Qualifications

Chelmsford College offers a range of qualifications that can be designed and combined to meet the individual needs and circumstances.

Curriculum 2000
A Level
GCSE
NVQ
Key Skills
Skills for Life

Curriculum 2000

Curriculum 2000 is the new national framework for education qualifications. It is designed to establish parity of esteem between academic and vocational education, and to encourage students to broaden their education by taking combinations of qualifications and subjects.

A Level

The new A level qualification consists of two parts, the AS and A2.

The Advanced Subsidiary (AS) A stand-alone qualification and is valued as half a full A level qualification. It has three units (assessed at the standard expected for a student half way through an A level course) that contribute 50 per cent of the full A level.

The A2 is the second half of a full A level qualification. It has three units (assessed at the standard expected for a student at the end of a full A level course) that are worth 50 per cent of the full A level qualification. Most units are assessed by examination. Some are assessed by coursework. In most A levels, coursework accounts for 20 to 30 per cent of the marks.

GCSE

General Certificate of Secondary Education based on general and subject-specific criteria, are designed to provide candidates with knowledge and understanding of their chosen subject. Those who gain GCSEs can follow a pathway to employment or further education.

GCSEs are offered across Levels 1 and 2 of the National Qualifications Framework and they are primarily targeted at secondary school pupils, but are also suitable for adult returners. GCSEs are assessed depending upon the subject being studied but normally include a mixture of OCR-moderated coursework and OCR-set and marked external assessment.

NVQ

National Vocational Qualifications are work-related, competence-based qualifications. They reflect the skills and knowledge needed to do a job effectively, and show that a candidate is competent in the area of work the NVQ framework represents. NVQs are based on national occupational standards. These standards are statements of performance that describe what competent people in a particular occupation are expected to be able to do. They cover all the main aspects of an occupation, including current best practice, the ability to adapt to future requirements and the knowledge and understanding that underpin competent performance.

NVQs are achieved through assessment and training. Assessment is normally through on-the-job observation and questioning. Candidates produce evidence to prove they have the competence to meet the NVQ standards. Assessors sign off units when the candidates are ready. The assessor tests candidates' knowledge, understanding and work-based performance to make sure they can demonstrate competence in the workplace.

Key Skills

The skills that are commonly needed for success in a range of activities in education and training, work and life in general.

Whatever your level of study and whatever your plans for the future, there are certain skills you cannot do without. In all there are six Key Skills:

• Application of number
• Communication
• Information technology
• Problem solving
• Working with others
• Improving your own learning and performance

These are studied at levels 1-3, whichever is appropriate to the student.

Skills for Life

Skills for Life consists of Literacy and Numeracy skills are needed in education, work and life. They are designed for people who are 16 and above.

There are five levels of Skills for Life programmes:

• Entry level 1
• Entry level 2
• Entry level 3
• Level 1
• Level 2 (equivalent to GCSE)

People study at the level appropriate to their needs