It can be very easy to get confused by the names of all the different qualifications especially as you probably won't have even heard of them before. This table should hopefully make your life easier when it comes to making your post 16 decisions. It is not a complete list of all the qualifications that are on offer but it should be able to help you understand how and where they all fit in to the bigger picture. If you have any queries it is always a good idea to ask your teachers of lecturers for their advice.
| Current levels | Description of Skills | Academic | Vocational | Occupational |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current levels | Description of Skills | Academic | Vocational | Occupational |
| 8 | Specialist learning involving high level of knowledge in a specific occupational role or study. | Doctorate / Phd | ||
| 7 | Specialist learning involving high level of knowledge in a specific occupational role or study. | Masters | NVQ 5 City & Guilds Level 6 |
|
| 6 | Specialist learning involving high level of knowledge in a specific occupational role or study. | Degree | NVQ 4 City & Guilds Level 5 |
|
| 5 | Specialist learning involving high level of knowledge in a specific occupational role or study. | Diploma of HE | BTEC Higher National Foundation Degree |
City & Guilds Level 4 |
| 4 | Specialist learning involving high level of knowledge in a specific occupational role or study. | Certificate of HE | ||
| 3 | Learning at this level involves obtaining in-depth knowledge, understanding and skills, and a higher level of application. | A-levels ACCESS to HE |
BTEC National Vocational A-level CACHE Diploma OCR National Level 3 |
NVQ 3 City & Guilds Level 3 |
| 2 | Building knowledge and/or skills in relation to subject or sector areas; gaining ability to apply learning to a varied range of tasks. | GCSEs A*-C | BTEC First GNVQ OCR National Level 2 |
NVQ 2 City & Guilds Level 2 |
| 1 | Basic Knowledge, understanding and skills and the ability to apply learning to everyday situations. | GCSEs D-G | BTEC Introductory OCR National Level 1 |
NVQ 1 City & Guilds Level 1 |