As GCSE exams come to a close, young people will be looking towards the next step in their journey through education and into work. While not everyone knows what they want to do in the longer term, young people have decisions to make about the courses they are going to take next.
After GCSEs the default option can often seem to be to go on to A levels. They have a similar format to GCSEs and are generally well understood. However, are they assessed in a way that will most effectively enable that young person to shine?
Academic qualifications tend to be heavily weighted towards end-assessment by exams. That really suits some people. For example, long ago when I was at school, I loved exams as I was great at cramming in the months leading up to A levels. Others I knew performed really well throughout the course then struggled with the examined assessment.
So this style of assessment brings out the best in some young people but not others. So what alternatives should they consider?
The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is still an academic qualification but with a focus on project work and assessment of a submitted report, avoiding exam conditions. As well as bringing out different strengths, the EPQ can be a valuable complement to A levels by giving a young person experience of more university-style working and developing skills that will be useful in their working life
While the future of some BTECs is in doubt, they offer an important alternative to A levels, with a much stronger focus on assessed assignments and projects throughout the programme. There are BTECs in a wide range of subjects and they can be really beneficial for young people who don’t find the exam assessed route as natural.
The new T Levels are another alternative, planned to replace some BTECs and mixing taught content with at least 45 days on an industry placement. That work experience can be invaluable for young people looking to move into work rather than stay in education. A T Level is equivalent to three A levels, focuses on vocational skills, and currently cover ten courses, expanding to 20 over the coming years.
If a young person wants an even greater vocational focus, there are a huge range of apprenticeships covering a wide range of industries. These reverse the T Level emphasis, with 80% of time working in a job and 20% spent in the classroom and may better suit young people who will thrive in the world of work more than academia.
It’s important to emphasise that no route is ‘better’ or ‘worse’ than any other, as it all depends on the career goals and needs of the individual young person.
A route through A levels to university may be ideal for one young person, but another may be equally successful following an apprenticeship route.
It’s important to help each young person consider not just what they want to achieve, but also what form of education and training brings out the best in them. That can come with the support of a professionally trained careers adviser, coaching the young person to understand themselves, providing impartial information on the alternative pathways, and helping them determine what is right for them.
David Morgan
The CDI is the professional body for those working in all aspects of career development. To learn more about the work of the CDI, please visit our website.
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