A Levels are the traditional route to higher and further education. Courses usually take two years to complete.

The AS is the first part of the full A Level course and is assessed at a standard appropriate for candidates who have completed half of the full course. In Year 12, there is a large range of AS courses to select from then, in Year 13, your child can choose to either specialise in three or four or those subjects at A Level or take more AS courses instead.

Both AS and A Levels are assessed through coursework as well as examination.

The Advanced Vocational Certificates of Education (or Vocational A Level) is a new qualification equivalent to ordinary A Levels, and can be made up of units in much the same way that traditional academic A Levels are. They are designed to develop the knowledge and skills needed for jobs in a broad field of work and are available in subjects such as engineering, leisure and tourism, or hospitality and catering.

Another option is the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ). These are specifically related to an occupation and almost every kind of industry is covered. Your child will normally need to be in work to take an NVQ.

Additional routes open to your child include BTEC qualifications, City & Guilds qualifications and NVQs.

Further information on the options available can be found at http://www.parentscentre.gov.uk/.

Key skills qualifications are available to all young people in full-time learning at school/college or in work-based learning. They cover the essential skills your child will need to do well in education and training and include communication, information technology and application of numbers. The wider key skills of improving learning and performance, problem solving and working with others are usually studied as part of other awards and qualifications.

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