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Courses and qualifications
From September 2008, there is a new qualification available: the Diploma.
It’s an alternative to the traditional GCSE or A level route, but keeps just as many options open. It’s a qualification that you can start in Years 10 and 12 or above, and could lead to further study or to a job with training.
The Diploma will help you to develop the skills and experience that employers, universities and colleges really value. These skills include teamwork and creating thinking, and will help to prepare you for wherever you want to go in life. You’ll also develop your skills in English, maths and ICT.
Find out more here:
Diploma information at Future4Me.org.uk 
When it comes to choosing what to take at sixth form, college or with a training provider, you are spoilt for choice. So to make things easier we have split the learning opportunities into 3 categories:
General qualifications
General qualifications are related to a specific subject, for example, science, history, music, design and technology.
General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE)
Although many young people have achieved their GCSEs by 16, you may want to study for re-sits or choose some additional subjects as part of your study programme.
GCSEs in vocational subjects
GCSEs in vocational subjects are double award qualifications that relate to work in a particular vocational area, such as art and design or engineering. They are also more hands-on than traditional GCSEs.
Short GCSE
Short GCSEs allow you to obtain a qualification equivalent to half a GCSE. They cover fewer topics than a full GCSE so can be completed in half the time.
Hybrid GCSE
Hybrid GCSEs are like traditional GCSEs but offer the opportunity to study optional specialist units or do more practical work. There are only a few available at the moment, but the list is growing.
GCE Advanced Subsidiary (AS)
These three-unit courses are usually completed during the first year of a sixth form or college programme and there is a wide range available. Most AS courses are actually the first half of a GCE A level, but they are also a qualification in their own right. However, there are five free-standing AS qualifications that do not lead to a full A level.
GCE Advanced (A level)
In the second year after AS level, it is possible to study for a further three units. These are called A2 courses and make up a complete A level. A2 courses look into subjects in much more detail, and like at AS level there is a wide choice of subjects available.
GCE Applied (A level)
Starting from September 2005, GCE Applied (A level) will be the new name for Vocational A levels (also known as VCEs). They will offer you the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills to work in a particular industry like health and social care or travel and tourism.
The structure will be like A levels, with AS and A2 units but you can also study double awards at AS and A level.
- GCE AS: 3 units normally over one year.
- GCE AS double award: 6 units over one or two years - a newqualification.
- GCE A level: 6 units taken over one or two years.
- GCE A level double award: 12 units over two years.
Vocationally related qualifications
Vocationally related qualifications provide a broad introduction to a particular industry like art and design or health and social care.
General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQ)
These qualifications are being phased out, but some are still available. They provide the knowledge and skills for working in a particular industry.
BTEC (Edexcel) qualifications
BTEC Introductory Certificates & Diplomas, First Certificates & Diplomas and BTEC Nationals are usually studied at college but some schools have started to offer them too. There is also a huge range of subjects to choose from. BTECs are more specialised than ‘general’ courses because they are tailored towards particular careers.
City & Guilds
City & Guilds qualifications are for specific trades, crafts or professional occupations and there is a wide range available. Courses are provided by colleges and training providers.
OCR Nationals
These are a range of specialised qualifications that allow you to study particular industries, such as leisure and tourism, business or health. Within this range of qualifications you can choose from Level 1 First Awards, National Awards and Certificates, Level 2 National Certificate and Level 3 National Certificates, Diplomas and Extended Diplomas.
Occupational qualifications
Occupational qualifications are based on the knowledge and skills needed for a specific job like administration, horticulture, food preparation and cooking.
You can also "mix and match" different types and levels of qualification to suit your learning style and career ambitions. Look at the national qualifications framework to see how all the different qualifications relate to each other.
National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ)
NVQs are based on national occupational standards and are awarded to students who can show that they can do a particular job or task in the workplace. All colleges and some schools offer different levels of NVQs, and they are also available from training providers. Many young people will undertake an NVQ level 2 as part of an Apprenticeship.
Other qualifications and courses
Entry Level
If you’re not quite yet ready to take a GCSE course there’s still lots of other choices available which can help you prepare for further study or training. These include ASDAN, CLAIT, Life & Working Skills and Basic Skills courses.
Key Skills qualifications
These are the essential skills that we all need to succeed and progress in life and at work. Many schools and colleges will build Key Skills in communication, application of number, working with others, improving own learning and performance, problem solving and information technology into their existing courses. But you can also take them as separate qualifications from levels 1 - 3.
AEA - Advanced Extension Award
AEAs are for students who want to be ‘stretched’ and study their advanced-level course in more depth. You won’t be studying additional content just covering all the topics available in that particular subject.
CACHE - Council for Awards in Children’s Care and Education
This is a range of specialised courses for those who want to work with young children.
FSMQ - Free Standing Maths Qualifications
This course is for students who don’t want to take an AS/A level course, but still want to develop their mathematical knowledge. It shows that you know how to use maths in real world situations and how to solve problems.
Comparing Qualifications
All this choice can make it difficult to see how all the different qualifications relate to each other. Do you know if a GCSE is the same as an NVQ? Take a look at the table below, which shows all the qualifications compare to each other. It is called the National Qualifications Framework.
Looking to the future
Just because you finish a particular course and qualification you don’t have to stop there because there will always be another qualification level to move onto. The great thing is that you can also move from an academic qualification to something more practical such as a vocational course.
This process of moving upward to the next level qualification is called progression and you can basically ‘progress’ all the way to higher education if you want to. So if you like what you’re doing – don’t stop, Aimhigher! If higher education is something that you’re interested in then take a look at www.aimhigher.ac.uk
