniformed Public Services (17% - Internally assessed)
Health and Fitness for Entry into the Uniformed Public Services (8.5% - Internally assessed)
Driving in the Public Services (8.5% - Internally assessed)
Crime and its Effects on Society (8.5% - Internally assessed)
Volunteering in Public Services (8.5% - Internally assessed)
Expedition and Land Navigation Skills (17% - Internally assessed)
Activities and Teamwork for the Public Services (8.5% - Internally assessed)

Essential skills: English and Maths

All school leavers at B&FC are encouraged to continue developing their English and maths skills as higher ability in both these subjects is linked to long-term career success and increased earning potential - irrespective of how well you performed at GCSE. If, however, you achieve a GCSE Grade 3 or less in either subject, you will also have the opportunity to work towards re-sitting these to enhance your paper-based qualifications. This won’t delay your career journey because you will be undertaking this programme of study at the same time as your chosen subject.

Industry placement, field trips and guest speakers

This course features a compulsory 20-hour work placement with the opportunity to develop your skills in a realistic industry setting and discover what an employer will expect of you in a similar role.

We will encourage and support you to take part in voluntary work throughout the course as volunteering will enhance your career prospects and often leads to offers of permanent employment.

Our students regularly volunteer for community projects and at youth organisations, schools and provide support at events such as the fundraising for the Royal British Legion, Teenage Cancer Trust and Blackpool Street-Life.

The course also features a mandatory field trip.

How will I learn?

Our expert tutors understand that everyone learns in different ways so they use a range of teaching methods to enable everyone to achieve their potential. A key method used is demonstration, which allows you to observe the practical application of skills before having a go yourself.

The course combines group work, practical sessions and dedicated self-study periods. This needs to be supported by your own study outside of College, using online development platforms such as Canvas, our virtual learning environment.

E-learning is a key element of all our courses and we also use a range of online apps to support, enhance and motivate learning. Your tutors will support you with these technologies and also in preparing for examinations.

The main programme totals 540 learning hours a year, which equates to around 14 timetabled hours a week. This includes a minimum of 3 hours a week doing Functional Skills / GCSE in Maths and English depending on the level you are already at. A further 1.5 hours a week is needed for progress meetings to ensure you're on track to achieve your learning goals.

Expert tutors

All tutors involved in the delivery of courses and apprenticeships within the College are approved to teach the subjects and modules they deliver.

Our recruitment process ensures that tutors delivering a given programme are suitably qualified and, where appropriate, possess relevant technical and industrial experience and a familiarity with professional practice. The aim of this is to enrich students’ learning experience, giving them an insight into what working in the industry is really like.

How will I be assessed?

You will receive two assignments per unit of study with clear numbered tasks to complete within each assignment. The assessment methods will be varied in order to meet learner needs and styles, and including:

Presentation
Project
Essay
Observation
Discussion
Audio Interview
Video Interview
Practical Performance
Report