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.
These Level 3 qualifications are designed to provide students with a structured and challenging individualised learning programme that supports their development and progression in line with their future career plans.
They are the substantial qualification component of the study programme and develop students’ knowledge and understanding across a range of creative media practices and students’ collaborative working and entrepreneurial awareness. Students will also develop advanced technical skills and knowledge in one of the following pathways:
- Social media
- Graphic design
- Animation
- Games
- Interactive media
- Film and television
- Radio
Students will develop generic, transferable skills valued by employers, such as effective teamwork, planning and health and safety principles. As well as extending their creative and intellectual abilities, e.g. communication, innovation and critical evaluation.
For those who wish to study at a higher level, the qualifications will enable them to develop higher level learning skills such as independent working, research, self-reflection and collaborative learning.
The qualifications are graded Pass, Merit, Distinction and Distinction*.
The unit grades are aggregated to form the final overall qualification grade. A Distinction* grade will be awarded to students who have consistently achieved a Distinction grade in every unit.
Internally assessed and externally quality assured Portfolio of Evidence.
Students are set assignments. These may be in the form of briefs, scenarios, problem solving exercises, and research investigations and exploratory work. They are contextualised using realistic scenarios. The assessment may require students to produce a portfolio of evidence which could include research files and sketchbooks, reports, rough and visual designs, storyboards, prototypes, final product, evaluations etc.
All assessment is criterion-referenced, based on the achievement of specified learning outcomes. Each unit within a qualification has specified assessment guidance.
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.
Students may combine the Level 3 Diplomas in Creative Media with other qualifications e.g. A levels or other vocational qualifications.
The Level 3 Creative Media suite had an operational end date of 31 July 2018. Therefore, the specification is no longer available and we are no longer accepting learner registrations.