Understanding further education
As teachers and advisors, we know that you are already knowledgeable about further education (FE), but we thought it might be helpful to provide a brief outline of the ever-changing FE landscape, especially as we enter a new phase with the introduction of T Levels and a change in the range of FE qualifications your pupils will begin to encounter.
Further education institutions, especially FE colleges, often provide a wide range of studying and qualification options for anyone over the age of 16, but here we’ll be focusing on the Level 3 qualifications your pupils will undertake after they complete their GCSEs (Level 2).
A Levels
A levels are one of the most common Level 3 qualifications for 16 to 19 year olds to undertake. To be able to study for A levels, most pupils need to gain at least five GCSEs at grades 9 to 4/A* to C . At A Level, pupils can choose to study subjects they have studied at GCSE in greater depth, and also have a pool of new subjects available to them, e.g. Politics and Sociology.
Students normally study 3 A levels (though they can study just one or two); but it’s important to remember – whether an HEI uses grades or tariff points when accepting pupils onto their courses, most will require pupils to have studied for three A Levels, or one or two A levels plus a further Level 3 qualification like a BTEC.
Some university courses require pupils to have studied a specific subject at A level for them to be eligible to be considered for a place at their University for that course, (e.g. most History degree courses will require a student to have studied and completed a History course at Level 3).
A levels are graded from A* to U and pupils can receive offers of study from universities based upon a specific results portfolio, e.g. AAB or the courses minimum UCAS tariff points.
As with any Level 3 qualification, pupils should be encouraged to reflect on their personal career goals to ensure they are able to use that qualification to progress into higher education.
This can best be achieved by working with your pupils to ensure they know how to read a HEI prospectuses and encouraging them to ask questions about progression into HE to course leads in FEIs.
T Levels (Technical Levels)
T levels are new Level 3 qualifications arriving in phases from September 2020 and will offer pupils a combination of classroom learning and ‘on-the-job’ work experience with industry partners. Those industry partners have played a role in setting the T Level curriculum. The length of study is two years, and one T level will be the equivalent of three A levels as each T level covers a broad range of topics and skills development and will provide pupils with an opportunity to progress into higher education. Upon completion, students will be given a singular overall grade ranging from Distinction* to Pass.
Not all T levels are available yet, and not all colleges or FE providers will be able to support delivery of all T levels in the future. Three T levels will be available in certain FE colleges from September, with further courses starting in 2021 and 2022. The T levels starting this year are:
- Design, surveying and planning for construction
- Digital production, design and development
- Education and healthcare
Future T levels include ‘Science’, ‘Health’ and ‘Digital support and services’
As with any Level 3 qualification, pupils should be encouraged to reflect on their personal career goals to ensure they are able to use that qualification to progress into higher education.
This can best be achieved by working with your pupils to ensure they know how to read a HEI prospectuses and encouraging them to ask questions about progression into HE to course leads in FEIs.
Find more about T Levels with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
BTECS
BTECs are a practical/hands-on approach to learning. They are assessed entirely by coursework, and are work-skills development focused qualifications. BTEC stands for Business and Technology Education Council. Examples of current BTEC courses available include: Applied Science, Health and Social Care, Hospitality, Performing Arts, and Sport.
They can be taken by themselves, allowing an individual to specialise in one subject over two years, or they can be taken in conjunction with A-levels. Lots of pupils enjoy studying BTECs because they receive continual assessment and industry insight.
There are lots of BTEC qualifications available that equate to GCSEs, one or two A levels, or 3 A levels.
- BTEC Level 1 and 2 = equivalent to a GCSE
- BTEC Level 3 = equivalent to an A-level
- BTEC Level 4-5 = equivalent to 1st and 2nd year of an undergraduate degree
When advising students on what to do after GCSEs, it’s important to get them to check the qualification level of the BTEC they are interested in. If they want to use them as a gateway into HE, they need to make sure they are studying a Level 3 BTEC, and they also need to check how many tariff points or A levels the course is equivalent too. A lot of HEIs accept BTECs, but may require students to have studied particular BTECs to access certain courses; for example, many Nursing courses require the BTEC qualified applicants to have studied the ‘BTEC Health and Social Care or Applied Science’. The National Extended Diploma equates to 3 A Levels but other BTECs do not and so pupils may need to study additional A Levels to keep their HE options open.
Find out more about BTECs with UCAS and Pearson (one of the main BTEC providers in the UK)
Advanced Apprenticeships
Advanced Apprenticeship
Apprenticeships are designed to develop skills for a specific career by studying and working ‘on the job’. Apprentices will usually be in work for 30 hours per week, and at college/university/etc. studying for one day a week. They are paid at least national minimum wage.
Like BTECs, apprenticeships can be level 2, level 3 and qualifications, as well as the recently introduced degree apprenticeships.
The government has provided an A to Z list of 20/21 apprenticeships, complete with guidance on the different levels each apprenticeship ‘topic’ can be studied at. When advising pupils on Level 3 apprenticeship options remind them to make sure that the apprenticeship is at the right level for them, and to explore the HE options available after completion of the apprenticeship.
Other Level 3 qualifications
There are many other Level 3 qualifications, though they are less commonly undertaken than A Levels, BTECS, T Levels and Advanced Apprenticeships.
AS Levels
The AS qualification is no longer ‘coupled’ with A Levels and AS grades no longer form part of the A level grades for the same subjects. AS levels are also now considered the equivalent of 40% of an A level and as such are worth fewer UCAS tariff points now. Fewer and fewer FE colleges and schools are offering AS levels now, but pupils taking them should ensure they include this information on their UCAS degree applications as they may offer additional insight in the pupil’s knowledge and academic potential.
Core Maths
An additional Maths qualification sometimes taken alongside A levels.
Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
An independent study model that can help prepare students to develop key study skills invaluable at HE, including research and referencing.
Take a look at the other Level 3 qualifications with UCAS
What is higher education
A quick overview of higher education (HE) for teachers and advisors
Outreach at the University of Manchester
Visit the University of Manchester’s Schools and Colleges webpages to find out about other outreach opportunities for and you school