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 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.
This qualification (QAN 603/1929/X ) is included in the Section 96 table of approved qualifications.
CTH has been a specialist awarding organisation since 1982, developing qualifications only for the culinary, hospitality, tourism, and travel sectors. Qualifications are developed in partnership with leading employers, organisations, and individuals to ensure their relevance. Some of CTH's culinary qualifications have been developed in partnership with Gordon Ramsay, and experts at leading CTH culinary centres, including the Tante Marie Academy and Leith's School of Food and Wine. CTH has recently established a partnership with the Institute of Hospitality, in which CTH has taken over their Ofqual regulated qualifications and activity. This partnership will further enhance the links between CTH and the hospitality industry, as well as provide ongoing professional development opportunities for CTH students as they join the workplace or pursue further education opportunities.
Units are graded as Fail, Pass, Merit, and Distinction.
The qualification is also graded as Fail, Pass, Merit, and Distinction.
The Level 3 Extended Certificate in Professional Cookery is assessed by a combination of exams and assignments:
- Practical examinations for the culinary skills units, are internally assessed and verified, and externally moderated by a CTH culinary examiner. Candidates are required to produce complex dishes to a high standard. The assessment menus are internally set, but approved by CTH in advance to ensure coverage of learning outcomes and assessment criteria. Each unit can be examined individually, or more usually combined with further units in a single assessment activity. Photographic and video evidence of student work at key stages of each process and completed dishes is required for all CTH culinary qualifications. CTH examiners also attend a representative number of examinations, and assess internal assessor’s mark schemes for consistency of application of marks.
- The menu planning and costing unit is assessed by an externally set and moderated project assignment.
- The food safety and hygiene unit is assessed by an externally set and marked examination.
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 apprenticeship.
- This qualification is 235 GLH, or 300 TQT. If presented for admission to HE, it is likely to be in conjunction with other qualifications.
See the CTH website (www.cthawards.com) for further information about CTH.
The qualification specification for this CTH Level 3 Extended Certificate in Professional Cookery can be downloaded from the website.