Aimhigher South West Somerset College of Arts and Technology March 15th 2005

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Aimhigher South WestSomerset College of Arts
and Technology March 15th 2005

• VOCATIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND
  ENTRY ROUTES
• Pip Gilroy
• Liaison and Development Officer

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GNVQ WITHDRAWAL

• Foundation and Intermediate GNVQs being withdrawn
  in stages from 2005-7
• Alternative qualifications include
• Edexcel Introductory and First Certificates and
  Diplomas
• OCR Level 1 and Level 2 Awards and Certificates
• GCSEs in vocational subjects

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GCSE IN VOCATIONAL SUBJECTS (1)

• New Double Award GCSEs
• Equivalent to 2 GCSEs
• Paired grades - AA - EE
• Provide vocational progression eg to VCE/A level
  in applied subjects, BTEC/OCR Nationals, Advanced
  Apprenticeships
• Also hybrid GCSEs with general/vocational tracks

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GCSE IN VOCATIONAL SUBJECTS (2)

• Subject availability
• Applied Art and Design
• Applied Business
• Applied ICT
• Applied Science
• Engineering
• Health and Social Care
• Leisure and Tourism
• Manufacturing

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REFORM OF AVCE (1)

• AVCE re-worked along lines of GCE AS/A2 from 2005
• Will first impact progression to HE in 2007 in
  most cases
• Re-named GCE A levels and AS in applied subjects
• 3-unit AS leading to 6-unit A level
• 6-unit double award AS leading to 12-unit double
  award (implications of a 6-unit AS in terms of
  entry requirements and Tariff points)

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REFORM OF AVCE (2)

• Subject availability for GCE in applied subjects
• Applied Art and Design
• Applied Business
• Applied ICT
• Applied Science
• Construction the Built Environment
• Engineering (no double award)
• Health and Social Care
• Leisure and Recreation
• Manufacturing
• Mediacommunication and production
• Performing Arts
• Travel and Tourism

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AVCE Skills and knowledge developed

• Up-to-date knowledge understanding of
  underpinning principles processes of the
  sectors they represent
• Learning to be active student-led (directed by
  teachers supported by professional employer
  input)
• Preparation for the world of work
• Preparation for progression into HE
• Included in the UCAS Tariff

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NEW BTEC NATIONALS (1)

• First teaching - September 2002
• New structure/grading
• BTEC National Award - 6-unit - D/M/P
• BTEC National Certificate - 12-unit -
  DD/DM/MM/MP/PP
• BTEC National Diploma - 18-unit all at Level 3 -
  DDD/DDM/DMM/MMM/MMP/MPP/PPP
• Offers currently based on overall grades not
  unit achievement
• Smaller size awards may be offered as part of
  mixed programme
• Included in UCAS Tariff for 2005 entry

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BTEC National Award

• Extend study provide vocational emphasis for
  learners following AVCE or GCE route or
  combination.
• Shorter focused qualification (particular mature
  learners)
• Preparation for employment
• Career development opportunities
• Progression continuation of study in vocational
  area
• Provides progression to L3 or L4
  vocationally-related qualification including
  degrees or NVQs

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BTEC National Certificate

• Covers key knowledge practical skills required
• Broadly equivalent to two GCEs or 12-unit AVCE
• For those students who are clear about area of
  employment they wish to enter
• Can extend to related GCE or other qualification
• May allow learners to achieve NVQ qualification
  or individual NVQ units in vocational sector
• Suitable qualification for those wishing to
  change career
• Progression continuation of study in vocational
  area
• Provides progression to L3 or L4
  vocationally-related qualification including
  degrees or NVQs

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BTEC National Diploma

• Extends deepens specialist focus
• For those students who are clear about area of
  employment they wish to enter
• Some learners follow this extending specialism
  from BTEC National Certificate
• Learners may progress to professional body exams
• Learners may progress to degree or other HE
  studies in vocational sector
• Provides progression to L3 or L4
  vocationally-related qualification including
  degrees or NVQs

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(No Transcript)
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NEW BTEC NATIONALS (2)

• Available in
• Art and Design
• Business
• Construction
• E-Business
• Engineering
• Hairdressing
• Health and Care
• Hospitality and Catering
• IT and Computing
• Land-based
• Leisure
• Sport
• Travel
• Media
• Music and Performance
• Public Services
• Retail
• Science

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NEW OCR NATIONALS (1)

• Structure
• Level 2 Certificate - 6-unit
• Level 3 Certificate - 6-unit
• Level 3 Diploma - 12-unit
• Level 3 Extended Diploma - 18-units
• Grading system
• Distinction/Merit/Pass (D/M/P) single overall
  grade
• To be included in UCAS Tariff shortly

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NEW OCR NATIONALS (2)

• First teaching
• September 2003 - Business, Health Social Care
  and Early Years, Sport
• September 2004 - Design, Media, Public Services,
  Travel and Tourism

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CACHE LEVEL 3 DIPLOMA IN CHILDCARE AND EDUCATION

• Awarded by the Council for Awards in Childrens
  Care and Education (CACHE)
• Replaces Diploma in Nursery Nursing (NNEB)
• Equivalent of 3 A levels
• Graded on a points system leading to overall
  award of A-E
• In UCAS Tariff
• Theoretical - A240, B200, C160, D120, E80
• Professional Practice Placement - A120, B100,
  C80, D60, E40

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ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS (1)

• Work-based learning for young people to achieve
  qualifications at level 2 3 (Advanced)
• Key rung on vocational ladder to enable
  progression from GCSE towards chosen profession
  (e.g FD)
• Advanced Apprenticeships include
• NVQ Level 3 in the relevant sector
• a technical certificate normally at level 3
• key skills

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ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS (2)

• Government encouraging expansion
• May provide increasing number of applicants to
  relevant areas of HE
• Development of progression routes to Foundation
  Degrees
• Not currently included in UCAS Tariff

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ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS (3)

• Example Land Rover Advanced Apprenticeships
• 4 year programme leading to NVQ Level 3
• Minimum of 4 GCSEs Grade C or above (inc. Maths,
  Eng Sci)
• Successful students progress onto Higher National
  Certificate in Engineering (2 years to complete)
• May be opportunities to progress onto a degree
  course

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NATIONAL VOCATIONALQUALIFICATIONS (1)

• National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs)
• work-based qualifications
• available for most occupational groups
• based on national occupational standards
• assessed on occupational competence
• unit-based
• ungraded
• Not currently included in UCAS Tariff

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NATIONAL VOCATIONALQUALIFICATIONS (2)

• Available at 5 levels
• Level 1 - basic activities
• Level 2 - some complex activities - broadly
  equates to GCSE A-C
• Level 3 - variety of complex activities - broadly
  equates to 2 A levels
• Levels 4/5 - higher professional activities -
  broadly equates to undergraduate and postgraduate
  achievement
• Candidates either can or cannot perform at
  prescribed level

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NATIONAL VOCATIONALQUALIFICATIONS (3)

• Applicants to HE with Level 3 NVQs likely to
  offer
• High level of technical competence
• Practical experience at work/ maturity
• High skills levels
• Portfolios of evidence
• Ability to assimilate and apply knowledge
• High level of self-reliance

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NATIONAL VOCATIONALQUALIFICATIONS (4)

• The DfES website says
• The system is right for workers who already
  have skills and want to increase them, but also
  for those who are starting from the beginning. As
  the system is so flexible, new ways of learning
  can be used immediately, without the lengthy
  process of taking courses.

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Foundation Degrees

• Intermediate, work-related HE qualification
• Designed in conjunction with employers to meet
  skills shortages _at_ higher technician
  professional levels
• Offered by HE in partnership with HECs FECs
• Flexible study methods
• Suited to those in work, unemployed, those
  wanting a career change
• May progress to an honours degree
• There are no set entry requirements

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Access to HE Programmes

• Target audience Mature students (over 19 years
  of age)
• Level/equivalence Comparable in standard to
  level 2 and level 3 qualifications such as GCSE
  and A levels (or vocational equivalents)
• Duration One year full-time or two years
  part-time

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Access to HE Programmes

• Prepare mature students for HE entry in lieu of A
  levels/ VCEs etc
• Delivered primarily in FE colleges and adult
  education centres some in HEIs
• Recognition Scheme operated by QAA nationally
  since 1997
• All approved Access to HE programmes are listed
  on the UCAS Access Courses database
  www.ucas.com/access/index.html

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Access to HE Programmes

• Some provide progression to specific HE course
• Access to Healthcare
• Access to Nursing
• Access to Art and Design
• Access to Applied Human Psychology
• Access to Law
• Others provide more general preparation for HE
  study
• Access to Higher Education
• Access to Humanities and Social Sciences

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ART FOUNDATION (1)

• Level 3 Diploma in Foundation studies (Art and
  Design)
• Designed to identify specialist area of art and
  design for HE application purposes
• Awarding Bodies - ABC, Edexcel and WJEC
• Approximately 250 courses in FECs and HEIs
• One year full-time, two years part-time

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ART FOUNDATION (2)

• Grading - Pass, Merit, Distinction
• Included in UCAS tariff from 2006 entry
• Points Pass 165
• Merit 225
• Distinction 285
• Issues of HEIs making unconditional offers to
  students taking Art Foundation

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The HE Perspective
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Traditional pathways

• A levels and Advanced Subsidiary
• A level AS A2
• 90 of HE courses will accept A levels
• lt 5 accept AS alone
• 60 of acceptances have A levels

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Issues to consider in choosing a pathway

• Some HEIs and courses gt likely to accept
  vocational qualifications than others
• Vocational qualification good skills
  preparation
• Academic qualification good subject preparation
• Traditional, popular courses lt likely to accept
  vocational
• (e.g. Medicine)
• Professional body requirements (e.g TTA)

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Example
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Example
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Teaching Routes
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Statistics

• 93 HEIs accept A-levels on their own
• 81 HEIs accept AVCEs on their own
• gt HEIs offer AVCEs in combination (51) than
  A-levels in combination (26)
• 38 HEIs accept BTEC NC on their own
• 47 HEIs accept BTEC ND on their own

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Support available

• Use UCAS Entry Profiles
• Useful websites
• www.ucas.co.uk
• www.dfes.gov.uk
• www.qca.org.uk
• www.edexcel.org.uk
• University websites

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The Future

• The Framework for Achievement (QCA)
• Tomlinson
• Schwartz recommendations
• Tariff developments

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UCAS

• Working to improve progression to HE
• Using ICT to give a better service
• Responding to curriculum change
• Visit the UCAS website
• www.ucas.com