Route to Policing - Level 3

Entry Requirements

This course is for 16-18 years old applicants with at least five GCSEs at grades 9-4 (previously grades A*-C), including both English and Maths, or equivalent qualifications.

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

Qualification Obtained

Industry Placement and Field Trips

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 (there will be no cost for this)

Learning and Teaching Methods

During the course you will achieve units, 5 mandatory units and two other units in Protective Services and 3 mandatory units and 3 other units in a specialism of Policing.

You could study the following specialist Policing units:
1. Prepare for a career in the police service (16.66%)
2. Develop leadership skills (16.66%)
3. Equality, diversity and inclusion (16.66%)
4. Emergency planning and response in the police service (16.66%)
5. Crime scene investigation (16.66%)
6. UK legal services and police service (16.66%)

You will also study the following units in Protective Services:
1. Behaviour and Discipline in the Uniformed Protective Services (16.66%) Externally assessed examination
2. Physical Preparation, Health and Wellbeing (12.5%)
3. Teamwork, Leadership and Communication in the Uniformed Protective Services (16.66%)
4. Government and the Protective Services (12.5%) Externally assessed examination
5. Citizenship and Diversity (16.66%) Externally assessed assignment
6. Planning and Responding to Emergency Incidents (16.66%)
7. Introduction to Criminology (8.33%)

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. On top of this you will spend up to 2.5 hours a week developing your 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 staff involved in the delivery of further education courses within the College are approved to teach the subjects and modules they deliver. The approval process ensures that staff delivering a given programme are appropriately qualified and, where appropriate, possess relevant technical and industrial experience and professional practice.

Assessment Methods

The Policing specialism is achieved by completing internally-assessed units, there are no exams for this element of the course. 

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

Other Costs and Equipment Needed

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.

Tuition Fees

Students who are 18 or under pay no course fees. Read our tuition fees guide for students 19 and over.

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.

Career Options and 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).

Following further study you could work as a:

Paramedic, earning up to £37,000 per year
Police Officer, earning up to £41,000 per year
Probation Officer, earning up to £40,000 per year
Firefighter, earning up to £41,000 per year
Army Infantry Corporal, earning up to £31,869

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.