Qualifications

Use the links in the lists below to view details of Further Education and Higher Education level qualifications.

Further Education level qualifications:

 

Higher Education level qualifications:

 

 

Details of Further Education level qualifications:

Access to Higher Education

Access courses are generally aimed at students who may have missed out on traditional academic studies. Access courses provide an opportunity to prepare for study at HE level and are timetabled to fit in with students’ other demanding commitments.

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A Levels

Advanced levels (A levels) are qualifications which demand more individual, in-depth study than GCSEs and place greater emphasis on traditional study skills and presentation. A levels are studied as part of 6F.

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Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships give you the ability to learn while you earn. There are two levels of Apprenticeship; an introduction to a chosen area of work and the opportunity to study for a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) and an Advanced Apprenticeship which is designed for the managers, technical staff and supervisors of the future. These are run by the Croydon Skills and Enterprise College.

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AS Levels

Advanced Subsidiary levels (AS levels) can be taken over one year. They have the same rules about assessment, grading and coursework as A levels and are designed to develop knowledge, skills and understanding through one or more subjects. 6F offers a range of AS and A level subjects ranging from Accounting to Spanish. Successful achievement of an AS level can lead to progression onto the A2 as part of the A level, which will normally involve a further year of study.

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BTEC Introductory/ First and National Award /
Certificate/ Diploma Qualifications

6F offers Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) Introductory, First and National
Award/Certificate/Diploma qualifications. These qualifications are very similar to General National VocationalQualifications (GNVQs) and ASVCEs/AVCEs. They also provide opportunities for students to progress onto Higher Education.

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Entry Level/ Foundation Studies

Qualifications at Entry Level are designed for students who wish to improve their basic skills in Communication, Numeracy and IT or for those who have a learning difficulty and/or disability. Most Entry Level qualifications offer students the opportunity to ‘taste’ a variety of vocational subjects, enabling students to progress onto qualifications at the next level.

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Foundation Diplomas

Like Access courses, Foundation Diplomas aid entry onto HE qualifications, for example, the BTEC Diploma Foundation Studies Art and Design course will equip you with a relevant portfolio of artwork and the knowledge and experience required for application to arts based HNCs/HNDs, Foundation Degree or Degree qualifications at Croydon Higher Education College or other institutions.

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Foundation/ Intermediate Certificates

Foundation/Intermediate Certificate qualifications are made up of units and assessment is usually through the building of a portfolio of evidence which is internally and externally assessed.

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GCSEs

General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSEs) are run by 6F. Those students who have achieved D grades in their GCSEs are often presented with opportunities to resit subjects. There are also opportunities for students to take some GCSE subjects for the first time.

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Key Skills

Key Skills qualifications are mostly either wholly or partially incorporated into students’ main courses of study, but are occasionally delivered as stand-alone qualifications. They are a range of essential skills that underpin future success in education, employment, lifelong learning and personal development and can be applied in different contexts.

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NVQs

National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) relate to specific jobs like Accounting, Electrical Installation or Painting and Decorating. There is a strong emphasis on practical work and generally students are assessed when undertaking activities and like the other qualifications, NVQs are made up of a series of units.

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Pre-entry Qualifications

The main aim of Pre-entry courses is to help students overcome any difficulties they may have in expressing themselves in speech or writing and with understanding what they hear and read in daily life and at work. Courses at this level aim to improve skills and confidence in using the English Language. They may include some numeracy as well as literacy and language.

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Details of Higher Education level qualifications:

Foundation Degrees

Foundation Degrees are a recent initiative, equivalent to the first two years of a full-time Honours Degree and are designed to promote workbased learning and skills. These vocationally focused courses will also prepare students for progression onto an Honours Degree course.

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HNCs/HNDs

Higher National Certificates/Diplomas (HNCs/HNDs) are vocationally focused HE qualifications and are designed specifically to provide a skills/career based qualification. They can also provide a route onto Honours Degree courses.

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Honours Degrees

These qualifications are designed to provide in-depth knowledge and understanding, developing abilities and problem solving skills as well as ‘applied/practical’ learning. Honours graduates will have the qualities needed for employment including the ability to take personal responsibility for decision-making in complex contexts.

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Key Skills

Key Skills qualifications are mostly either wholly or partially incorporated into students’ main courses of study, but are occasionally delivered as stand-alone qualifications. They are a range of essential skills that underpin future success in education, employment, lifelong learning and personal development and can be applied in different contexts.

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Postgraduate Qualifications

Postgraduate qualifications provide progression opportunities for students with Degree or other equivalent qualifications. These qualifications will include knowledge at the forefront of an academic or professional discipline.

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Professional Qualifications

There is a range of higher level professional qualifications in areas such as Finance, Human Resource Management, Marketing and Purchasing. Students normally undertake this type of study to help them progress in their present career or to gain entry into a job that they are particularly interested in.

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‘Top-Up’ Degrees

These courses enable students who have studied HNC/HND courses or Foundation Degrees to extend their qualification to Honours Degree level with the equivalent of approximately one year full-time or two years part-time study.

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