Page 5 - Choices Magazine - KS3 Issue 2

UNDERSTANDING

Choosing what qualifications, Now that you have learnt a little more about why qualifications are important it would be
you would like to take when useful to understand a little more about the different qualifications you may hear about
you finish year 11 means as you begin to plan the rest of your journey through education. Here is an explanation
you will need to start to about just a few of the more common qualifications you may come across:
understand the different types
of qualifications available tions GCSE Degrees
to you and where you can
continue your journey through GCSE stands for General Certificate of A degree is an academic course and
education as early as Secondary Education. It’s the part of the qualification studied for and attained at
possible. It can be confusing National Curriculum taught to pupils aged university – a bachelor’s degree or master’s
explained.
to make this decision if you 14 to 16 in years 10 and 11. It also includes degree. For school leavers, the most relevant
aren’t sure what all of the exams, the results of which have a significant degree to be aware of is the bachelor’s
different qualifications and bearing on a child’s future career. degree, which can be taken in hundreds of
levels available mean. GCSEs are the exams young people must subjects, ranging from traditional academic
take at the end of Key Stage 4 ones such as history, English literature and
Up until you choose your geography, to the sciences, to newer
GCSE options, you will have A-Levels subjects like digital and social media.
probably been attending
lessons learning subjects Short for Advanced Level, A-levels NVQs
chosen for you by your school. come after GCSEs. They usually focus on An NVQ (National Vocational Qualification)
academic subjects, compared to vocational
You will soon be given the Qualifica qualifications like BTECs and NVQs, which is a work-based way of learning – which is
opportunity to make choices are more practical. There are more than 40 carried out at a college, school, or workplace.
about your own learning and different A-level subjects on offer – some will Each NVQ level involves a range of on-the-
the qualifications that go with be subjects that you studied at GCSE and job tasks and activities that are designed to
it. This can influence your others may be new. test you on your ability to do a job effectively.
options for future education
or employment. A-Levels are highly valued by employers You may start out by applying your
and universities so they can open up lots knowledge to basic tasks, and progress to 5 | APRIL 2021
of doors to further study and careers incorporating fundamental principles into a
variety of contexts.

APRIL 2021 | 4