Further Education

Qualifications fall into three main types:

Academic Qualifications (like A levels) These are all about diving deep into subjects like Maths, History, or Biology. You’ll mostly be tested through exams. If you’re thinking about going to university, starting an apprenticeship, or getting a job later on, this route keeps your options open.
Applied General Qualifications Interested in things like travel, engineering, or health and social care? These courses give you a taste of what working in those industries is like. You’ll learn through a mix of classroom work and hands-on projects. You might do coursework, exams, or both. BTEC Nationals and Cambridge Technicals fall into this group, and they can also lead to university, apprenticeships, or jobs.
Vocational Technical Qualifications Already know what job you want in the future? These courses are built to get you ready for it. You’ll learn the skills you need for a specific career—like plumbing, IT, or childcare—through practical tasks and coursework. They include things like T Levels, some BTECs, Cambridge Nationals, NVQs, and City & Guilds diplomas. These are perfect if you want to jump straight into work or start an apprenticeship but can also lead on to university.

When making a choice you need to think about three things:

Which type of qualification fits your future plans?

To check entry routes for any careers that you are interested in look at the National Careers Service job profiles

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How do you learn best?

Check which course fits in with your preferred learning style. Do you learn best through the use of images, maps and graphs (visual), through listening and speaking (auditory), through words (reading and writing), or are you a hands-on learner (kinaesthetic).

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Which level is right for you?

Qualifications are grouped together into levels of difficulty. There are nine levels from entry level to level 8. Each level has different entry requirements. Most of you taking GCSEs will achieve results at either level 2 (9-4) and/or level 1 (3-1) giving you the entry requirements to progress on to qualifications at either level 3 or 2. To see what qualifications are available at what level take a look at the section on qualifications in Decisions & Choices. Speak to your tutor or subject teachers to find out what level you are currently working at.

For many apprenticeships and job-related courses you may need to take a qualification at either the same or a lower level rather than progressing to a higher level qualification as you need to learn the basics first.

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What to study?

There are lots of different types of courses to choose from in further education ranging from general academic study, such as A levels, to technical courses such as T Levels and courses with a more work-related or vocational focus, such as BTECs and OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications.

Some courses will even prepare you for a specific job but all courses will help you progress towards your career goals.

Don't forget! There are courses available for everyone in further education regardless of how well you have done at school.

You may be able to take a combination of courses, for instance, study a general course alongside a vocational one.

A levels (Level 3)

Offered at sixth forms and colleges
You usually study between three and four A level subjects (check with the sixth form or college to confirm their offer)
You study A levels for two years (if the sixth form or college offers AS levels, they are studied for one year)
You may be able to combine A levels with other qualifications, such as BTECs
As well as studying subjects you know in more detail, you can start new subjects such as economics, media studies or sociology
Include theory and written work and are mainly assessed by exams
A levels prepare you for higher education/university (HE) and employment. You may need specific subjects and grades for some HE courses and careers so do check entry requirements
Find out more about A levels on Skills for Careers

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Extended Project Qualification (Level 3)

Taken by some students and equivalent to half an A level
You have to choose a topic, plan, research and develop your idea and decide on your finished product
Your finished product can be a research based written report, a production (eg charity event) or an artefact (eg piece of art)
You record your project process in your production log
Read more about what an EPQ is and why you should do one on UCAS

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BTEC qualifications (Levels 1, 2 and 3)

Are related to particular fields of employment such as business, engineering and ICT
Some are in more specific job areas, such as floristry, electrical/electronic engineering or fish management
Can be studied on a full or part-time basis
BTEC Nationals (Level 3) can lead on to higher education/university courses as well as employment
You can read more about BTECS on the UCAS website

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T Levels (Level 3)

These are 2-year technical courses equivalent to 3 A levels which started in September 2020
Developed with employers, they are designed to provide the skills and knowledge required to get into a technical career
T Levels will combine classroom learning with an industry placement (at least 45 days)
T Levels can lead to skilled employment, further study or a higher apprenticeship
Find out more about T Levels on GOV.UK

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OCR Cambridge Technicals and Cambridge Advanced Nationals

Are offered in some schools and further education colleges
They are work-related qualifications aimed at students aged 16+
Cambridge Technicals are available at Level 2 and 3 and Cambridge Advanced Nationals at Level 3
At Level 3 they can be combined with other Level 3 qualifications such as A levels
Available in several work-related subjects including health and social care, digital media and sport
Assessment is through internal and external assessment including coursework assignments to build up a portfolio of evidence
Level 3 Cambridge Technicals and Cambridge Advanced Nationals can lead on to higher education (degree) courses as well as employment
Read more about these qualifications on the Cambridge OCR website

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Job-related qualifications (Levels 1, 2 and 3)

These are vocational or technical qualifications that will train you for a specific job
You can take them full or part-time usually at a further education college but many are also taken as part of an apprenticeship
Usually include a work placement so you can develop and learn the skills required for the job
Assessment is on your practical skills and on your ability to do the job

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Foundation Learning (Level 1)

Designed to help you move on to other courses, an apprenticeship or work
Gives you the chance to move up to gaining qualifications that are equivalent to GCSEs at grades 3-1
Made up of a package of qualifications that include vocational subjects (eg bricklaying, childcare, retail) and personal and social development and include maths, English and IT qualifications
They will have different titles depending on the provider

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Find out more about Post 16 qualifications on the UCAS website

In Norfolk you can study full time:

In your own school's sixth form or sixth form centre (if it has one)
In a sixth form at another school
At a sixth form college
At a further education college
With another provider, sometimes known as a training provider

Don't forget you can find details of Norfolk's post-16 education providers and their courses here on Help You Choose in the Opportunities section.

Ask yourself...

Do I want to stay on at my own school (if it has a sixth form) or go somewhere new?
If I want to go to college, would I feel happier in a large college or a small one?
Will I need to travel to do the course I'm interested in?

All post-16 course providers have open events and evenings giving you the chance to have a look around and speak to teachers, tutors and current students. Don't forget to ask questions to help you make the right decision.

Which is right for me?

School sixth forms/centres

Mainly offer academic courses like A levels, and possibly some vocational courses. If your school has a sixth form:

stay somewhere you know with teachers you know and other friends who stay on
some have arrangements with other local schools and colleges so they can offer a wider range of choices
some offer subject specialisms such as science and maths or engineering
Norfolk has approximately 30 sixth forms/centres

If your school doesn't have its own sixth form or if you wish to change schools, then you can apply to go to a sixth form in another school.

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Sixth form colleges

Offer an extensive range of A Levels and vocational/technical courses such as T Levels, BTECs, OCR Cambridge Technicals. Some may offer GCSEs and personalised programmes. Sixth form colleges:

are bigger than sixth forms so usually offer a larger choice of subjects and courses
provide a young adult environment for 16-19 year olds with no younger or older students
attract students from a number of schools in the area giving you the opportunity to start somewhere new and make new friends
Norfolk has one sixth form college: East Norfolk Sixth Form College

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Further education colleges

Offer a wide range of courses including academic, vocational, technical and specialist occupational courses. They:

give you a fresh start with new teachers and new friends from different schools
are usually very large with students of different ages including adults, doing full and part-time courses
have the widest range of subjects, courses and facilities
Norfolk has four further education colleges: City College Norwich, College of West Anglia, Easton College and East Coast College
further education colleges often have more than one centre, for instance:-
- Paston College and Easton College are part of City College Norwich
- the College of West Anglia has campuses at King's Lynn, Downham Market, Wisbech and Cambridge
- East Coast College has campuses at Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft

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Other Norfolk providers

There are several providers in Norfolk who offer full-time Level 2 and Level 3 courses in specialist areas such as art and design, music, musical theatre, media, creative IT and computing. Others offer study programmes for young people who haven't achieved 9-4 grades at GCSE which give you the chance to try out various vocational options including engineering, childcare, performing arts and many more.

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Colleges outside of Norfolk

Outside Norfolk, there are some specialist colleges, such as dance and drama schools, or colleges offering courses for students with a disability or learning difficulty. If you want to find out more about specialist colleges speak to your school's careers leader or adviser.

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All providers of post-16 education provide help and support for their students, but you are expected to take on more responsibility for your own learning.

Level 3

If you want to do a Level 3 course, you'll usually need at least four or five GCSEs at grade 4-9 or better. Level 3 courses include A and AS Levels, T Levels, BTEC Nationals and OCR Cambridge Technicals. Many sixth forms and colleges may ask for certain grades in certain subjects in order to continue with them at a higher level.

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Level 2

If you are looking at Level 2 courses, you might be asked for some grade 4s or 3s at GCSE. Sometimes an interest in the subject is as important as your GCSE grades. Level 2 courses include GCSEs, BTEC Firsts, NVQ2 or OCR Cambridge technicals and nationals.

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Level 1

Level 1 courses have names like Entry, Foundation or Introductory. Some lower grades at GCSE might be required or a good report from your school or college. Really wanting to do the course is just as important.

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Entry requirements vary between sixth forms and colleges

You might be completely confused about it all at this point but don't worry, Help You Choose can point you in the right direction.

It's really important to check with each sixth form/college that you are interested in going to for up-to-date information on their entry requirements, You can find out the entry requirements for a specific course by searching for it on Help You Choose, then clicking the View button next to it.

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When you’re applying to college or sixth form, you’ll need to fill out an application form. This might be your first time doing this, so here are some tips to help with the tricky parts. Make sure to follow any instructions at the top of the form or at the start of each section. It’s a good idea to do a rough draft in a word document first. You can then fix any mistakes and use spellcheck before copying and pasting it into the actual form.

Personal Statement

This can feel a bit scary because you have to talk about why you’d be a good student for the college or sixth form. But it’s really just a chance to tell them more about you.

Here’s a simple way to structure your personal statement:

Why you want to go to that college or sixth form: Is it because of their facilities, courses, or reputation?
Your career plans: If you have any, explain how the courses you're applying for will help you achieve them. If you don't have specific plans, talk about what interests you in the courses.
Your activities outside of school: Mention things like playing sports, learning an instrument, or being in a drama club, for example. Try to link these hobbies to skills you've developed, like teamwork from sports, confidence from drama, or dedication from learning an instrument.

The Student Room has a useful article on completing personal statements.

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Work experience

If you’ve had a part-time job, done school work experience, or volunteered, this is a great spot to show what skills you’ve learned. List important skills like teamwork, communication, and customer service. Give details about what you did, like “I took all the phone bookings and updated the database to keep the salon organized.”

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Spelling, grammar & punctuation

It’s tempting to be casual when filling out an application form, but sixth forms and colleges will check your spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Your application might be their first impression of you, so it’s important to review it before sending. Ask someone else to read it to ensure it makes sense and has no mistakes. If you apply online on Help You Choose, you can preview your application before submitting it.

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This may be the first formal interview that you have ever had so here are some top tips to help you prepare for a successful college or sixth form interview:

Top Tips

Arrive early – Make sure you know how long your journey will take and allow extra time for traffic if you are travelling by car or public transport.
Take any documents you have been asked to provide with you eg certificates etc
Take a copy of your application form so you can read it through beforehand. You may also wish to refer to it in your interview.
It's natural to be feeling nervous – try to relax and be yourself, listen carefully to the questions and ask if you don't understand.
Be enthusiastic – colleges and sixth forms want to know you are keen and motivated to do well if you get a place on their course.
Be honest - for example, don’t lie about your potential grades. If you don’t get the required grades to meet the course the college or sixth form may be able to offer you an alternative course.

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Questions you may be asked at interview

Why do you want to study with us?

Let the interviewer know your reasons for applying. Did you like the tutors at the open event, the facilities on offer etc.

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Why are you interested in the course?

Say what it is that you like about the subject of the course.

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What are you hoping to gain from the course?

Tell the interviewer what your plans are when you have finished, whether it’s going onto university, an apprenticeship or going into the work place and how completing the course can help you move onto your next step.

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What are your future career plans?

Let the interviewer know what your career plans are and how the course will help you to achieve these. If you currently don’t have any firm career plans, be honest and explain how the course is the next step you want to take and how it may help you decide on your future direction.

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Do you have any questions you would like to ask?

It’s always good to have at least a couple of questions that you would like to ask to show that you are really interested. You might want to know about your tutors, the course or the facilities etc. You can write your questions down before the interview and refer to your notes when you're asked.

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Youth Employment UK has a useful article on preparing for sixth form and college interviews.

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