More and more pupils are choosing to go into further education and training and so a broader range of exciting qualifications and skills, outside the traditional A level route, are available to you.
Diplomas
Diplomas take the classroom learning style of A levels and combine it with a more hands on, practical experience. They are great for learning a new skill aimed at a particular career and will revolve around some level of work placement. There are 10 subjects available including Business, Administration and Finance, Information Technology and Creative and Media.
Diplomas come in three different levels: Foundation, Higher and Advanced. Advanced diplomas are worth three and a half A-levels so are a great way of getting into universities. To find out more click here .
Apprenticeships
If you like the idea of earning whilst you’re learning then an apprenticeship is the one for you. In an apprenticeship you will combine learning in a college with an actual role in an industry. You can choose from areas such as Arts and Media, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies and Education and Training. Apprenticeships are designed so you qualify and begin work straight away in your industry. For full information on apprenticeships head to http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/
The Extended Project
If you don’t want to do A levels but are interested in looking into an area of study in a little more depth then you can do an extended project. This means you can focus on a subject you are really interested in beyond the confines of an A level. It can be a stand alone qualification or part of an advanced diploma and it's worth half an A level. It is a great way to show universities that you are up to the challenge of university study.
Vocational Qualifications
These come in different levels, 1-8. Level 2 qualifications are the equivalent of grades A*-C at GCSE whilst level 3 is the equivalent of an A level.
They are designed to allow you to learn in a way that suits you and give you the skills that will help you to get a job in areas such as Hair and Beauty, Business and Management and Construction and Property.
Another popular form of vocational qualification is the BTEC, which similarly comes in different levels whether it is an award, certificate or diploma. Like both diplomas and VQ’s they are designed to give you work relevant skills. For more information on vocational qualifications click here.
The International Baccalaureate diploma programme
This is based around detailed study on a wide range of subjects, covering Maths, Science, Languages, the Arts, History and Geography. This all adds up to one whole qualification, although if you do not complete the diploma you will be awarded certificates in the subjects you complete. It aims to teach you to understand your culture in more depth, and gain the ability to communicate and understand other cultures. It is recognised by universities as being A level equivalent, however it is not available at all schools so you will need to research colleges and schools in your area to find out where teaches the programme. For more information follow the link, here.
A Levels
Of course there is always the traditional route of A Levels which carry on from where you left of with your GSCE’s. Courses on offer go from the standard school subjects to more specific subjects, depending on your school or college. It’s worth talking to your teachers or giving your school or college a ring to see exactly what they have on offer and how it differs from GSCE’s.
In depth advice about options once you have received your results can also be found at The National Youth Agency, here: http://www.nya.org.uk/youthinformation-com/education/what-next-after-gcses
Remember, do your research because there are many options out there to consider and it’s important to get the one that you think caters best to your needs!