Vocational qualifications are either work-related qualifications designed to enable students to gain the skills required to perform a particular job, or qualifications that may be taken as part of a wider study programme or an apprenticeship.
Schools and colleges may offer qualifications that are not included in the DfE performance tables, if approved for teaching to 16-19 year olds by the Secretary of State for Education in England under Section 96, where this is in the best interests of individual students.
The Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Diploma in Playwork (NVQ) (QCF) is aimed at students who are already working in a playwork setting. It is aimed at experienced playworkers who have a wide knowledge and understanding of children and young people and now want to move on to a managerial role.
Settings could be out-of-school work (including afterschool or breakfast clubs) and seasonal holiday clubs.
Students may already be working as playworkers or assistant playworkers or as children’s holiday representatives.
The qualification prepares students for roles in management of play environments and as line managers of other staff. It covers the knowledge and skills needed when working unsupervised and students will need to demonstrate their managerial skills in the workplace.
Pass, Fail
Students must pass all units.
They must achieve all of the specified learning outcomes and satisfy all of the assessment criteria.
To successfully achieve a unit the student must gather a portfolio of evidence which shows they have met the required standard in the assessment criteria.
Evidence can take a variety of different forms including:
- direct observation of the student’s performance by their assessor
- outcomes from oral or written questioning
- products of the student’s work
- personal statements and reflective accounts
- outcomes from simulation, where permitted by the assessment strategy
- professional discussion
- assignment, project and case studies
- authentic statements and witness testimonies
- expert witness testimony
- evidence of Recognition of Prior Learning
There are a number of key considerations for HEPs when reviewing vocational qualifications that are not listed on the DfE 16-19 performance tables for England:
- Some of these qualifications are occupational, and may not be designed specifically for progression to HE.
- Applicants holding these qualifications may be school or college leavers, however, some may be more mature students who are likely to have other relevant experience alongside these qualifications.
- These qualifications may have been taken as part of a wider study programme or an apprenticeship.
- If they are presented for admission to HE it is likely to be in conjunction with other qualifications.
Further information may be found at: http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/nvq-and-competence-based-qualifications/children-and-young-people/playwork-l3.html