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Using qualifications and awards
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Using the new GCEs, successors to VCEs
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Introduction to the new GCEs
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Delivering the new GCEs
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Introduction to the new GCEs

  11-16 schools    
6th form schools  
Colleges  
 

What are the new GCEs?

VCEs have been redesigned to become GCEs. The new qualifications have an AS/A2 structure, comparable to other GCEs. They became available for teaching in September 2005.

There are four qualifications available:

  • advanced subsidiary – made up of three AS units, typically one externally assessed, the rest internally assessed
  • advanced subsidiary double award – made up of six AS units, typically two externally assessed, the rest internally assessed
  • advanced – made up of three AS units and three A2 units, typically two externally assessed, the rest internally assessed
  • advanced double award – made up of six AS units and six A2 units, typically four externally assessed, the rest internally assessed.

Many features of the new GCEs will, however, be familiar to those who have used the VCEs.

What are the aims of the new GCEs?

The new GCEs aim to encourage students to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding relevant to a broad vocational sector. They prepare students for further study and training.

In addition, the new GCEs encourage students to develop and use the skills of planning, research, communication, evaluation and problem solving. Students will also have the opportunity to develop their skills of working independently and in teams.

Who offers the new qualifications?

Three awarding bodies are offering the new GCEs in England and Wales: AQA, Edexcel and OCR.

CCEA has been piloting a limited number of new GCEs in Northern Ireland since September 2004.

The table below shows which titles and awards each awarding body is offering. All four awards are offered unless otherwise indicated.

Vocational area  Awarding body
Applied art and design  AQA, Edexcel, OCR
Applied business  AQA, Edexcel, OCR
Applied ICT  AQA, Edexcel, OCR
Applied science  AQA, OCR
Engineering  Edexcel (available only as AS and A level awards)
Health and social care  AQA, Edexcel, OCR
Leisure studies  Edexcel and OCR (available only as AS and A level awards)
AQA (all four awards available)
Media: communication and production  Edexcel (available only as AS and A level awards)
Performing arts  Edexcel and OCR (available only as AS and A level awards)
Travel and tourism  AQA, Edexcel, OCR

As with other GCEs, the awarding bodies developed the new specifications from subject criteria that broadly describe the knowledge, skills and understanding required in each specification. This means that unit titles and the number of optional units differ between the three awarding bodies. Despite the differences between specifications, all three awarding bodies follow the same regulatory code of practice and will be monitored to ensure that all the specifications demonstrate the same level of demand. Centres should compare the different specifications to see which best suits the needs of their students and matches the centre’s resources.

To help in this, LSDA have produced factsheets summarising the specifications for each subject. The awarding bodies have also developed guides showing how the new specifications compare with their VCE specifications.

Specifications are all available on the awarding body websites and in hard copy, and sometimes on CD-ROM.

When planning the delivery and assessment of the new courses, teachers must refer to the sample external assessments, exemplar portfolio units and teachers' guides and support materials published by the awarding bodies.

How can the new GCEs be used within the curriculum?

  • The new GCEs can be offered to students in a number of ways.
      • For those with minimum entry requirements for level 3 study, the AS level qualifications, including the double award AS, provide stepping stones that give them time to develop the skills needed to succeed at A2 (not currently available with VCE).
      • The structure of the new GCEs gives students the opportunity to take an AS in a subject, alongside three or four others, and then consider their options. Those who are unsure about their career aims no longer have to commit a large proportion of their programme to one qualification. Students may continue with A2 study or progress to other qualifications such as BTEC and OCR nationals.
      • They can be offered alongside other GCEs as part of a coherent level 3 programme. – for example: GCE A level English, GCE A level media: communication and production, GCE A level French. There are no prohibited combinations of study with the new GCEs so they can be combined with any other appropriate advanced GCE.
      • Those students who would normally follow a traditional GCE route will have the opportunity to broaden and introduce a work-related dimension to their studies by taking a GCE in a vocational area – for example: GCE A level psychology, GCE A level mathematics, GCE A level English, GCE AS applied ICT.
      • They can be offered alongside other vocational qualifications – for example: a student might take GCE AS/A level leisure studies alongside the BTEC National Certificate in Sport.

 

Also see

> Choosing GCE or VCE qualifications

Other web links

Websites that will help the management, delivery and assessment of the new GCEs are as follows:

> AQA http://www.aqa.org.uk/
> Edexcel http://www.edexcel.org.uk/
> LSDA http://www.lsda.org.uk/
> OCR http://www.ocr.org.uk/

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