Uniformed Protective Services - Level 3

Summary

Uniformed Protective Services at Blackpool and the Fylde College is an exciting and active course that will prepare you for the nature and pressure of protective 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 protective 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 Uniformed Protective Services including leadership, teamwork, communication, decision-making and discipline. 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 area which you must complete successfully to gain your qualification:

Maths and English programme at the appropriate level 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 experiences, guest speakers from industry expert

Next course dates

Start date	Location	Duration
02 Sep 2026	Bispham Campus	2 Years	Apply now

Where can this subject lead?

Career progression

Following the completion of the programme, you could progress on to a Higher Education course at College or university, e.g. Public Services and Professional Policing Degree at B&FC or explore the possibility of doing a Higher Apprenticeship (Level 4).

We enjoy excellent relationships with employers such as the Army, RAF, Fire & Rescue Service and the Police Service. Many of our students progress directly to the services after completing their studies.

For those students wanting to progress to Higher Education, the programme provides a maximum 112 UCAS points and along with the relevant work/voluntary experience and successful interview this can lead to an appropriate course at the next level.

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.

Employment Opportunities

Following further study you could work as a:

Paramedic
Police Officer
Probation Officer
Firefighter
Army Infantry Corporal

Key information

Entry Requirements

4 GCSEs grade 4 or above including English and Maths, along with the following:

A successful interview with a tutor
The ability to study independently
A genuine interest in the subject
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?

You will also study the following units in Protective Services:

Behaviour and Discipline in the Uniformed Protective Services (16.66% - Externally assessed examination)
Physical Preparation, Health and Wellbeing (12.5% - Internal assessment)
Teamwork, Leadership and Communication in the Uniformed Protective Services (16.66% - Internal assessment)
Government and the Protective Services (12.5% - Externally assessed examination)
Citizenship and Diversity (16.66% - Externally assessed assignment)
Planning and Responding to Emergency Incidents (16.66% - Internal assessment)
Introduction to Criminology (8.33% - Internal assessment)

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?

At Blackpool and The Fylde College we recognise that all students learn differently and for some it may be a return to the classroom following a break from formal learning.

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 Moodle, 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 16 timetabled hours a week. This will include up to 4hrs a week developing your maths and English skills 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?

During the course you will achieve units, 5 mandatory units and 2 other units in Uniformed Protective Services.

The Uniformed Protective Services element of the course is achieved by completing internally-assessed units and external based assessments and examinations.