What is the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)?
The QCF is a government body who regulates Ordosafe training. These qualifications are made up of units. This provides a flexible way to gain a qualification. Each unit has a credit value which tells you how many credits are awarded when a unit is completed.
The credit value also gives an indication of how long it will normally take you to complete a unit. One credit will usually take you 10 hours of learning (Guided Learning Hours). The GLH specifies the amount of time the average candidate would take including time for induction, directed study time, tutorials and assessment.
Units build up to qualifications and there are three different types of qualification from Award to Certificate and Diploma.
You can achieve an Award with 1 to 12 credits; for a Certificate you will need 13 – 36 credits and for a Diploma at least 37 credits. Units and qualifications are each given a level according to their difficulty, from entry level to level 8. The title of a qualification will tell you its size and level.
If you have already achieved a qualification which includes a unit that you have been certificated for, you can use that unit towards another qualification. Units awarded by different awarding organisations can be combined to build up qualifications.
| QCF/NQF Level | Qualifications approximate comparability | C&G Qualifications also include |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Doctorate | Fellowship (FCGI) |
| 7 | Master’s Degree Postgraduate Diploma Postgraduate Certficate |
Membership (MCGI) Master Professional Diploma ILM QCF Qualifications |
| 6 | Bachelor’s Degree Graduate Certificate and Diploma |
Graduateship (GCGI) Associateship (ACGI) ILM Qualifications |
| 5 | Higher National Diplomas (HND) & Higher National Certificate (HNC) Foundation Degree Diplomas of Higher and Further Education |
IVQ Advanced Technical Diploma Full Technological Diploma ILM QCF Qualifications |
| 4 | Certificate of Higher Education | Licentiateship (LCGI) Higher Professional Diploma Level 4 Vocational (NVQ/VRQ/QCF) |
| 3 | A Levels Advanced National Certificate in Education BTEC National Certificate/Diploma |
Level 3 Vocational (NVQ/VRQ/QCF) Advanced Apprenticeship (England &NI) Modern Apprenticeship (Scotland and Wales) |
| 2 | GCSE grades A – C | Level 2 Vocational (NVQ/VRQ/QCF) Apprenticeship (England & NI) Foundation Modern Apprenticeship (Wales) |
| 1 | GCSE grades D – G | NVQ Level 1 Level 1 Vocational Award |
| Entry 1,2,3 | Entry level vocational qualifications and Progression Awards | |