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Access Courses
Important Information
The access courses are designed to prepare a candidate for enrolment onto the Pharmacy Technician Training Programme by refreshing their knowledge in English, maths and/or science, in line with the programme requirements. As such, these courses are not accredited level 2 qualifications.
For apprenticeship enrolments access courses cannot be used to exempt a candidate from English and/or maths functional skills. Evidence of a full accredited qualification at level 2 or above (such as a GCSE grade C or level 4) will still be required to be considered for exemption purposes.
Related Courses
Pharmacy Technician Training Programme (Non-Apprenticeship Pathway)
Enables learners to apply for registration with the GPhC, providing the clinical knowledge, confidence, practical and professional skills to practise as pharmacy technicians.
Course Overview
These access courses are structured with in-depth teaching materials to improve and cement the learner’s knowledge. On completion of the courses the learner is assessed and provided with a certificate of completion from Buttercups Training.
Access Courses Available
- Level 2 Foundation in Maths for Pharmacy Technicians
- Level 2 Foundation in Science for Pharmacy Technicians
- Level 2 Foundation in English for Pharmacy Technicians
Online Course Cost
- Level 2 Foundation in Maths for Pharmacy Technicians - £100 (Exc VAT)
- Level 2 Foundation in English for Pharmacy Technicians - £100 (Exc VAT)
- Level 2 Foundation in Science for Pharmacy Technicians - £200 (Exc VAT)
* Functional skills access courses available from £350 (Exc VAT). Please contact us for further information.
Level 2 Foundation in Maths for Pharmacy Technicians
The maths foundation course is broken down into ten interactive tutorials; covering a variety of topics centred around numbers, shape and space; measures and handling data. Each tutorial will teach you the key knowledge required, with guided examples on how to solve questions and then let you try solving problems yourself with plenty of practise questions. You should work your way through the tutorials in the order on your training plan.
There is a test at the end of each tutorial, which you must complete before moving on to the next one. After you have completed these tests, you should sit the final test.
Level 2 Foundation in Science for Pharmacy Technicians
The science foundation course is broken down into 13 modules. Modules 1-7 contain level 2 chemistry content and modules 8-13 level 2 biology content. Throughout the course there are several self-assessment activities which must be completed before you will be able to access the final assessment.
The final assessment is drawn only from the content in the course and is divided into biology and chemistry sections, both of which must be passed to pass overall.
Level 2 Foundation in English for Pharmacy Technicians
The English foundation course is broken up into the three skills of speaking, listening and communication; reading and writing. An interactive tutorial for each skill will guide you through the material. Each tutorial will teach you the key knowledge required, with guided examples on how to solve questions and then let you try solving problems yourself with plenty of practise questions. You should work your way through the tutorials in the order on your training plan.
There is a test at the end of each tutorial, which you must complete before moving on to the next one. After you have completed the tests for each skill, you should sit the final tests: you have one each for reading, speaking and writing.
Course Content
Topics Covered in the Level 2 Foundation in Maths for Pharmacy Technicians Course
In this section you will learn the basics of working with numbers including calculations involving negative numbers and how to apply these skills to solve problems.
In this section you will learn how to round to an appropriate number of decimal places in practical problems.
In this section you learn how to use formulae to solve practical problems and represent appropriate information from a table as a formula. You will then learn how to use this to make conclusions and compare results.
In this section you will:
- Find fractions and percentages of quantities in practical problems
- Add, subtract, multiple or divide with decimals in practical problems
- Increase or decrease quantities using percentages in practical problems
- Use decimal, fraction and percentage equivalences to find solutions to practical problems
In this section you will:
- Find and express the numbers you need as ratios in their simplest form
- Divide quantities into a given ratio and understand how ratios relate to proportions
- Convert between different values to solve practical problems
In this section you will learn how to calculate the answers to this type of question. You will be shown you how to identify the information you need to calculate probabilities and use a numerical scale from 0 to 1 to express and compare probabilities.
This section will take you through different aspects of working with time, such as adding times together and planning schedules.
This section will guide you through problem solving involving scale, area, perimeter and volume. On completion of this interactive tutorial you will be able to:
- Work out the perimeter of shapes in practical contexts
- Find the area of regular and compound shapes
- Understand 2D representations of 3D objects
- Calculate volume in everyday scenarios
In this section we will learn how to work out each of these averages for different data sets and understand the situations in which each can be useful. We will also move on to look at how to work out the range and how to compare different sets of data.
In this section you will:
- Find fractions and percentages of quantities in practical problems
- Add, subtract, multiple or divide with decimals in practical problems
- Increase or decrease quantities using percentages in practical problems
- Use decimal, fraction and percentage equivalences to find solutions to practical problems
Topics Covered in the Level 2 Foundation in Science for Pharmacy Technicians Course
This module explores the structure of the atom and introduces the chemistry of elements, isotopes and compounds.
This module shows how the elements are arranged in the periodic table and looks at the properties of group 1, group 7 and group 8 elements.
This module covers the basics of chemical bonding and explains the ratio of elements in compounds.
This module will introduce the mole. You'll learn how to balance equations and calculate masses and concentrations.
This module looks at the variety of acid base reactions that produce salts and other products.
This module gives a brief overview of the chemistry of acids and bases and looks at their position on the pH scale.
This module explores the chemical structures of biological polymers including DNA, protein, carbohydrates and lipids.
This module outlines the structure and function of the main organelles of cells and compares a variety of specialised cells.
This module looks at the three processes by which a substance can enter and leave a cell; diffusion, osmosis and active transport.
This module explores the stages in meiosis and mitosis and describes the situations where each type of cell division occurs.
This module covers sexual and asexual reproduction, inheritance and variation, and gives an opportunity to practice the use of Punnett squares.
This module outlines the organisation of biological organisms and explores some organ systems.
This module covers pathogens and some of the diseases they cause. It also covers how we, both naturally and artificially, defend against infection and disease.
Topics Covered in the Level 2 Foundation in English for Pharmacy Technicians Course
This tutorial will guide you through the key reading topics. You will read a range of texts and will need to interpret the information quickly and accurately. You will learn about scanning, skimming and active reading, which will help you to find information and understand texts.
This tutorial provides some handy hints and tips for preparing for the final test, where you take part in a discussion and give a presentation.
This tutorial will help make sure your written work is accurate. It focuses solely on spelling, punctuation and grammar because this accounts for 40% of the marks awarded for the writing test. Therefore, it is vital that your grammar is appropriate and helps support your overall meaning.
This tutorial will help you to develop and refresh your writing skills covering a range of texts. It will strengthen your ability to communicate information, opinions and ideas clearly, using the correct format. You will be able to think about audience, purpose and style, as well as putting across your points clearly and effectively.