Education

Degrees

• These are available to people with further education qualifications such as A, A2, Vocational A's, AS levels or a National Diploma.
• They last either 3 or 4 years, and you'll end up with either a BA (Bachelor of Arts) or a BSc (Bachelor of Science).
• Over the years, you'll develop a thorough and deep understanding of your chosen subject.
• Most degree courses rely on you to motivate yourself to do the work you need to. There'll be regular lectures and small group tutorials/ seminars to ensure you stay on the right track, but you'll have to do a lot of work to pass.
• A degree will greatly enhance your career prospects.

Foundation Degrees

Which qualifications are right for me?

As you move through your last two years at school or college, you've got some big decisions to make.

You need to:

• Decide whether you want to move into Higher Education (HE) at university or college.
• If you do, you need to choose a subject and a university/college, and then apply for a place. Whatever you choose, it's a good idea to think about a fallback option if your results turn out to be not as good as you hope.

You can check out the booklet - Your Way Forward - Options @18+' for more information. It's available from your Connexions Centre.

GCSE's

GCSE's are normally taken at the end of year 11 in schools. It is possible to re-sit these exams if you fail to get your required grades or you simply want to improve grades. You should try to make sure that you have a go at English, Maths and a Science if possible, as employers and colleges will be looking for people with these qualifications, sometimes at grade C or above.

Entry levels

• These are the first level of education achievements. They're designed to give you full recognition for your education achievements.
• Entry level certificates are available in a wide range of subjects.
• You can do them at your own pace.
• They are most helpful if you have had difficulty getting more traditional qualifications such as GCSE's.

AS (Advanced Supplementary) levels

Which qualification is right for me?

These days there's a huge range of qualifications on offer that will help you get the skills and certificates you need to make the most of your life. Whether you'd like to go straight into work, stay at school, go to college, or even mix and match these options, there's something right for you. Don't be worried about the range available - talk to people at your school and your Connexions Personal Advisor, who should have all the latest information regarding the changes.