Understanding Qualifications

• AS and A levels: Academic qualifications, available in a wide range of subjects
• BTECs, OCR Nationals and other vocational qualifications: A guide to work-related qualifications
• Diplomas for 14 to 19 year olds:The new qualification for 14 to 19 year olds
• Entry level qualifications: Ways to progress towards GCSEs and other qualifications
• Foundation Degrees: Higher education qualifications that combine academic study with work-based learning
• GCSEs: The main academic qualification taken by 14 to 16 year olds, and available to adults too
• HNCs and HNDs: Higher National Certificates and Diplomas: vocational higher education qualifications
• Key Skills: Qualifications to help you develop skills to get on in work and life in general
• NVQs: NVQs can help you develop the skills to do a job effectively
• Postgraduate qualifications: Postgraduate certificates, diplomas, masters degrees and doctorates
• Skills for Life: Qualifications to help you build your English, maths or computer skills

Qualifications: what the different levels mean

Different types of qualifications are grouped together into various 'levels'. This can help you (and employers) see how different qualifications compare and how one type can lead on to another.

Level	Examples of qualifications	What they give you
1	- Entry level certificates - Skills for Life at entry level	- basic knowledge and skills - ability to apply learning in everyday situations - not geared towards specific occupations
2	- GCSEs grades D-G - BTEC Introductory Diplomas and Certificates - OCR Nationals  - Key Skills level 1 - NVQs - Skills for Life	- basic knowledge and skills - ability to apply learning with guidance or supervision - may be linked to job competence
3	- GCSEs grades A*-C - BTEC First Diplomas and Certificates    - OCR Nationals - Key Skills level 2 - NVQs - Skills for Life	- good knowledge and understanding of a subject - ability to perform variety of tasks with some guidance or supervision - appropriate for many job roles
4	- A levels - Advanced Extension Awards - GCE in applied subjects - International Baccalaureate  - Key Skills level 3  - NVQs - BTEC Diplomas, Certificates and Awards - BTEC Nationals - OCR Nationals	- ability to gain or apply a range of knowledge, skills and understanding, at a detailed level - appropriate if you plan to go to university, work independently, or (in some cases) supervise and train others in their field of work
5	- Key Skills level 4  - NVQs  - BTEC Professional Diplomas, Certificates and Awards	- specialist learning, involving detailed analysis of a high level of information and knowledge in an area of work or study - appropriate for people working in technical and professional jobs, and/or managing and developing others
6	- HNCs and HNDs - NVQs - BTEC Professional Diplomas, Certificates and Awards	- ability to increase the depth of knowledge and understanding of an area of work or study, so you can respond to complex problems and situations - involves high level of work expertise and competence in managing and training others - appropriate for people working as higher grade technicians, professionals or managers
7	-National Diploma in Professional Production Skills - BTEC Advanced Professional Diplomas, Certificates and Awards	- a specialist, high-level knowledge of an area of work or study, to enable you to use your own ideas and research in response to complex problems and situations  - appropriate for people working as knowledge-based professionals or in professional management positions
8	- Diploma in Translation - BTEC Advanced Professional Diplomas, Certificates and Awards	- highly developed and complex levels of knowledge, enabling you to develop original responses to complicated and unpredictable problems and situations  - appropriate for senior professionals and managers

For more information on qualifications, visit www.direct.gov.uk. For more information about National Qualifications Framework (NCF), visitwww.qca.org.uk