Glossary. Statistical Publications. November Ofqual

Transcription

1 Statistical Publications November 2010 Ofqual

2 Contents Glossary...2 Awarding organisation...2 Sector subject area...2 Qualification type...4 Level of qualification...7 Ofqual

3 Glossary Awarding organisation There are currently around 145 recognised awarding organisations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that offer regulated vocational qualifications. Sector subject area Qualifications are allocated to one of 15 sector subject areas. Within each area, there is a second tier, providing a further level of breakdown. The classification system currently in use in shown below: Sector Subject Area Classification System 1st Tier 1 Health, Public Services and Care 2nd Tier 1.1 Medicine and Dentistry 1.2 Nursing and Subjects and Vocations Allied to Medicine 1.3 Health and Social Care 1.4 Public Services 1.5 Child Development and Well Being 2 Science and Mathematics 2.1 Science 2.2 Mathematics and Statistics 3 Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care 3.1 Agriculture 3.2 Horticulture and Forestry 3.3 Animal Care and Veterinary Science 3.4 Environmental Conservation 4 Engineering and 4.1 Engineering Ofqual

4 Manufacturing Technologies 4.2 Manufacturing Technologies 4.3 Transportation Operations and Maintenance 5 Construction, Planning and the Built Environment 5.1 Architecture 5.2 Building and Construction 5.3 Urban, Rural and Regional Planning 6 Information and Communication Technology 7 Retail and Commercial Enterprise 6.1 ICT Practitioners 6.2 ICT for Users 7.1 Retailing and Wholesaling 7.2 Warehousing and Distribution 7.3 Service Enterprises 7.4 Hospitality and Catering 8 Leisure, Travel and Tourism 8.1 Sport, Leisure and Recreation 8.2 Travel and Tourism 9 Arts, Media and Publishing 9.1 Performing Arts 9.2 Crafts, Creative Arts, and Design 9.3 Media and Communication 9.4 Publishing and information Services 10 History, Philosophy and Theology 10.1 History 10.2 Archaeology and Archaeological Sciences 10.3 Philosophy 10.4 Theology and Religious Studies 11 Social Sciences 11.1 Geography 11.2 Sociology and Social Policy Ofqual

5 11.3 Politics 11.4 Economics 12 Languages, Literature and Culture 12.1 Languages, Literature and Culture of the British Isles 12.2 Other Languages, Literature and Culture 13 Education and Training 13.1 Teaching and Lecturing 13.2 Direct Learning Support 14 Preparation for Life and Work 14.1 Foundations for Learning and Life 14.2 Preparation for Work 15 Business, Administration, Finance and Law 15.1 Accounting and Finance 15.2 Administration 15.3 Business Management 15.4 Marketing and Sales 15.5 Law and Legal Services Qualification type Qualifications (excluding GCSEs and A levels) are currently allocated to one of 16 qualification types, as follows (further details may be found at Basic Skills (BS): qualifications in literacy and numeracy for adults and other skills for everyday life. Diploma: a new composite qualification for 14- to 19-year-olds, made up of individual free-standing qualifications combined in a specific way. It offers young people flexibility and enables progression into further education, higher education, apprenticeships or skilled employment with training. The Diploma mixes practical and theoretical learning - with an emphasis on 'applied learning' - delivered through a programme of study which combines the development of knowledge, skills and understanding that are specific to the learner's chosen area of study with a core platform of transferable skills. Principal Learning, Ofqual

6 Project and Functional Skills are three of the components of the Diploma, which can also be studied as qualifications in their own right. Entry level (EL): these qualifications are designed for learners not yet ready for GCSE or National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 1. They are available in a wide range of areas of learning and provide progression to qualifications at higher levels as well as being a recognised achievement in their own right. English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL): a qualification in English for speakers of other languages. Almost 10 per cent of pupils in maintained schools are learning English as a second, third or fourth language, in addition to the language spoken in their families. Over 300 languages are spoken by pupils in UK schools. Functional Skills (FS): qualifications in English, mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT) that are available as stand-alone qualifications at Entry Level, Level 1 and Level 2, and may also count towards the Diploma. They develop the practical skills that allow people to use English, maths and ICT in real life contexts, and enable learners to adapt and apply the knowledge gained to suit different situations they may face at home, at work, in education, and in the community. They are available in England to those aged 14 and above. Free-standing mathematics qualification (FSMQ): a suite of mathematical qualifications available at levels 1 to 3, intended to bridge the gap between GCSE and AS-Level mathematics. They are generally taken by students who have taken their GCSE mathematics a year early. Higher level (HL): a collective term for any qualification at levels 4 to 8, excluding NVQs, accredited in the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Key Skills (KS): the skills necessary for learning, working and life in general. There are six key skills: communication, application of number, information and communication technology (ICT), working with others, improving own learning and performance, and problem solving. Qualifications in key skills are available at levels 1 to 4. National Vocational Qualification (NVQ): work-related, competencebased qualifications that cover a broad range of industry sectors and occupations and are delivered in a workplace setting. NVQs are made up of units taken from the National Occupational Standards (NOS), Ofqual

7 which defines the knowledge, understanding and competence required to perform a particular job-related role. They are outcome based, with no prescribed programme of learning. This makes them very flexible as they can be tailored to meet the learner s needs. The standards for NVQs are designed and set by the appropriate Sector Skills Council or sector body. Other General qualification (OG): a qualification that assesses a particular subject area, such as music or art, other than GCSEs, GCEs and GNVQs. These qualifications are not directly work-related but may support career development. They are often structured against graded examinations. Occupational Qualification (OQ): a qualification that introduces the skills and capabilities needed for a particular occupation or job. The skills of an occupational course are developed to an industry standard and to a level of competence needed to use them in a workplace. Occupational Qualifications are directly based on the National Occupational Standards (NOS) and are assessed in a workplace environment, but are not NVQs. Principal Learning (PL): a core component of the Diploma. Principal Learning includes a minimum of 50 per cent of practical (applied) learning and is made up of knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes that support progress through the line of learning into the sector concerned. Project: a component of the Diploma, which can also be taken as a free-standing qualification. It involves a single piece of work that requires a high degree of planning, preparation, research and independent working, allowing learners to explore a topic in depth based on their own interests and ambitions. The outcome may take a variety of forms, such as the report of an investigation or study, a dissertation, an artefact or a performance. A level 1 or 2 project is completed as part of the Foundation or Higher Diploma. An extended project (level 3) is completed as part of the Advanced or Progression Diploma. Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF): a framework that is designed to provide learners, learning providers and employers with an inclusive and flexible regulated qualifications framework containing units and qualifications that recognise the widest possible range of quality-assured learner achievements. The QCF introduces a standard currency for learner achievement across the qualifications system Ofqual

8 through the award of credit. There are three sizes of QCF qualification: award, certificate or diploma. Awards consist of 1-12 credits; certificates: credits and diplomas: 37 or more credits. Vocationally Related Qualification (VRQ): work-related, competencebased qualifications designed to provide learners with the skills and knowledge needed to do a job. They are related to employment but, unlike NVQs, do not necessarily require a work placement and are not purely based on the National Occupational Standards (NOS). Level of qualification Qualifications are assigned a level from Entry then Level 1 through to Level 8. Further details may be found at Entry: this includes entry level certificates and foundation learning tier pathways Level 1: includes GCSEs graded D-G, the Foundation Diploma, and level 1 NVQs, Key Skills, Functional Skills and BTEC awards Level 2: includes GCSEs graded A*-C, the Higher Diploma and level 2 NVQs, Key Skills, Functional Skills and BTEC awards Level 3: includes AS/A levels, the Advanced and Progression Diploma and level 3 NVQs, Key Skills and BTEC awards Level 4: includes Certificates of higher education, level 4 NVQs and Key Skills and the BTEC Professional Awards Level 5: includes Diplomas of higher education, Foundation degrees, Higher National Diplomas and BTEC Professional Awards Level 6: includes Bachelor degrees, graduate certificates, the National Diploma in Professional Production Skills and BTEC Advanced Professional Awards Level 7: includes Masters degrees, postgraduate certificates and BTEC Advanced Professional Awards Level 8: includes Doctorate Ofqual

9 Ofqual wishes to make its publications widely accessible. Please contact us if you have any specific accessibility requirements. First published by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation in 2010 Crown copyright 2010 Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation Spring Place 2nd Floor Coventry Business Park Glendinning House Herald Avenue 6 Murray Street Coventry CV5 6UB Belfast BT1 6DN Telephone Textphone Helpline Helen Jones Head of Statistics