Qualifications and Credit Framework
Last updated on: 10/03/2008
The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) is a new way of recognising skills and qualifications. It does this by awarding credit for qualifications and units (small steps of learning). It enables people to gain qualifications at their own pace along flexible routes.
Ofqual, partner regulators in Wales (DCELLS) and Northern Ireland (CCEA), are responsible for regulation of the QCF. The regulatory requirements that apply to the organisations that operate within, and the qualifications that are accredited into, the QCF are set out in Regulatory arrangements for the Qualifications and Credit Framework, which was published on 28 August and is available to download from this page.
The publication of the Regulatory arrangements marks a significant milestone in the development of the QCF. They provide the means to support the development of the QCF from a set of test and trial arrangements to full implementation. They set out a basis for doing this that supports the aims of the QCF to provide learners with a greater range of choice, opportunities and increased flexibility. They also provide a secure foundation on which standards and comparability and public confidence in the QCF will be maintained.
Alongside the regulatory arrangements Ofqual and its partner regulators have made available range of other information to support the implementation of the regulatory arrangements. This comprises:
- the processes we have put in place to build on these requirements to recognise organisations to operate in the QCF and accredit qualifications, as detailed in Implementation of Regulatory
arrangements for the Qualifications and Credit Framework - details of the requirements that must be met for qualifications that include 'NVQ' in the title - Operating rules for using the term 'NVQ' in
a QCF qualification title - a report summarising the outcomes from the consultation that we held on the regulatory arrangements, Summary Report on the Responses
to the Consultation on the proposed Regulatory Arrangements
for the Qualifications and Credit Framework - a letter, agreed with DCELLS and CCEA, from the Chair of Ofqual, Kathleen Tattersall, to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Skills, David Lammy, setting out Ofqual's position on the QCF tests and trials and how the development should proceed in England.
You will also find a letter from Ofqual and our partner regulators introducing the QCF regulatory arrangements.
The tests and trial phase of the QCF development identified that many of the key processes of the QCF are yet to be fully tested and that most of the benefits are anticipated rather than realised. As a result, the qualifications regulators, Ofqual in England, DCELLS in Wales and CCEA in Ireland, are clear that there is a need to closely monitor and evaluate the impact of the QCF regulatory arrangements in practice. This means both considering their suitability and how well associated regulatory activity and the operation of the QCF in general are working. We will report publicly on our findings after the first year the regulatory arrangements have been in operation.
If you require further information, email qcf@ofqual.gov.uk
The QCF in practice
The QCF means that every unit and qualification in the framework now has a credit value (one credit represents 10 hours, showing how much time it takes to complete) and a level between Entry level and level 8 (showing how difficult it is). There are three sizes of qualifications in the QCF:
- Awards (1 to 12 credits)
- Certificates (13 to 36 credits)
- Diplomas (37 credits or more)
So in the new framework you can have an award at level 1 or an award at level 8. This is because the qualification type (award, certificate, diploma) represents the size of a qualification, not how difficult it is.
Each qualification title contains the following:
- the level of the qualification (from Entry level at the bottom to level 8 at the top)
- the size of qualification (award/certificate/diploma)
- details indicating the content of the qualification
Simply by looking at the title of a qualification you will be able to see how difficult it is, how long it will take the average learner to complete, and its general content. To understand the level of difficulty of the units and qualifications in the new framework it might be helpful to know that GCSEs (grade A*–C) are level 2, GCE A levels are level 3 and a PhD is a level 8. Knowing this can help to position the difficulty and challenge of each level in the framework.
For further information, email qcf@ofqual.gov.uk