Glossary
Last updated on: 11/03/2008
A
access arrangements
Arrangements that are approved in advance of an examination or assessment to allow achievement to be demonstrated by candidates with a disability, special learning needs (including where the candidate’s first language is not English, Welsh or Irish) or to avoid unlawful discrimination.
accreditation
The process through which the regulators confirm that a qualification and the associated specification conform to the relevant regulatory criteria.
Advanced Diploma
The Advanced Diploma provides the basis for progression to higher and further education, and to employment with training. It requires 1,080 guided learning hours (GLH), and is equivalent, in terms of UCAS points, to three and a half A levels. The Advanced Diploma includes principal learning that is sector- and subject-related. It requires level 2 functional skills in English, mathematics and ICT, and provides the essential personal, learning and thinking skills needed to progress in education, training and employment. An Advanced Diploma can be completed as a two-year full-time programme. The Advanced Diploma components are, for each line of learning, as follows:
- principal learning is set at 540 GLH, of which a minimum of 270 GLH must be concerned with applied learning
- generic leaning is set at 180 GLH
- additional and specialist learning is set at 360 GLH.
aegrotat award
An award made on the basis of partial achievement to a learner who is unable, through temporary illness, injury or indisposition, to complete all the usual assessment requirements.
aggregation
The process of combining (by summation or other agreed procedure) the marks or other units of credit awarded through an assessment scheme.
appeal
A process through which an awarding organisation may be challenged on the outcome of an enquiry about results or, where appropriate, other procedural decisions affecting a centre or individual candidates.
applied learning
The acquisition and application of knowledge, skills and understanding through tasks set in sector contexts that have many of the characteristics of real work or are set within the workplace. Most importantly, the purpose of the task must be relevant to real work in the sector.
apprenticeship
A structured, work-based training programme at level 2 and level 3, leading to nationally recognised qualifications. Learners gain a National Vocational Qualification, plus key skills and technical certificates.
AS/A level
See GCE AS/A level
ASL - additional and specialist learning
Qualifications that learners choose to include in their Diploma that are complementary or specialised in character. Additional and specialist learning must provide high-quality breadth and/or depth of curriculum experience, without duplication of principal learning, and be based on a solid evidence-base of progression opportunities for learners who want to progress into immediate employment with training, or full-time further and/or higher education..
assessment
The process of making judgements about the extent to which a learner’s work meets the assessment criteria for a qualification, unit or part of a unit.
assessor
The person who makes a judgement on a learner’s work.
authentication
Confirmation that work has been produced by the learner who is putting it forward for assessment, and that it has been produced under the required conditions.
awarding
The process through which learners’ results and/or grades are determined on the basis of available evidence.
awarding body
An organisation recognised by the regulators for the purpose of awarding accredited qualifications. Further details of accredited qualifications and units can be found on the National Database of Accredited Qualifications (NDAQ) website www.accreditedqualifications.org.uk.
assessment criteria
The requirements that candidates need to meet to achieve success (or a given grade) in a qualification or unit, or part of a unit.
B
borderlining
The process of checking the marking of pupils' work in national curriculum assessments, whose marks are just below the level threshold, to ensure that the correct level is awarded.
C
CAB – component awarding body
An awarding body offering constituent qualifications for the Diploma, which may include principal learning, project, extended project, functional skills and/or additional and specialist learning qualifications.
CCEA – Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment
CCEA advises on curriculum and regulates external qualifications in Northern Ireland other than NVQs which are the responsibility of Ofqual. It also awards qualifications in both general and vocational areas.
centre approval
A process through which a centre wishing to offer particular qualifications is confirmed as being able to maintain the required quality and consistency of assessment, and comply with other expectations of the awarding body.
certificate
The record of attainment in a unit or qualification issued by the awarding body.
comparability
The extent to which the same awards reached through different routes represent the same or equivalent levels of attainment.
components
A discrete, assessable element within a qualification that is not itself formally reported.
components of the Diploma
Diplomas are made up of constituent units and qualifications that are organised in terms of the following three components:
- principal learning
- additional and specialist learning
- generic learning.
composite qualification
A qualification consisting of a number of constituent accredited qualifications.
consortium
A group of learning providers that collaborate to make a joint offer of some kind to their learners and may share some common resources and ways of working. Consortia are typically made up of one college and three or four nearby 11-16 or 11-19 schools.
constituent units
The units of learning and assessment that make up the different components of the Diploma qualification.
content
The knowledge, skills, understanding or area of competence that is covered in a qualification, programme, module, unit or other component.
controlled assessments
Controlled assessments replace coursework in a number of subjects. They will be taken under supervised conditions and will either be set by the awarding body and marked by teachers or set by teachers and marked by the awarding body. Controlled assessments may differ from traditional written examinations, for example allowing access to the internet under supervision.
CSOs – centre support officers
A team of National Assessment Agency staff based around the country that provides one-to-one support and advice to exams officers. The role of a CSO is to promote good practice between centres, to provide communication between centres and the NAA, and to help exams officers to facilitate change and modernisation.
D
DAB – Diploma awarding body
A Diploma awarding body that meets the requirements for, and is recognised by, the regulators to award the full Diploma qualification.
DAS - Diploma aggregation service
Supports the awarding of the Diploma to the learner. It must be used by centres and awarding bodies involved in the delivery of the Diploma to share data and record a learner’s progress towards a Diploma award. As well as recording constituent qualification results against each learner, the service aggregates these results and applies rules of combination to determine whether the whole Diploma can be awarded.
DCELLS – Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills
DCELLS is the department within the Welsh Assembly Government which has responsibility for the regulation of qualifications and assessments in Wales.
DCSF – Department for Children, Schools and Families
DCSF is the government department that sets the overarching policy for education and qualifications reform, and works with key delivery partners to implement the reforms.
DDPs – Diploma development partnerships
Diplomas are being developed by DDPs led by the relevant sector skills councils as representatives of employers. The DDPs make sure that the content of each Line of Learning meets the needs of employers and higher education, including a requirement to succeed in achieving functional English, mathematics and ICT.
Diploma
Diplomas are brand new, multi-purpose qualifications for 14- to 19-year-olds. They are a central part of changes to secondary education that are designed to encourage more young people to gain the qualifications they need to progress into further and higher education or employment. See our Diploma section for more information.
Diploma or Gateway consortium
Groups of schools, colleges and work-based learning providers that will jointly offer Diplomas in one or more Lines of Learning.
Diploma catalogue
An online catalogue listing all the available constituent qualifications and units for each Diploma and the valid combinations that can be used. The catalogue is hosted on National Database of Accredited Qualifications (NDAQ).
Diploma transcript
A report of the qualifications that make up a learner’s Diploma programme. It lists the learners’ grades for each qualification in their Diploma, and records work experience and personal, learning and thinking skills.
E
EAL – English as an additional language
EAL refers to teaching English to speakers of other languages. Almost 10 per cent of pupils in maintained schools are learning English as a second, third or fourth language, in addition to the language spoken in their families. Over 300 languages are spoken by pupils in UK schools.
EAR – Enquiry about results
A process through which an awarding body may be asked to check one or more of the steps leading to a reported result.
ECM – Every Child Matters
ECM is a government initiative that aims to ensure that every child, whatever their background or their circumstances, has the support they need to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic well-being.
ELQ – Entry level qualification
ELQ used to be called Entry level award. These qualifications are designed for learners not yet ready for GCSE or NVQ level 1.
entitlement
All students within a school or college will have an entitlement to pursue any of the Diploma Lines of Learning from 2013, in addition to the existing national curriculum.
Entry level, level 1, level 2, level 3
A consistent classification of the relative demands of qualifications or learners’ attainments:
- Entry level applies to learners not yet ready for GCSE
- level 1 equates to GCSE grades D–G
- level 2 equates to GCSE grades A*–C
- level 3 equates to A level attainment.
extended project
A level 3 qualification involving a single piece of work that requires a high degree of planning, preparation, research and independent working. Students will explore in real depth a topic based on their own interests and aspirations. The extended project may be completed alongside A levels or as part of an Advanced or Progression Diploma.
experiential learning
Planned real-life learning activities that are often community based. Learning is facilitated through a combination of planning and preparation, experience, reflection and review.
external assessment
A form of independent assessment where tasks are set, and learners’ work is assessed, by the awarding body.
F
FAB – Federation of Awarding Bodies
The FAB is a membership body, representing organisations that award vocational qualifications in the UK.
FfA – Framework for Achievement
Now renamed the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF).
FLT – foundation learning tier
The development of the FLT introduces new progression pathways focusing on the skills and learning needed for progression from Entry and level 1 to level 2.
Foundation Diploma
Achieved at level 1, and supports progression to level 2, particularly within key stage 4. It requires 600 guided learning hours (GLH), and is equivalent, in terms of average length of study, to five GCSEs. The Foundation Diploma includes learning related to a specific sector or subject, and includes a project to allow individuals to plan and organise their own learning. It includes functional skills in English, mathematics and ICT at level 1, and provides the essential personal, learning and thinking skills needed to progress in education and training. The Diploma can be taken in one year if taken on its own, or in two years if taken at the same time as the key stage 4 national curriculum programme of study. The Foundation Diploma components are, for each line of learning, as follows:
- principal learning is set at 240GLH, of which a minimum of 120GLH must be applied learning
- generic learning is set at 240 GLH
- additional and specialist learning is set at 120 GLH.
functional skills
The core elements of English, mathematics and ICT, which provide the essential knowledge, skills and understanding needed to operate confidently, effectively and independently in life and at work. Functional skills will relate to GCSEs in English, mathematics and ICT, Diplomas and apprenticeships. They will also be available as stand-alone qualifications.
G
gateway
The quality assurance process run by the DCSF, through which a local partnership of learning providers (a consortium) applies for approval to offer Diploma qualifications in a line of learning.
GCE AS/A level - General Certificate of Education AS/A level
An A level is normally taken as a two-year course progressing from either GCSE or an equivalent qualification. It comprises the advanced subsidiary (AS) and A2 components. Both AS and A level qualifications sit at level 3 in the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) in
England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The AS is a stand-alone qualification and is valued as half a full A level qualification (assessed at the standard expected for a student halfway through an A level course). The A2 is the second half of a full A level qualification (assessed at the standard expected for a student at the end of a full A level course). Both are worth 50 per cent of the full A level qualification.
GCSE - General Certificate of Secondary Education
Generally taken as a two-year course by students aged 14 to 16. GCSEs sit in the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. GCSEs are graded A* to G, grades D to G being at level 1 and grades A* to C being at level 2 in the NQF.
The assessment of all GCSEs involves external assessment and the majority also include controlled assessments. GCSEs can be either linear or unitised. GCSEs are offered in a variety of subjects, including English, mathematics, ICT and science, which are compulsory within state schools at key stage 4 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. GCSEs support progression to the study of qualifications at levels 2 and 3.
generic learning
Generic learning enables students to develop and apply the skills and knowledge necessary for learning, employment and personal development. The generic learning component of the Diploma comprises:
- functional skills
- personal, learning and thinking skills
- a project
- work experience.
grade
A point on a scale of performance used to differentiate achievement within a qualification.
grading
The process through which learners' results and/or grades for a unit or qualification are determined on the basis of the available evidence. Also known as awarding.
GLHs – guided learning hours
The number of hours of supervised or directed study time assigned to complete the qualification or a unit of a qualification.
H
HEI – higher education institutions
HEI is a general term used to describe universities and university colleges.
Higher Diploma
Provides the basis for progression to further education, an apprenticeship or employment. It provides the basis for progression to level 3. It requires 800 guided learning hours (GLH), and is equivalent, in terms of average length of study, to seven GCSEs. The Higher Diploma includes principal learning related to a specific sector or subject, and includes a project to allow individuals to plan and organise their own learning. It includes functional skills in English, mathematics and ICT at level 2, and provides the essential personal, learning and thinking skills needed to progress in education, training and employment. The Diploma can be taken in one or two years if taken on its own or in two years if taken at the same time as the key stage 4 national curriculum programme of study. The Higher Diploma components are, for each line of learning, as follows:
- principal learning is set at 420 GLH, of which a minimum of 210 GLH must be applied learning
- generic learning is set at 200 GLH
- additional and specialist learning is set at 180 GLH.
home centre
The centre where a learner is enrolled and which has overall responsibility for their Diploma programme
I
IAG – information, advice and guidance
People need IAG to make informed choices about local learning and work opportunities. Information is the data about how to access learning and work opportunities. Advice is the additional support given to understand the information. Guidance offers even more in-depth help from a trained adviser.
inclusion
A term used to describe the requirement for schools and teachers to establish ways of working that actively secure the fullest participation of all learners – both in curricular and social terms.
intention to claim
A mechanism by which a learner can state his or her intention to claim a Diploma once the final constituent qualification results have been received.
internal assessment
A form of assessment where assessment tasks are set and learners’ work assessed by the centre, subject to external moderation or verification where appropriate. (See Moderation).
internal standardisation
Processes carried out by centres in relation to internally assessed work to ensure consistency within each line of learning in relation to the setting of tasks, conduct of tasks and marking of learners’ assessment evidence. Internal standardisation thereby ensures that all learners are judged against the same standards regardless of which teaching group they are in or which assessor marks their work.
J
JCQ – Joint Council for Qualifications
The JCQ represents the awarding bodies AQA, CCEA, City & Guilds, Edexcel, OCR, SQA and WJEC. They are the seven largest providers of qualifications in the UK, offering GCSE, GCE, AEA, Entry level, Scottish Highers, vocational and vocationally-related qualifications.
K
key stage 4
Key stage 4 covers years 10 and 11 of the national curriculum. It sets out what 14- to 16-year-olds should be taught as part of their formal education and their expected ability level in different subjects, such as mathematics and English. It also includes enterprise learning. Most students take GCSEs or other national qualifications towards the end of key stage 4.
L
LA – local authority
An LA is a council that has responsibility for providing education to pupils of school age and adult education in its area. It is responsible for ensuring that efficient primary and secondary education is provided and that there are enough primary and secondary places with adequate facilities for pupils living in the area.
LAR – learner achievement record
The LAR is linked to the National Database of Accredited Qualifications (NDAQ). It enables learners to check their progress towards a qualification and to see what other qualifications they could work towards if they want to progress to a new goal. A learner can log on to a website and check their own personal, validated record of achievement or show it to a potential employer.
learner account
The learner account is linked to the Diploma aggregation service and only records progress towards a Diploma qualification. The learner account will indicate participation on a Diploma programme and act as the repository for results data for an individual learner, recording Line of Learning and level. This will be managed and monitored by a centre on behalf of a learner, or by a DAB on behalf of a centre. Learners will not have direct access to the learner account.
learning outcome
A learning outcome sets out what a learner is expected to know, understand and be able to do as the result of a process of learning.
learning provider
A school, college, training centre or workplace offering educational opportunities.
level
The level at which a qualification is accredited. A qualification may be made up of units that are not all regarded as being at the same level. All qualifications assigned the same level are broadly comparable with each other. In national curriculum assessments, 'level' refers to the national curriculum level of attainment.
level setting
The process in national curriculum assessments by which pupils are given levels to reflect their attainment.
level threshold
The boundary between two levels.
lifelong learning
Describes an individual’s capacity to continue to learn and, by implication, to respond positively through learning and development to changing circumstances.
Lines of Learning
Diplomas will be available in the following 14 sector areas or Lines of Learning:
For first teaching in September 2008:
- construction and the built environment
- creative and media
- engineering
- information technology
- society, health and development.
For first teaching in September 2009:
- business, administration and finance
- hair and beauty studies
- hospitality and catering
- land-based and environmental studies
- manufacturing and product design.
For first teaching in September 2010:
- public services
- retail
- sport and leisure
- travel and tourism.
For first teaching in September 2011:
- humanities
- languages
- science.
LRS – learner registration service
The LRS is an internet-based service, provided by MIAP, that will be providing a unique learner number (ULN) for every person in education and training in the UK. ULNs will initially be used to record learners’ achievements towards a Diploma and will be used more widely in the future.
MIAP – Managing Information Across Partners
MIAP is a programme to streamline the way in which information on learners and learning is shared across the education sector. It will provide the learner registration service to issue ULNs. Services such as the LRS are made available to individuals, employers and communities.
moderation
The process through which internal assessment is monitored to ensure that it meets required standards, and through which adjustments to results are made where required to compensate for any differences in standards that are encountered.
modified test materials
National curriculum test papers and other materials that have been amended for pupils with special assessment needs.
N
NDAQ – National Database of Accredited Qualifications
NDAQ contains details of all qualifications that are accredited by the regulators of external qualifications in England (Ofqual), Wales (DCELLS) and Northern Ireland (CCEA), http://www.accreditedqualifications.org.uk.
NEET – not in education, employment or training
The term used to describe 16- to 18-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training.
new secondary curriculum
A new secondary curriculum was launched by QCA in July 2007. More information can be found at QCA's website.
NQF – National Qualifications Framework
The framework used by the regulators to position qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It includes all accredited qualifications. (See Entry level)
O
Occupational qualification
A qualification that introduces the skills and capabilities needed for a particular occupation or job within a sector. The skills of an occupational course are developed to an industry standard and to a level of competence needed to use them in a workplace.
Ofqual
Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator. Ofqual regulates qualifications, exams and tests in England.
P
Plan of provision
The plan proposed by awarding bodies defining the level, types and subject/sector of qualifications they intend to submit for accreditation.
PLTS – personal, learning and thinking skills
These are the skills that will equip people for successful employment and lifelong learning. PLTS will be incorporated into the Diploma. PLTS require learners to be:
- independent enquirers
- creative thinkers
- reflective learners
- team workers
- self-managers
- effective participators.
principal learning
Learning modules and units of assessment that the learner must include in a Diploma. Principal learning includes a minimum of 50 per cent of applied learning and consists of knowledge, skillsunderstanding, skills and attitudes that support progress through the line of learning into the sectors concerned.
prior achievement
The Diploma qualification allows for the inclusion of constituent qualifications that have been achieved by a learner after 1 January 2005 if they are in the Diploma catalogue or a previous version of the Diploma catalogue.
private candidate
A candidate who pursues a course of study independently but makes an entry and takes an examination at an approved examining centre.
programme of study
The statutory elements of the national curriculum that all students at key stage 4 must cover while at school or college.
progression
A student’s journey to achieving their potential through qualifications and other learning experiences that are studied together, in sequence and that accumulate into a meaningful whole. Good progression provides an individual with a set of skills and qualifications attractive to employers.
progression pathway
A suggested group of qualifications and units in the foundation learning tier that a student could follow to gain skills useful for life and attractive to employers.
progression routes
The series of steps that a learner follows during education and training to reach his or her full potential. This will involve following particular courses of study, qualifications or work-based learning that complement each other, and so lead naturally from one to the other in terms of accumulated learning.
project
A level 1 or 2 qualification involving a single piece of work that requires a high degree of planning, preparation, research and independent working. Learners explore in depth a topic based on their own interests and aspirations. The project is completed as part of a Foundation or Higher Diploma. An extended project is completed as part of the Advanced or Progression Diploma.
Q
QCF – Qualifications and Credit Framework
The QCF is the architecture that helps us define learning – how difficult it is, and how much time and effort it takes. It can be used to make sense of the thousands of qualifications needed to service all the different skills, occupations and companies that need a skilled workforce. Using rules of combination, the QCF can build qualifications from credit-based units so that no learning is lost and that learners can transfer their learning around the system.
qualification
An award made by an awarding body to demonstrate a learner's achievement or competence.
qualification criteria
The Criteria for the accreditation of Diploma qualifications at
levels 1, 2 and 3, alongside the criteria for each line of learning, sets out the knowledge, understanding, skills and assessment objectives common to all Diplomas at levels 1, 2 and 3. These criteria provide the framework within which awarding bodies create the detail of the components or constituent qualifications.
QCA – Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
QCA is a non-departmental public body (NDPB). QCA is accountable to the secretary of state for children, schools and families. It develops the school curriculum and its assessment, supports the development of vocational learning and monitors qualifications in schools, colleges and the workplace. It supports the development of occupational standards by industry-led bodies.
qualification specification
A detailed statement defining the purpose, content, structure and assessment arrangements for a qualification.
R
reasonable adjustments
Defined in the Disability Discrimination Act as reasonable steps to ensure disabled people are not placed at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with non-disabled people, ‘substantial’ being more than minor or trivial.
recognition
The recognition of Diploma awarding bodies and component awarding bodies in England, in addition to their recognition as awarding bodies for accredited qualifications.
regulator for qualifications
Statutory organisations that are required to establish national standards for qualifications and ensure consistent compliance with them. The regulators for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland are respectively: Ofqual, the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS), the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) and the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).
rules of combination
Rules defining the minimum combination of qualifications and/or units required for each Diploma Line of Learning and level. (See Diploma catalogue)
S
sector
In relation to the Diploma, the term sector refers to an employer-led line of learning in a specific area of work, such as construction or engineering.
special consideration
A process that allows candidates who suffer from temporary illness, injury or indisposition at the time of an assessment to demonstrate the achievement they are capable of.
specification
A detailed document defining the purpose, content, structure and assessment arrangements for a qualification that an awarding body submits for accreditation by the regulators.
SSC – sector skills councils
Organisations representing employers in a specific sector of the economy. There are 25 SSCs in the UK, many of which are involved in the partnerships responsible for developing the content of Diplomas. Through these SSCs, employers take a key role in deciding what the Diplomas will contain, thus ensuring their value in industry and business.
standardisation
A process to ensure that the assessment criteria for a qualification, unit or component are applied consistently by assessors, moderators and verifiers.
T
transcript
A report of the units and qualifications that make up a learner’s programme and achievement. It lists the learner’s units and grades for each of the components of their Diploma qualification and also records work experience and personal, learning and thinking skills.
trial grade
Centres will be able to obtain a trial grade for each learner who has completed the necessary achievements for the Diploma, before claiming the award of the Diploma through the Diploma awarding body and the Diploma aggregation service.
U
UCAS – Universities and Colleges Admissions Service
UCAS is the UK central organisation through which applications are processed for entry to full-time first degrees and university diplomas. Students who wish to progress to higher education must apply through the UCAS application system.
ULN – unique learner number
A 10-digit number that will be issued through the learner registration service and used to record learner’s achievements towards a Diploma. Over the next few years the ULN will replace other candidate numbers currently in use for all qualifications. (See LRS)
unit
The smallest portion of a qualification that is capable of certification in its own right.
unit grade
The grade awarded for each unit. This applies to the principal learning qualification.
V
verification
A process of moderation that includes local checking of assessment processes and decisions. (See Moderation)
W
work-based learning providers
Work-based learning can be provided by commercial and voluntary sector organisations under contract to government departments and agencies, or through privately funded independent and in-company training schemes.
work experience
A placement on employer’s premises in which a pupil carries out a particular task or duty, or a range of tasks and duties, more or less as would an employee, but with the emphasis on the learning aspects of the experience. It provides opportunities for learning about the skills and personal qualities, careers, roles and structures that exist within a workplace or company.
Y
YA – young apprenticeship
YA is a new route at key stage 4 that allows motivated and able 14- to 16-year-olds to study for vocational qualifications, not just in the classroom but in the workplace and in college, with training providers. Pupils follow the core national curriculum subjects, but for two days a week (or equivalent) they also work towards nationally recognised vocational qualifications delivered by their local young apprenticeships partnership.