Foundation Ladies Cutting & Styling
Your First Step into Professional Hairdressing
This 5-week course gives you a great foundation in ladies’ hairdressing. You’ll learn the 9 Alan d foundation haircuts, covering everything from one-length styles and face-framing layers through to bobs and shorter cuts. The training also includes shampooing techniques, blow-drying (both smooth and curly finishes), and the client consultation skills you’ll need on the salon floor.
Alan d has been training hairdressers and barbers for over 60 years. The academy sits right in the heart of the City, and the training environment mirrors a real working salon. You’ll start on mannequins to build your confidence, then progress to live models once your technique is ready.
This course suits complete beginners. If you’re thinking about a career change, have recently purchased a salon and need foundational skills, or simply want to test whether hairdressing is right for you before committing to a longer qualification, this is the place to start.
Foundation Ladies Cutting & Styling – Key Course Details
Duration
5 weeks full-time (25 days part-time)
Location
London (1 Hayne Street, EC1A 9HG)
Next Start Dates
12th January / 9th February / 9th March /
8th April / 6th May / 1st June
29th June / 27th July / 24th August
21st September / 19th October /16th November
Schedule
Monday-Friday, 10am-3:30pm (part-time by arrangement)
Qualification
Alan d Foundation Ladies Cutting & Styling Hairdressing Certificate
Full Price
£3,000 inc. VAT
Early Payment Price
£2,700 (10% discount – pay in full 1 month before start)
Payment Plan
£600 deposit + 4 weekly instalments of £600
Additional Costs
Optional professional kit (you keep it). No uniform required
Class Size
Maximum 10 new learners per month
What You’ll Learn
Teaching Approach
Training at Alan d is hands-on from day one. After a brief induction, you’ll be working with hair by day two. The programme keeps theory to the essentials and focuses on building practical skill through repetition and real-world application. You’ll train in a salon environment that operates like the real thing, complete with actual time pressures and professional expectations.
Curriculum Highlights
The 9 Alan d Foundation Haircuts Details:
- The 9 Alan d Foundation Haircuts
- Consultation skills: identifying the right shampoo and conditioning products for different hair types
- Shampooing techniques including professional head massage
- Blow-drying techniques for smooth and curly finishes
- Correct tool selection for each styling technique
- Client care and salon protocol
Hands-On Experience
You’ll start by practising on mannequin heads, which lets you repeat techniques until they feel natural. Once your trainers are confident in your ability, you’ll move on to live models from Alan d’s diverse model bank. Working on real clients, with different hair types and textures, is where the learning really clicks.
Assessment
This is a certificate course rather than a formally assessed qualification. There are no exams or portfolio requirements. Your progress is monitored by your trainers throughout, and you’ll receive ongoing feedback as you develop your skills. Upon completion, you’ll receive the Alan d Foundation Ladies Cutting & Styling Hairdressing Certificate.
Is This Course Right for You?
Entry Requirements
None. You don’t need any prior qualifications or hairdressing experience to enrol. Spoken English is essential since you’ll be communicating with clients and following instructions.
This Course is Ideal For
- People considering a career change who want to test whether hairdressing is the right path for them before committing to a longer course
- Anyone who has recently purchased (or is planning to purchase) a salon and needs a basic understanding of cutting and styling
- Complete beginners with no previous hairdressing experience
- Those who want foundational skills before progressing to a full NVQ qualification
What You’ll Achieve
Your Qualification
Upon completion, you’ll receive the Alan d Foundation Ladies Cutting & Styling Hairdressing Certificate. This is an institutional certificate demonstrating your competency in foundation hairdressing techniques. It’s recognised within the industry as proof of practical training, though it’s worth noting this is not a VTCT-regulated qualification.
Skills You’ll Develop
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to perform the 9 foundation haircuts confidently. You’ll understand how to consult with clients, select appropriate products, and deliver a professional finish. The practical experience with live models means you’ll have worked on real clients under supervision before you complete the course.
Where to Go Next
This foundation course is the ideal stepping stone to the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Hairdressing, which gives you a nationally recognised qualification. The NVQ builds on everything you learn here and adds colour work, perming, and advanced styling to make you fully work-ready.
Our Hairdressing Academy
Located in Hayne St, EC1, Barbican, adjacent to Farringdon Elizabeth Line, Barbican exit, our London Hairdressing School is in the heart of the City of London making it easily accessible by public transport. You will learn in a realistic working environment using salon-professional only products.
Course Investment
Tuition Fee
Full Price: £3,000 inc. VAT
Early Payment Price: £2,700 (Save 10% when you pay in full at least one month before your start date)
Payment Plan
You don’t have to pay everything upfront. Secure your place with a £600 deposit, then pay the remaining balance in 4 weekly instalments of £600, starting from your course start date.
- Deposit to secure your place: £600
- Week 1 (start date): £600
- Week 2: £600
- Week 3: £600
- Week 4: £600
When taking out a payment plan with Alan d for your course, there are no interest charges, no credit checks and no third-party finance. Just a straightforward weekly payment plan.
What’s Included
Your course fee covers all tuition, ongoing support throughout your training, and your certificate upon completion. You’ll train on both mannequin heads and live models as part of the programme.
Additional Costs
Professional equipment kits are available as an optional extra (you keep these permanently). Dress code is smart casual, no uniform required.
Learn from Industry Professionals
Academy Expertise
Alan d has over 60 years of combined industry experience training hairdressers and barbers. The academy is a VTCT-approved centre, which means training and assessment meet nationally recognised vocational standards. Class sizes are kept small, typically between 1 and 8 students per instructor, so you’ll get individual attention and personalised feedback throughout your course.
A new intake of up to 10 learners starts each month, and you’ll be training alongside students on various programmes. The trainers rotate depending on the schedule, but all have extensive salon and teaching experience.
FAQs
No, you don’t need any prior qualifications or hairdressing experience. This course is designed for complete beginners. The only requirement is spoken English, as you’ll need to communicate with clients and follow instructions during training.
Yes. The course runs for 5 weeks full-time, but you can also complete it in 25 days part-time. Part-time students typically attend a minimum of 3 consecutive days per week, leaving the rest of the week free for work or other commitments.
The Alan d Foundation Ladies Cutting & Styling Hairdressing Certificate demonstrates that you’ve completed practical training in core hairdressing techniques. It’s an institutional certificate rather than a VTCT-regulated qualification. For employers who require a nationally recognised qualification, the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Hairdressing is the recommended progression route.
This course gives you a solid foundation in cutting and styling, but to become a qualified hairdresser, you’ll need additional training. It’s a great first step to test whether hairdressing is right for you. Most students who want to work professionally go on to complete the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Hairdressing, which includes colour work and makes you fully work-ready with a nationally recognised qualification.
You’ll learn the 9 Alan d foundation haircuts, covering techniques from long hair through to short. This includes one-length cuts, face-framing layers, graduated bobs, and short styles. You’ll also learn blow-drying techniques for both smooth and curly finishes, shampooing with professional head massage, and client consultation skills.
The natural progression is the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Hairdressing, which builds on your foundation skills and adds colour work, perming, and advanced styling. Alternatively, if you want to learn colour without committing to a full NVQ, the 4 Weeks Comprehensive Colouring for Beginners course focuses specifically on colouring techniques.
Alternatively email us on the form below:
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