Painting & Decorating Course (16-18)

Course overview

This painting & decorating course is ideal for those who want to pursue a career in painting & decorating.

Painters and decorators use a range of materials including paint and wallpaper to enhance and protect surfaces. These surfaces could include plaster, metal and wood. They work on a variety of domestic and industrial projects ranging from re-decorating homes to applying heavy-duty finishes to large structures like bridges.

Our study programmes include a vocational qualification, English and maths, work experience and employability skills.

Students also have the opportunity to take part in sport and enrichment activities alongside their course.

You can easily transfer from a study programme onto a painting & decorating apprenticeship course if you secure employment in the painting & decorating industry.

Course content

On this painting & decorating course you will study:

• How to use painting and decorating tools and equipment
• How to apply various oil/water based paints to different surfaces including windows, doors, ceilings and walls
• How to use different types of access equipment safely e.g. ladders and towers
• How to prepare different backgrounds ready to apply decorative finishing including wallpaper, paint and decorative effects
• How to apply various types of wall coverings including free match, patterned papers and embossed
• How to correctly apply decorative finishes such as marbling and graining, sponge stippling, stencilling and broken colour.

No matter what level you are currently working at, you will continue learning English and maths throughout your course. 

Entry requirements

Before enrolment, all students must attend a minimum of one welcome day where they will be assessed by a tutor.

The Level 1 qualification ideally requires a minimum of 4 GCSEs, including English and maths, at grade 2 or above. Any students who do not have, or are not predicted, the required 4 GCSEs will be interviewed by both curriculum staff and Student Services.

All L1 students who do not have 4 GCSEs at grade 2 or above, including maths and English, will automatically be placed on a L1 Extended Certificate.

Students will be assessed in the first 6 weeks of the course and their programme could change depending on their ability.

All late starters who cannot attend a welcome day will be interviewed, regardless of their GCSE predicted grades or results, by both vocational and Student Services staff.

To speak with an adviser, please call 0113 222 6002.

What can I do after this course?

After completing this course there are a number of options available; depending on your final grade you could move onto a painting & decorating apprenticeship, a level 2 or level 3 certificate/diploma or seek employment in the painting & decorating industry.