Level 2 Diploma in Women's Hairdressing 2025-26

Interested in becoming a professional hairdresser when you leave college? Well this is the course for you!

If you're serious about a career in hair, there's no better place to study than right here at East Durham College! We have the only Lee Stafford Hairdressing Academy in the area, and we work closely with the celebrity hairstylist and his team to ensure that the skills you learn are bang on trend.

All of our hairdressing team are highly experienced hair professionals with years of experience in the industry. Many of them are also award-winning too, and they've all been trained and certified by Lee Stafford as Master Trainers.

You won't just be practising on mannequins either! Our hair salon at our Peterlee campus is open to the public too, so once you've sharpened your skills, you'll get to try them out on real clients too.

Sound good? Get your application in now, or keep reading for a bit more info about the course!

You'll cover a wide variety of topics during this course, all designed to get you the skills and knowledge you'll need to start your road towards becoming a hair professional.

Some of the topics you'll be learning include:
• An Introduction to the Hair & Beauty Sector
• Health and Safety
• Client Consultations
• Cutting
• Perming
• Colouring
• Promoting Products & Services
• Shampooing & Conditioning
• Salon Reception Duties
• The Art of Dressing Hair

As we're the region's only Lee Stafford Hairdressing Academy (did we mention that?), you'll also be learning amazing Lee Stafford 'recipes' - his own unique hairdressing techniques which will make you at the absolutely forefront of the industry when you leave us.

Some of these techniques include:
• Pony-Up
• Twisted Tong
• Spiral Rose
• Big n Bouncy Blow-Dry
• Vintage Tong
• Heated Rollers

A wide variety of specialist cutting techniques will also be taught, including:
• Uniform Layers
• Long Graduations
• Graduated Bobs
• Short Graduations
• Short Back & Sides
• One Length Above
• Below Shoulders

As colouring hair is also a huge part of being a hairdresser, you'll also learn a wide variety of colouring techniques such as Roots, Full Head Colours, Ombre and Highlights.

• Barbershop Receptionist / Assistant
• Barbershop Stylist / Junior Stylist
• Colouring Specialist
• Cruise Liner Stylist
• Hair Salon Receptionist / Assistant
• Hair Salon Stylist / Junior Stylist
• Salon Manager / Owner
• TV / Film Hair Stylist
• Wedding Hair Stylist

... and so much more!

After completing this course, we'd highly recommend you consider either progressing directly onto Level 3 Hairdressing or alternatively Level 2 Barbering.

Progression is usually determined by your work ethic, grades and overall skills after the course, which will be assessed by our lecturers who'll determine the right progression route for you!

You will need 3 GCSEs at grade 4 or above to be eligible for this course.

Our entry requirements are in place to support our students in achieving the qualifications they have chosen to study. In addition to the entry requirements, all students will be regularly assessed by East Durham College at an early stage in their study programme. This is to ensure that students are enrolled onto courses which suit their abilities – following assessment, there may be occasions when students are transferred to a relevant course at a higher or lower level in order to ensure they are enrolled on to the right course for them to achieve and progress.

Entry onto any course at EDC may have entry requirements in addition to exam results; this includes but is not limited to DBS checks, references, fitness to practice and at times physical requirements to be capable of achieving the practical elements of the course without assistance. Entry onto any course at East Durham College is subject to final approval from the Assistant Principal.

During the course, you'll be expected to complete practical assessments which are graded at pass, merit or distinction.

You'll work regularly on mannequin heads, as well as clients in the salon, fellow students and more to ensure your skills are progressing and in-line with the course's assessment criteria.

The theory behind hairdressing will also be assessed by online examinations after you complete each unit of the course.

September 2025

This is a one year course programme, taught at East Durham College's Peterlee campus.

You'll be assessed throughout the course via practical observations and online exams.

As well as the above, you'll also be expected to complete at least 36 hours of a work experience placement in an actual hair salon, ensuring you get real experience of working in the industry. All of the evidence for this will be generated and presented in a portfolio as part of the course.