Cambridge Nationals are a
vocational qualification
Vocational education is education that prepares people to work as a technician or to take up employment in a skilled craft or trade as a tradesperson or artisan. Vocational Education can also be seen as that type of education given to an ind ...
in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
introduced by the
OCR Examinations Board to replace the
OCR Nationals
OCR Nationals are vocationally related qualifications which were officially launched by the OCR Board in September 2004. The qualifications are designed to meet the needs of those seeking vocational education in place of the traditional, theory-i ...
. These are Level 1 and Level 2 qualifications for students aged 14 to 16 and are usually a two-year course. Students can progress to
A Levels
The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational aut ...
,
apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a Tradesman, trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners ...
s or Level 3 vocational qualifications (''
National qualifications frameworks in the United Kingdom The national qualification frameworks in the United Kingdom are qualifications frameworks that define and link the levels and credit values of different qualifications.
The current frameworks are:
* The Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) for ...
'').
OCR is part of
Cambridge University Press & Assessment
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is a non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge. It was formed in August 2021, when the University of Cambridge merged its global academic research and education publisher Cambridge University Pr ...
.
Regulation
In 2014 the UK government announced it would reform all vocational qualifications.
By 2021 it was ready to set out its plan for vocational qualifications in England
and redeveloped Level 1/Level 2 Cambridge Nationals qualifications were approved by
OFQUAL
The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) is a non-ministerial government department that regulates qualifications, exams and tests in England. Colloquially and publicly, Ofqual is often referred to as the exam "watchdog ...
for inclusion on the
key stage 4
Key Stage 4 (KS4) is the legal term for the two years of school education which incorporate GCSEs, and other examinations, in maintained schools in England normally known as Year 10 and Year 11, when pupils are aged between 14 and 16 by August 31. ...
performance tables in England for 2024, to be taught from 2022. Ten redeveloped Cambridge Nationals qualifications were to be taught from 2022:
* Child Player
* Creative iMedia
* Enterprise and Marketing
* Engineering Design
* Engineering Manufacture
* Engineering Programmable Systems
* Health and Social Care
* IT
* Sport Science
* Sport Studies
During the COVID-19 pandemic, OCR announced a series of adjustments it would make to support learners taking Cambridge Nationals.
Subjects
The following subjects were offered up to 2022:
* Child Development Certificate Level 1/2
* Creative iMedia Award/Certificate Level 1/2
* Engineering Design Award/Certificate Level 1/2
* Engineering Manufacture Award/Certificate Level 1/2
* Enterprise and Marketing Certificate Level 1/2
* Health and Social Care Award/Certificate Level 1/2
* Information Technologies Certificate Level 1/2
* Principles in Engineering and Engineering Business Award/Certificate Level 1/2
* Sport Science Award/Certificate Level 1/2
* Sport Studies Award/Certificate Level 1/2
* Systems Control in Engineering Award/Certificate Level 1/2
References
OCR website
External links
Cambridge Nationals
Educational qualifications in the United Kingdom
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