Qualifications
There are a variety of qualifications that can be studied at the Sixth Form College, Solihull. Here we detail what those qualifications are and what they mean.
A Level courses
These are six-unit courses, in which three units are studied for in the first year for an AS qualification and a further three units are studied for in the second year to get the full A Level qualification. A Level students normally study four subjects to AS Level and continue with just three to A2 Level. In the majority of cases, at least 4 of the six units will be assessed through external examinations. Details on how the coursework or practical work can be found in the details for each subject.
As well as A Levels, there is a range of applied and vocational qualifications on offer. From September 2005 nationally there will be some changes to applied and vocational courses. The AVCE will no longer be available as a qualification and some GNVQ courses will end. Details of the new courses are as follows:
Level 2 Applied/Vocational courses
These courses are designed to enable students to achieve qualifications that are equivalent to 4 GCSE grade Cs. They are 1-year, 6-unit courses. Most students will also work on improving their skills and qualifications in English, Maths and ICT.
Level 3 National courses
Nationals are vocationally related qualifications, designed to enable students to enter higher education or employment. Most students at the College will take a 12-unit qualification, equivalent to two A levels. In most subject areas students may take an A level alongside if they have the appropriate GCSE results. In Art, students take a further six Art units. Alternatively, they may look to develop their skills and experience through different qualifications or courses. For example, an IT qualification, voluntary service or work experience.
An important feature of the Nationals is the very high level of coursework and project work. There are no external tests. Students work on a series of theory or practical assignments. On some courses a number of assignments are group tasks. Achievement in Nationals is graded at pass, merit or distinction.
National qualifications are well known to both higher and further education and to employers and therefore offer good progression opportunities. Nationals are included in the UCAS tariff, the framework that has established equivalence between levels of achievement in different qualifications. For example, a double merit on a Level 3 National is equivalent to 2 A levels at grade C.
Double Applied A Level courses
These new qualifications are designed to give students a broad introduction to a vocational area and help them develop and apply knowledge in a variety of work-related situations. Students at the College looking for an applied vocational course will follow a 12-unit qualification, a Double Applied A Level. As with the Nationals, some students may take an A Level alongside if they have the appropriate GCSE results. Alternatively, they may look to develop their skills and experience through different qualifications or courses. As with A levels, AS is the first half of the course and A2 the second. Assessment is through a combination of internal coursework and external tests; 60% is internal and 40% external. This is a much higher level of coursework than with other A Levels. Achievement in Applied A Levels is graded A- E as with other A Levels and so a student taking a Double Applied A Level will receive two grades: for example, BB or CD. Again, as with the nationals, this new qualification will offer a wide range of progression opportunities for students, higher education, training, or employment.
Level 4 courses
It may also be possible for some students to study some degree level courses at the College, as we have links with some universities. One example of this is the BSc in Biochemistry , which some students can start at the College before continuing with this degree at the University of Wolverhampton.
