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Counselling Skills Level 3

Course Code: H70008A H70008B

Level: 3

Study mode: Part time

This course is designed for those people who wish to involve themselves in counselling either in a professional or voluntary capacity. The course will offer the opportunity for participants to examine their own personal development and enhance their self-awareness. It will include various counselling skills and methods and their application in specific practical situations, including experimental learning, considering ethical considerations. Group work and role-play will be included in the taught work.

The course is suitable for professionals employed in education, welfare or social services wishing to develop a counselling role. It may also be appropriate for those working in a voluntary capacity with self-help groups or other agencies.

A commitment to equal opportunities is an essential component of this course.

On the course students will be expected to demonstrate wider reading around the topics they are being asked to write about by including references in their work using Harvard Referencing.

It will be necessary for candidates to be able to do at least 9-11 hours of reading/ research per week, at home. A reading list will be provided, and you will need to obtain two or three books from that list. (Books will be at the candidates own expense).

Note to applicants:

In this course you will be expected to talk about yourself in a classroom environment in emotional “check in” at the beginning of each lesson. This will be part of the assessment criteria where students will be expected to demonstrate “emotional growth” as the course progresses. As this is an introduction to Counselling training you need to be aware that you will be expected to do a lot of use of self-reflection, and this could result in highlighting things that have happened and have impacted on your life/things that are happening and impacting on your life. You need to think carefully before embarking on this course to ensure that it is the right course for you at this time in your life as it will not be a place for you to have group therapy it will be an academic/teaching course that will help you learn and develop counselling skills.

Students will need to be prepared to seek outside help/college counsellor if it becomes apparent (or if the tutor advises) to ensure emotional safety.

Mandatory attendance of at least 90% for the duration of the course.

Due to the nature of the course, with what will be shared in emotional check-ins and the classroom setting, students cannot attend with anyone they know or are related to.

Course content

There are five mandatory units:

DEVELOPING COUNSELLING SKILLS
THEORETICAL APPROACHES IN THE USE OF COUNSELLING SKILLS
WORKING ETHICALLY WITH COUNSELLING SKILLS
COUNSELLING SKILLS AND DIVERSITY
COUNSELLING SKILLS AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (please note this will not be a taught unit- students will complete this unit as either a presentation to the group or an assignment dependent on the start date of your course- September starters will do a presentation to the group for this unit/ January starters will complete this unit as a written assignment.)

How are students assessed?

Continuous assessment through assignments/reflective journals and a presentation to the group for unit 5.

Completed and achieved course work by the week prior to the end of the course which will be internally and externally assessed.

Attendance will be monitored throughout (minimum of 90%)

External verifier may request photocopying part of your work, but your confidentiality will be maintained.

Will this course lead to a formal qualification?

NCFE (CACHE) Level 3 Diploma in Counselling Skills.

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU WILL NOT BE A QUALIFIED COUNSELLOR AT THE END OF THIS COURSE.

Entry Requirements

Candidates will need to be 18 as of the 31^st August of that year.
Prospective students for this course are required to show evidence of successful counselling training in Level 2 Counselling involving a minimum of 90 class time hours. It must have been a regulated course (e.g. regulated by Ofqual or RQF). Ideally learning needs to have taken place face to face in a classroom setting however lessons that have taken place in a remote classroom such as TEAMS/Zoom or Google Classroom will also be considered as long as a tutor has been present on every lesson to teach content.
Be able to provide a written academic and character reference from your level 2 Counselling course tutor/training provider. This reference will need to include evidence of above 85% attendance on your Counselling Courses/ Evidence of meeting deadlines on your Counselling Course/Evidence of being able to always remain professional in the classroom and growth in your personal development during your studies along with your suitability for the course.
A level of IT skills will be needed to do this course as all course work will need to be uploaded to our Turnitin system.
Ideally if applicants are thinking about potentially wanting to progress to Level 4 then an English qualification will be required at either a grade 4 or C or above- we will accept other qualifications if they have been essay based for the level 4.

Please be aware that students could be asked to complete a BKSB Maths & English initial and diagnostic assessment during the induction period to assess skills at that time and to help to enhance these skills during your studies.

Materials

Writing materials/ laptop/ tablet and or access to a mobile phone to be able to be shown how to use TEAMS etc.

A book list will be provided, and it is recommended you obtain one book from the list. (At candidates own expense).

Day, time and duration

Daytime –

Wednesday

Starting 9^th September 2026 until 30th June 2027

9am – 4pm

Coombs Wood

Evening –

Wednesday and Thursday

Starting 9^th September 2026 until 1st July 2027

5:30pm – 9pm

Whittingham Road

Evening course

This will take place over 2 evenings per week.

Wednesday 5.30pm-9pm – face to face in the classroom & Thursday 6.00pm-9.00pm on Microsoft TEAMS

You will need to choose either the daytime or the evening course whichever suits your best and you will be expected to attend lessons each week whether they are classroom lessons or online –

Minimum attendance for you to achieve the qualification will be at least 90%.

Please note you cannot be alternate between evening and daytime if you are unable to attend any of the lessons or move from daytime to evening or vice versa after week 2 of the start of the course.

Start date

W/c 9th September 2026

Course fees

£2,225

For more information on funding your course visit Fees and Funding.

Course Code: H70008A H70008B

Level: 3

Study mode: Part time