I want to find out about staying in full time education

What qualifications can I study if I stay in full time education?

You can study full time qualifications such as vocational BTECs, CACHE, OCR, NVQ, A levels and the International Baccalaureate and IB Careers Programme. You can study different levels of qualification so that you find the level of learning to suit you.

How do I decide which qualification to study?

• Subjects you enjoy and you are good at
• Subjects you might need for your career ideas
• Your learning style
• Grades you expect to get in Year 11
• Programme choices available

What do Levels 1, 2 and 3 mean?

The level of qualification will let you know how difficult it will be and the grades you need to study it. For example:

A levels are Level 3 qualifications
BTECs are available as Level 3, Level 2 and Level 1

Entry to Level 3 courses is normally 5 GCSEs at grade C/grade 4 or above including English Language
Entry to Level 2 courses is normally 4 GCSEs at grade D/grade 3
Entry to Level 1 courses is normally an Entry level qualification and the ability to work at Level 1 without support

What are Vocational Courses such as BTEC?

Vocational courses are available at the Guernsey College of Further Education at Level 1, 2 or 3. Vocational qualifications can range from general qualifications where you learn skills relevant to a variety of jobs, to specialist qualifications designed for a particular sector.They are available from several awarding bodies, such as BTEC, City and Guilds, Edexcel and OCR, and can be taken at many different sizes and levels.

Use the links on the right hand side of this page to find out more about the courses at the Guernsey College of Further Education.

What are A levels?

A levels are Level 3 qualifications and you normally need 5 GCSEs at grade C /grade 4 or above including English Language  (you need grades A/B at GCSE for some A level subject entry).

A levels are studied and assessed in a similar way to GCSE's with examinations and coursework where appropriate. Students normally choose to study 3 or 4 main subjects over 2 years.

A levels can be studied at the Sixth Form Centre, Ladies College, Elizabeth College or Blanchelande College (Blanchelande Sixth Form from September 2020).

What is the IB (International Baccalaureate) qualification?

The IB is a full time Level 3 qualification where you study a range of subjects. There are 6 groups of subjects and you choose a subject from each group and you will study 3 of them at Higher Level and 3 of them at Standard Level. You normally need a minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade C / grade 4 or above including English Language and Maths (higher grades are needed to study some subjects in the IB).

What is the IB Career- related programme (CP)? 

The International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (CP) is a Level 3 qualification offered between the Sixth Form Centre and Guernsey College of Further Education. This programme is for students who wish to combine academic study with a professional financial qualification. 

Use the links on the right hand side of this page to find out more about A level, IB and IB Career-related programme courses available.

How and When do I apply for courses?

You apply for courses at school and the deadline is usually middle of March in Year 11. There will also be presentations at school about full time learning post-16 and open days you can go on. Information will be given to you at school about these.