General
These courses are usually studied by young people aged 14 to 16, but are open to everyone. They may also in some cases be combined with study at level 2.
GCSE Grade D to G
General Certificate of Secondary Education Qualifications are usually studied in years 10 and 11, GCSEs can take one or two years to complete. They are offered in specific (usually academic) subjects such as Mathematics, Geography, French or Art. In school the Government makes some subjects compulsory, but after school people usually have a free choice of subjects. There are normally no entry requirements unless you are resitting a subject. In some cases you may be able to resit a GCSE in November, but this needs to be agreed with the college. In any subject, the coursework affects the final grade, although there are exams at the end of the course. GCSEs are graded A* (the highest) to G (the lowest). Grades A*, A, B and C are considered good passes and are level 2 qualifications. Grades D, E, F and G are considered passes and are level 1 qualifications.
There is also a new range of Vocational GCSEs covering work areas such as manufacturing and health care, each 3-unit course being equivalent to two traditional GCSEs. They have replaced Foundation and Intermediate GNVW courses and are graded in the same way as current GCSE courses.
NVQ Level 1
National Vocational Qualifications relate to the world of work and show you have the skills to do a particular job. They can be studied totally in a workplace, or partly in a workplace and partly at college. There is a wide range of NVQs covering many jobs, from Business Administration to Hairdressing or Engineering, and they are offered at five levels. Many people choose NVQs if they want to gain a qualification while at work, and that is directly related to their job. NVWs also include key skills such as IT and working with numbers.
NVQs are not time-bound, but each level usually takes around a year to complete. The work is mainly practical and is based upon building up a portfolio of evidence to support your knowledge. There are no particular entry requirements for level 1 NVQs, but other levels usually require a qualification at the level below for entry.