General National Vocational Qualification
Encyclopedia
A General National Vocational Qualification, or GNVQ, is a certificate of vocational education
in the United Kingdom
. The last GNVQs were awarded in 2007.
The qualifications relate to occupational areas in general, rather than any specific job. They could be taken in a wide range of subjects. There are different levels of GNVQ, namely the Intermediate level (equivalent to four General Certificates of Secondary Education) and Advanced level (equivalent to two Advanced-level General Certificates of Education). Some controversy surrounded GNVQs and their use in school league tables.
GNVQs were available to people of all ages. Many school
s and college
s offered these courses and they could be studied alongside GCSE
s or A levels. The GNVQ generally involved a lot of coursework (6-8 large assignments), which allowed holders to show their skills when applying for jobs.
GNVQs were used in a lot of schools in Wales
in three main subjects: Engineering, Health and Social Care and Leisure and Tourism. They were commonly used between early 2000 and 2005 as one-year courses for post-GCSE students who wished to further their education within the sixth-form but not at an A-Level standard. The course was generally undertaken in Wales at Intermediate level with day-release at an appropriate work placement during school hours for the duration of the year. Subsequent to 2005 a lot of schools stopped using GNVQ courses in the sixthform and after 2004 incorporated Intermediate or Foundation level GNVQs into the syllabus in years 10 and 11 along with GCSEs. This was to encourage more students to undertake vocational areas of study as part of their compulsory education. The majority of one-year courses for sixth formers were then replaced with BTEC
First Diplomas and Certificates.
GNVQs ceased to be offered, in late 2007, pupils in England and Wales are able to undertake BTEC and OCR national certificates and diplomas instead.
Alternatives to GNVQ qualifications include vocational GCSEs, BTEC diplomas and certificates, OCR Nationals
and City and Guild progression awards. For further details please see http://www.gnvqwithdrawals.com
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The last GNVQs were awarded in 2007.
The qualifications relate to occupational areas in general, rather than any specific job. They could be taken in a wide range of subjects. There are different levels of GNVQ, namely the Intermediate level (equivalent to four General Certificates of Secondary Education) and Advanced level (equivalent to two Advanced-level General Certificates of Education). Some controversy surrounded GNVQs and their use in school league tables.
GNVQs were available to people of all ages. Many school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s and college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
s offered these courses and they could be studied alongside GCSE
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
s or A levels. The GNVQ generally involved a lot of coursework (6-8 large assignments), which allowed holders to show their skills when applying for jobs.
GNVQs were used in a lot of schools in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in three main subjects: Engineering, Health and Social Care and Leisure and Tourism. They were commonly used between early 2000 and 2005 as one-year courses for post-GCSE students who wished to further their education within the sixth-form but not at an A-Level standard. The course was generally undertaken in Wales at Intermediate level with day-release at an appropriate work placement during school hours for the duration of the year. Subsequent to 2005 a lot of schools stopped using GNVQ courses in the sixthform and after 2004 incorporated Intermediate or Foundation level GNVQs into the syllabus in years 10 and 11 along with GCSEs. This was to encourage more students to undertake vocational areas of study as part of their compulsory education. The majority of one-year courses for sixth formers were then replaced with BTEC
Business And Technology Education Council (BTEC)
The Business and Technology Education Council is the British body which awards vocational qualifications. Such qualifications are commonly referred to as "BTECs"....
First Diplomas and Certificates.
GNVQs ceased to be offered, in late 2007, pupils in England and Wales are able to undertake BTEC and OCR national certificates and diplomas instead.
Alternatives to GNVQ qualifications include vocational GCSEs, BTEC diplomas and certificates, OCR Nationals
OCR Nationals
OCR Nationals are vocationally-related qualifications which were officially launched by the OCR Board in September 2004. The qualifications are designed to meet the needs of those seeking vocational education in place of the traditional, theory-intensive, academic route...
and City and Guild progression awards. For further details please see http://www.gnvqwithdrawals.com