PG Dip Specialist Community Public Health Nurse: School Nursing Degree Apprenticeship
- Entry year:
- 2026/27
- Start date:
- September
- Study mode:
- Full-time
- Course duration:
- 54 weeks
- Campus:
- City
About this course
Study at LJMU to complete a Specialist Community Public Health Nurse Qualification in School Nursing
The course will develop autonomous specialist community public health practitioners who will be prepared to address the unique challenges of practice (beyond those of professional registration).
- Study for a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registerable qualification in School Nursing
- Learn from expert nurses and specialists on this contemporary course
- Benefit from a curriculum praised by the NMC for its enhanced practice perspective and outstanding fitness for practice
- Have your professional competencies (NMC, 2022) assessed in theory and practice
- Experience practice placement
- Foster critical thinking, analytical skills and reflective practice to acquire lifelong learning skills.
- Develop the skills, expertise, and attributes to become inspirational role models and mentor for other practitioners seeking to achieve higher levels of competency in specialist community public health practice
- SCPHN Apprenticeship Standards related to your programme: IfATE (2023) Apprenticeship Standards for Specialist Community Public Health Nurse, School Nursing (NMC 2022)
This degree apprenticeship programme will support learners within their chosen field of practice (School Nursing) to focus on and support the holistic needs of school-aged children and young people. Learners will understand the wider determinants of health and are committed to addressing health inequalities across the life course, through health education, health promotion and evidence-based age and maturity appropriate interventions. School Nurses collaborate and work effectively with teams and other professionals across a range of sectors and agencies.
SCPHN professionals are in the forefront of public health. SCPHNs are committed to deliver individualised care which promotes respect and autonomy of individuals and communities. Collectively they highlight the core values of SCPHN practice (NMC 2022) emphasising the importance of person-centred care, leadership, innovation, equity and continuous learning.
This is in accordance with:
- Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education Specialist Community Public Health Nurse Standards (2022)
- Standards of Proficiency for Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (2022)
- Standards framework for Nursing and Midwifery Education (2023)
- Standards for student, supervision and assessment (2023)
- Standards for post registration nursing programmes (2023)
Course modules
Discover the building blocks of your programme
You will study core modules on your programme to a total of 120 credits.
Further guidance on modules
Modules are designated core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements, as applicable, and LJMU’s Academic Framework Regulations. Whilst you are required to study core modules, optional modules provide you with an element of choice. Their availability may vary and will be subject to meeting minimum student numbers.
Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated as appropriate.
Core modules
Advancing Public Health, Evidenced-based Practice and Application
20 credits
20 credits
This module aims to provide you with the knowledge and skills to work as a public health practitioner in the community setting within your field of practice.
It introduces the discipline of public health and the use of evidence to improve services. You will also learn how public policy can influence health needs and service development. The wider determinants of health and health inequalities will be examined in detail. Principles and concepts of health promotion will also be covered.
Advancing Leadership and Management
20 credits
20 credits
This module aims to enhance your skills and knowledge, enabling you to take a central role in the development of practice within your working environment.
It will also provide an opportunity for you to engage in debate and discussion, so you can identify your strengths and weaknesses as a leader within your organisation.
You will further consider how you can influence and inspire others at both a local, regional, national and international level.
Advancing Specialist Community Public Health Nursing - School Nurse and Health Visitor Practice
40 credits
40 credits
To help the learner to maximise learning opportunities and experiences within their practice field. There is a necessity for the learner to be exposed to wider, complex issues within the community and how to strategically plan for care delivery.
Safeguarding and Advocacy
20 credits
20 credits
This module is to equip the SCPHN students to promote and protect children, young people and families in the safeguarding arena. It will enhance skills and knowledge in identifying risks and intervening to safeguard individuals and families.
Promoting Mental Health and Well-being
20 credits
20 credits
In this module, SCPHN students will be equipped to systematically evaluate the integration of professional, decision-making, and intervention strategies within the framework of their specialised roles. The module aims to augment students' understanding of mental health issues, cultivating an empathetic, inclusive approach. The utilization of simulation films will provide opportunities to engage in authentic, challenging conversations, thereby broadening both knowledge and proficiency in this intricate area of professional practice.
Professional body recognition
The programme is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). www.nmc.org.uk/Approved-Programmes
Your Learning Experience
An insight into teaching on your course
The timetable comprises 40% theory and 60% practice.
Module teaching is on two, and, very occasionally, three specified days of the week. The university day usually runs from 9.30am to 4pm and some sessions may be accessed via Microsoft Teams. Practice days are planned for most weeks throughout the course timetable.
This approach has been developed in partnership with students, practice assessors, NHS mangers and service users. It aims to support students to balance their practice and academic work. Practice day shift patterns vary by placement area, but generally attendance is required 9am-5pm.
Teaching methods
An important element of the programme is to recognise and utilise the current skills of the students and to build on these competencies. Students are encouraged to share their knowledge and experiences and to network both within their peer group and externally. The teaching and learning activities will build on student experiences and will facilitate and encourage further development of existing theoretical and professional knowledge.
The use of interactive lectures and seminars, group work and problem based learning techniques help identify existing skills and, at the same time, encourage students to develop and tailor their portfolio of competencies to meet present and future challenges.
Many of the sessions are shared between the different routes of the community programmes and with other disciplines. Group discussions and workshops provide an ideal opportunity for students to gain knowledge about other specialist roles.
Applied learning
Students are encouraged to spend time working in other alternative practice areas when they are on placement. This will support students to develop key knowledge and skills that will support their future practice as a school nurse. These may include, but are not limited to, a hospice, A&E, or specialist clinic to support school age children. Tailoring your practice learning when on placement will enable you to build up a network of contacts and a greater appreciation of your role a specialist community public health nurse, School Nurse and how this integrates into the complex, wider provision of health and social care.
How learning is monitored on your programme
To cater for the wide-ranging content of our courses and the varied learning preferences of our students, we offer a range of assessment methods on each programme.
To gain the credits required for each module you must be able to demonstrate that you have successfully achieved all learning outcomes.
Assessments on the specialist community public health nurse school nursing programme include essays, presentations, posters, professional discussions and a practice assessment document.
You will receive regular feedback on your academic progress at key points throughout the programme.
Theory assessments are awarded pass, refer or fail and practice assessments are classed as competent or not competent in each specific area.
Where you will study
Situated in the City Campus, the Schools of Public and Allied Health and Nursing and Advanced Practice work with a wide range of health and social care organisations to design, deliver and evaluate a dynamic suite of postgraduate courses. In addition to specialist facilities, you will find high quality meeting and seminar rooms and lecture theatres, the City Campus Library, plus a large café, IT facilities and social spaces.
LJMU's excellent educational and professional training facilities include professional-standard clinical practice simulation suites, enriched with technology-enhanced learning equipment. We use the latest clinical technology for simulations and developing clinical skills in child, adult and mental health nursing, paramedic practice, social work and midwifery.
Course tutors
Sarah Logan is the Programme Leader for the Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) School Nursing programme. Sarah joined the Community team in September 2020, having come from practice in school nursing. Sarah is a keen advocate for the SCPHN role and has worked as both a practitioner and a strategic leader within the 0-19 model. Sarah has worked closely with commissioners in all of her roles to be an advocate for Children, Young People, and their families in shaping services within the Community.
Sarah was instrumental in supporting Young Carers within one of her roles as a practitioner and this led to Sarah receiving a Queens Nurse Award in 2013 in which Sarah remains an alumni and participates in National and Local forums with regards to SCPHN.
Sarah has a keen interest in leadership and was awarded the Cavell Nurse Leadership for School Nursing Award in 2016. This led to further work within her role as School Nurse Manager and Sarah went on to recently complete her Florence Nightingale Foundation Scholarship for Emerging Leadership funded by Public Health England in 2021.
Sarah is passionate about bringing current practice into the classroom and for students to share ideas and innovation. Sarah is also enthusiastic about the power of storytelling and the impact of this regarding patient stories as a vehicle for learning.
In partnership with her team, Sarah has co-presented a poster about video storytelling and reflective practice at the International Nursing Conference in November 2021 to highlight its benefit in enhancing students’ educational development. In collaboration with Joanna Lavery and Caroline Boyle, Sarah had a recent publication ‘Evaluating ‘reflective café’ as a method of teaching reflective practice on Specialist Community Practitioner (SCP) and Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN) programmes’, in the British Journal of Community Nursing and presented their poster ‘Reflective Café; the evaluation of a supportive educational well-being strategy’ at the RCN conference in April 2023
Sarah has recently produced a workshop for ‘Strategic Commissioning for Adult and Child Services’. This was delivered to Local Authority Members and looked at the intricacy of commissioning and interprofessional learning to work in collaboration to support local communities.
Sarah is also working collaboratively with her team to deliver the ‘reflective café’ within the specialist community practitioner and specialist community public health programmes which aims to support students’ to develop and enhance their reflective practice. Further adaptations are under development and future evaluative research and collaborations are planned. Most recently, Sarah has completed the post grad certificate in education at LJMU
Meeting people with lived experiences was a fabulous learning experience, particularly around sexual exploitation and life in the care system.
Postgraduate research opportunities
At LJMU, you can take the next step in your academic journey with a PhD or MPhil, available on a full-time or part-time basis. International students also have the option to study remotely.
- PhD duration: Up to 4 years full-time, or up to 7 years part-time
- Funding options: Choose between funded projects (with supervisors already in place) or self-funded study
Our Doctoral Academy is here to support you every step of the way—from your first enquiry through to successful completion—working closely with Schools, Faculties, and Professional Services.
For more details on postgraduate research and full details on how to apply, visit the Doctoral Academy website.
Career paths
Further your career prospects
LJMU has an excellent employability record with 97% of our postgraduates in work or further study fifteen months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2025). Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.
The School of Public and Allied Health work with a wide range of health and social care organisations to design, deliver and evaluate a dynamic suite of postgraduate programmes.
The School's wide-ranging portfolio of cutting-edge postgraduate courses enables you to enhance your existing skills in the field of health and social care, develop specialised knowledge and expertise and improve your long-term job prospects.
All courses meet the needs of the current healthcare agenda and the growing demand from this ever-evolving sector for increasingly skilled healthcare professionals.
Each programme is informed by cutting edge research, ensuring you have the opportunity to study the latest developments alongside world class experts.
Tuition fees and funding
Apprenticeship (funding through the Government Apprenticeship Levy on successful appointment in a SPQ DN apprentice post through an NHS or other healthcare organisation)
Fees
The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as library membership and student IT support with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources including programme-appropriate software and on campus wifi.
Financial Support
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you’ll find all of the information you need on our specialist postgraduate funding pages. The University offers a range of financial support for students. You'll find all the information you need on our specialist financial support pages including details of the Student Support Fund and other activities to support with the cost of living.
Additional Costs
In addition to fees, students should also keep in mind the cost of:
- Accommodation
- Travel costs and field trips unless paid for by LJMU
- Stationery, IT equipment, professional body membership and graduation gown hire
Entry requirements
You will need:
Qualification requirements
Undergraduate degree
In a relevant nursing subject..
Alternatively, consideration will be given to applicants who have evidenced of successful level6 or level 7 study (within last 5 years).
GCSEs and equivalents
A minimum of two GCSE's which must include Maths and English at grade C (level 4-9) or above OR level 2 Equivalency in Numeracy and Literacy.
Additional requirements
-
Interview required
An interview will be conducted involving the prospective learner and the employer prior to offering a place on the programme
Further information
-
DBS Requirements
An Enhanced DBS clearance is required to be evidenced as part of the admission process
-
Extra Requirements
NMC registered nurse (level 1) or NMC registered midwife, capable of safe and effective practice at the level of proficiency appropriate to the NMC-approved Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN) programme
Please Note: All international qualifications are subject to a qualification equivalency check.
How to apply
Securing your place at LJMU
You will apply for the course directly with your NHS Trust.
For more information, contact the programme lead via email at - S.L.Logan@ljmu.ac.uk
Additional interview requirements
Applicants will be invited to interview for a place on the programme. You will asked to deliver a 10 minute presentation; the title will be given to you prior to your interview date.
You will also need to provide an up-to-date professional portfolio demonstrating progression towards a career in Specialist Community Public Health Practice and an understanding of the school nursing role.
The portfolio should include relevant, practice reflections (NMC revalidation documents are accepted). You must also demonstrate that you will be able to adapt to student status.
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The University reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to a course and facilities if necessary; this may be because such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the University. Where this does happen, the University operates a policy of consultation, advice and support to all enrolled students affected by the proposed change to their course or module.