Qualifications and Credit Framework

1. Qualifications and Credit Framework Introduction to the QCF and new health qualifications

2. What is it? Where does it apply? Replaces the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Applicable in England, Wales and Northern Ireland In Wales one of the four pillars of the broader Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales (CQFW) In Scotland qualifications conform to the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF)

3. Who has responsibility? • Regulated by OfQual (Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulations) www.ofqual.gov.uk • ensure that units and qualifications meet framework requirements • approve organisations wanting to act as Awarding Organisations • Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency www.qcda.gov.uk • managed the overall programme to build capacity and capability of organisations to ensure they engage fully with the QCF

4. When can I see it? • Now! • Already populated with 000’s of units and many qualifications • Period of transition from NQF ends 31 December 2010 • From 1 January 2011 QCF will be the only framework available for vocational qualifications

5. What does the QCF look like?

6. Levels and Credits • There are nine levels – 1-8 plus ‘Entry’ level • The level of the qualification indicates how difficult it is to achieve ie the level of the challenge • Credit values indicate the size of the qualification • There are three sizes: • Award 1-12 credits • Certificate 13-36 credits • Diploma 37+ credits (there is no upper limit)

7. What is Learning Time? • One credit represents 10 notional hours of learning time • Learning time is the estimated time taken by learners at the level of the unit, on average, to complete the learning outcomes of the unit to the standard determined by the assessment criteria • Learning time includes all the time needed to achieve a unit including directed study, homework, assessment time and preparation time • Not just time spent attending a course

8. What are Guided Learning Hours? The following definition of GLH is taken from paragraph 59 of Funding guidance for further education in 2006/07 (Learning and Skills Council, April 2006): Guided learning hours are defined as all times when a member of staff is present to give specific guidance towards the learning aim being studied on a programme. This definition includes lectures, tutorials and supervised study in, for example, open learning centres and learning workshops. It also includes time spent by staff assessing a learner’s achievements, for example in the assessment of competence for National Vocational Qualifications. It does not include time spent by staff in the day-to-day marking of assignments or homework where the learner is not present. It does not include hours where supervision or assistance is of a general nature and is not specific to the study of the learners.

9. Learning Time v Guided Learning Hours GLH represents contact time only ie does not include learning away from the teacher v Learning Time is an estimate of all the time required to achieve the learning outcomes (may be the same as contact time but more likely to include time outside of the contact time necessary to acquire knowledge and/or develop skills) There is no assumed relationship between GLH and unit credit value In the QCF … learning is separated from time served …credit is awarded for achievement, not for learning effort

10. QCF units Units from within the qualifications can be used as stand-alone units for continuing professional development or to enable learners to build progressively towards the achievement of a qualification All the units written for these qualifications have shared status. This means that Awarding Organisations may use any of the units to develop their own new qualifications. We have also made use of units imported from other sectors within our qualifications.

11. A closer look at a unit • Main components: • Title • Level • Credit Value • Learning Outcomes • Assessment Criteria • Recommended Guided Learning Hours • Units of different levels can appear within a qualification

12. Learning Outcomes & Assessment Criteria • Learning Outcomes should state the achievements learners will take away with them from the learning experience which they will be able to apply in the future, ie the learner will…. • Know … (demonstrates knowledge and understanding) • Understand… (demonstrates knowledge and understanding) • Be able to… (demonstrates competence) • Assessment Criteria allow consistent and accurate judgements to be made about the achievement of the learning outcome, ie the learner can ….. • Describe … • Explain… • Apply… • Demonstrate…

13. Rules of Combination • Define how units are put together to make up a qualification • ie mandatory units and optional units • Govern how learners can choose which units they will take to make up their qualification • Ofqual rules require learners to achieve at least 51% of their credits at or above the level of the qualification • Skills for Health has set a higher threshold ie 60% • ROC agreed between the Sector Skills Council and Awarding Organisation

14. Assessment and verification Each unit has it’s own assessment requirements so that wherever/whatever sector the unit is used in, it is assessed in the same way Skills for Health and Skills for Care and Development have agreed to use the same set of Assessment Principles across their qualifications Potential for a wider range of assessor and verifier qualifications see: http://www.lluk.org/documents/Assessing_and_assuring_the_quality_of_assessment_quals_fact_sheet_final_August_2010_non_ALP_note_.pdf Units can be assessed individually but holistic assessment of the whole qualification is recommended

15. Qualifications and Credit Framework Qualifications Development Process

16. Step One • Incremental review of the NVQs • feedback from the sector • what was good • what wasn’t working so well • any additional flexibility or units needed? • National Occupational Standards (NOS) identified for each qualification / pathway • Take up / business case reviewed

17. Step Two • Units based on NOS written by Awarding Organisations • Units reviewed by Skills for Health (3 stages) • Every unit reviewed by two Awarding Organisations • Units uploaded by the Awarding Organisations • Qualification structures finalised

18. Step Three • Qualifications submitted for OfQual accreditation • Qualifications available on http://register.ofqual.gov.uk/

19. What does the QCF mean for the health sector? National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and Vocationally Related Qualifications (VRQs) which previously existed on the National Qualifications Framework are being replaced by QCF qualifications Final enrolments for Health and Health & Social Care NVQs is by end of December 2010 Level 2 NVQs will be certificated up to 31 December 2012 Level 3 NVQs will be certificated up to 31 December 2013 Some QCF health qualifications are already available but the QCF Diplomas developed to replace the health NVQs will go live on 1 January 2011

20. What does the QCF mean for employers? Employers have increasing autonomy and accountability for their workforce development The new qualifications have been designed to be flexible They allow employers greater choice in the precise units they select for their staff to undertake within the qualifications Individual units may be used as stand-alone achievements to obtain credits (eg CPD) or within the larger qualifications

21. What does the QCF mean for learners? The qualifications measure occupational competence, including application of knowledge, and will therefore be portable and recognised by different employers Learners can accumulate credit over time and, if desired, build progressively towards the achievement of a qualification Facilitates transferability of learning Less confusion over the types of qualification available to learners Individual units can be used for continuing professional development

22. What does the QCF mean for learning providers? Clearer for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) / Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Shared units appearing in more than one qualification may allow for mixed groups of learners. The assessment of each unit is defined in the unit assessment principles which leads to a consistent assessment methodology. Clearer transparency/understanding of qualifications QCF Assessment principles may facilitate a greater range of assessor and verifier qualifications than those traditionally associated with NVQs

23. A word about funding Skills for Health does not have a direct funding responsibility for qualifications Skills for Health has requested that the qualifications which measure occupational competence and those used within apprenticeship frameworks are given priority for funding Whilst the QCF has the potential for learners to access a wide range of units, funding routes usually only support full qualifications England - Skills Funding Agency www.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk (look in ‘publications’ for:  QCF Qualifications confirmed for public funding 2010/11) Wales - Welsh Assembly Government www.wales.gov.uk (see also the database of approved qualifications in Wales www.daqw.org.uk) Northern Ireland – Department for Employment and Learning www.delni.gov.uk(see further education ‘financing’ section)

24. Qualifications and Credit Framework New QCF Health Qualifications

25. What is the difference between NQF & QCF qualifications? Our new QCF qualifications are still • Unit based • Designed to measure occupational competence • Related to National Occupational Standards (NOS) But now • Each unit has a credit value as well as a level • The units are learning outcome based instead of being actual NOS • Competence units measure knowledge and skill together • Knowledge units only measure knowledge and do not have to link to NOS • One competence unit can be based on more than one NOS

26. What will replace the current Health Sector NVQs? (Available from January 2011) Level 2: • Diploma in Clinical Healthcare Support • Diploma in Emergency Care Assistance • Certificate in Healthcare Support Services • Certificate in Health Informatics • Diploma in Optical Retail Skills • NVQ Certificate in Pharmacy Service Skills

27. What will replace the current Health Sector NVQs? (Available from January 2011) Level 3: • Diploma in Allied Health Profession Support • Diploma in Blood Donor Support • Diploma in Clinical Healthcare Support • Diploma in Dental Nursing • Diploma in Healthcare Support Services • Diploma in Maternity and Paediatric Support • Diploma in Optical Retail Skills • Diploma in Pathology Support • Diploma in Perioperative Support • NVQ Diploma in Pharmacy Service Skills

28. What will replace the current Health & Social Care NVQs? (Available from January 2011) Level 2 • Diploma in Health and Social Care (Adults) for England • Diploma in Health and Social Care (Adults) for Wales and Northern Ireland Level 3 • Diploma in Health and Social Care (Adults) for England • Diploma in Health and Social Care (Adults) for Wales and Northern Ireland • Diploma in Health and Social Care (Children and Young People) for Wales and Northern Ireland

29. About the qualifications Each qualification has a Set of Mandatory Units Each learner must do all of the mandatory units Core units appear within the mandatory section of many of the Health and Health and Social Care qualifications. These cover: Communication Equality and Diversity Health, Safety and Security Safeguarding and Protecting Individuals Set of Optional Units Learners may select units which are appropriate to their roles The new qualifications in the health sector will be live until December 2013 when they will be reviewed

30. Further information Not transferred to QCF Decontamination Endoscopy New Born Hearing Screening Renal Support Radiography and Clinical Imaging – 2 units within Level 3 Diploma in Clinical Healthcare Support Apprenticeship Frameworks Due to be available from January 2011 (Pharmacy March 2011) Further information available in November once the final Specification of Apprenticeship Standards for England (SASE) for Wales (SASW) are confirmed SASE & SASW statutory on 6th April 2011 Progression The new qualifications may represent progression routes for learners undertaking 14-19 qualifications see www.skillsforhealth.org.uk